The Northfield Tragedy; or, the Robber's Raid: A Thrilling Narrative; A history of the remarkable attempt to rob the bank at Northfield, Minnesota; the Cold-Blooded Murder of the Brave Cashier and an Inoffensive Citizen. The Slaying of Two of the Brigands. The Wonderful Robber Hunt and Capture Graphically Described. Biographies of the Victims, the Captors & the Notorious Younger and James Gang of DesperadoesHanson, J. H. (Joseph Have)
History
The Northfield Tragedy; or, the Robber's Raid: A Thrilling Narrative; A history of the remarkable attempt to rob the bank at Northfield, Minnesota; the Cold-Blooded Murder of the Brave Cashier and an Inoffensive Citizen. The Slaying of Two of the Brigands. The Wonderful Robber Hunt and Capture Graphically Described. Biographies of the Victims, the Captors & the Notorious Younger and James Gang of Desperadoes
Hanson, J. H. (Joseph Have)
Bank robberies -- Minnesota -- Northfield -- History -- 19th century
There lay in the open street a few paces from the bank entrance a bandit
in all the hideous ghastliness of a bloody death. A few feet from him was
stretched the lifeless body of a noble horse, while further down the
street on the opposite side another grim corpse lay in a pool of seething
gore.
Windows in all directions were shattered, and door posts showed scars of
imbedded bullets.
Reluctantly the assembled citizens approached the bank, and the sight
which there met their horror stricken gaze caused a thrill of indignation
to seize upon every nerve; and strong men turned pale as they clinched
their fists and set their teeth, registering an inward oath to wreak
vengeance upon the miscreant perpetrators of the dastardly outrage.
There lay poor Heywood! the man who dared death and defied three of the
most notorious scoundrels who ever “cracked a crib” or broke a scull, who
resisted torture, and finally gave his life blood in defense of his trust.
Who was the man to carry the appalling news to the young wife and tell her
that he, upon whom hung her very life, had left her for all time—that he
had been torn from her and hurled into dread eternity by the ruthless hand
of the bloody assassin!
Who was stout enough to bear the gore covered mangled corpse to the new
desolate and grief stricken home!
But there were those who were willing to pursue the
RED HANDED MURDERERS.
Some overcome with indignation, impetuously prepared for the chase, but
others, perhaps more determined men, who were willing to follow on to the
very death, were not so hasty in their departure, but as time proved were
prepared to pertinaciously follow up the trial with the tenacity of the
bloodhound.
Two of the former, Davis and Hayes, immediately sought for horses and none
being so ready as those of the two dead robbers, seized them, sprang into
the saddles, and were soon in hot pursuit.
Both men were well armed with rifles—one an eighteen shot Winchester with
globe sight. At every point they heard of the retreating villians upon
whom they were gaining rapidly. Dashing through Dundas, Hayes and Davis
kept up the pursuit till at last they saw a group of horsemen surrounding
a wagon from which they were apparently taking the horses. As the pursuers
advanced one of the horsemen turned from the wagon, and advancing a few
steps up the road ordered the pursuing men to halt.
Davis and Hayes instinctively obeyed, and strange to relate, these two men
who had been so impatient to commence the pursuit, now that they were
confronted by the audacious scoundrels found their courage waning, and
they halted.
Nor did they again find their courage return, but they sat there and saw
the marauders after securing one of the farmer’s horses again boldly dash
away.
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