Younger Brothers - Ron Affolter

Visit the Jesse James Theme Park

	A Tale of Sheriff Glispin and Deputy Sheriff Foot
	Escape and Capture A man who gives his name as Edwards and his residence as the United States was convicted at St. James on Friday morning last, of an assault upon Sheriff Glispin, having struck him with a bottle, and was sentenced to twenty days confinement in the Mankato Jail. He was brought to this city by Friday afternoon's train by deputy sheriff Foot. Just as the train was entering the city, and when near the Van Brunt slough, Edwards made an excuse to go into the water closet. He stayed longer than the deputy thought necessary, and when he opened the door to look after the prisoner he found that he had crawled out the window and saw his straw hat just as he jumped from the train which was going at about twelve miles an hour. The deputy followed as quick as possible, but the prisoner had a good start and it was feared had made good his escape. Night watchman Young came to the sheriff's assistance and after following the trail it was found that Edwards had crept into the tall grass in the slough where he was captured, nestling close to the ground. He was then safely lodged in the jail, to serve out his sentence. Mankato Weekly Review: Tuesday August 10, 1880.

Cowboy singing and yodeling at the Capture of the Younger Brothers Site, Minnesota

Yodeling Cowboy
Lonesome Ron Sings
Outlaw Ballads for the
Younger Brothers Capture
Re-enactment - Madelia, Minnesota
Lonesone Ron Web Page

Webmaster: RiffTech - riffaff@micro.com

Madelia, Minnesota

Each year the town of Madelia, Minnesota celebrates the September 21, 1876 capture of the infamous Younger Brothers. The Youngers and gang member Charlie Pitts were trapped by a posse near La Salle, Minnesota just two weeks after their attempt to rob the Northfield bank with the gang that included both Frank and Jesse James. Jesse and Frank along with Bill Stiles had gone off on their own heading west a few days earlier.

Actors portraying the Younger Brothers and the posse recreate the shootout at the actual location where it happened.

THE GREAT NORTHFIELD RAID AND THE CAPTURE OF THE YOUNGER BROTHERS On Thursday Sept 7, 1876, the James-Younger gang attempted to rob the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota. Before they could complete the robbery the towns people of Northfield took up arms and a shootout in the street began. Two of the outlaws, Bill Chadwell and Clell Miller were killed and the rest of the gang escaped into the Big Woods. A hunt for the outlaws was begun and extended throughout Southern Minnesota. The chase included Posses, vigilantes, Pinkertons and detectives from both Minneapolis and St Paul. While eluding the posse the gang was spotted in the vicinities of such towns as Cordova, Mankato, Marysburg and Lake Crystal. Because Bob Younger was badly wounded from the shootout in Northfield the gang decided to separate into two groups. One group consisted of the Younger Brothers and Charlie Pitts. The other was made up of Frank and Jesse James and, by some reports, Bill Stiles.		Bob Younger purchasing a book about the Northfield raid.
The James Brothers headed west and eventually escaped to their home down south. However on September 21 the Younger Brothers and Charlie Pitts were discovered in the vicinity of Madelia, Minnesota. A group of lawmen and volunteers was put together and trapped the outlaws in a low marshy area of the Watonwan River near La Salle. After a gunfight that left Charlie Pitts dead and the Younger Brothers all badly wounded, the remaining gang members surrendered. At the November trial in Faribault the Younger Brothers were found guilty and sent to Stillwater State Prison.

YOUNGER BROTHERS CAPTURE

Madelia, Minnesota