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

by J. H. Hanson

HAD SEEN THE ROBBERS

and guided them to where the villains were. When the party came in sight of the robbers, the latter were at the house of John Sharphold. Seeing their pursuers coming they seemed to try to fortify behind a heap of earth, but when the party scattered out in an attempt to surround them, they made off. They waded in a slough near by, and when passing over a rise of ground beyond, Glispin and Will Estes fired at them with their rifles, just grazing the shoulder and cutting the shirt of one, as they afterwards learned.

This caused the miscreants to hasten their pace, and while those pursuing were crossing the slough and going cautiously up the hill (fearing an ambuscade,) they had made quite an advance. As they were on foot, it was now evident from the direction they were taking that they knew the country, and were making for Doolittle's herd. It was not long before they reached the Hanska slough which they waded, The party in pursuit, who were proceeding in a form of line, came to the slough and finding they could not cross, Glispin and Estes went down the slough and crossed at the house of A. Swingler, who showed them a cattle crossing. The Sheriff sent Severson to show those citizens coming, which way to proceed. Vought went up stream and crossed, and about this time was joined by Dr. Overholt, and coming down to the right of the robbers, fired occasionally to attract others. Dr. Overholt shot with his rifle and hit one of the robber's canes. Glispin and Estes coming up on the left, fired several shots, and the robbers returned the fire, and being at close range, the bullets flew thick about the pursuers, grazing Glispin's horse.

About half past 12 o'clock Will Estes ran out of ammunition and was obliged to come to town, informing those whom he met where to go, and as soon as he arrived here sent telegrams to St. James of movements.

In the pursuit, Glispin, Vought and Overholt saw Doolittle's herd and bore to the right to prevent the robbers from capturing the horses, and crossed the river at J. Doolittle's; some men were ordered to stay there as guard.

FINDING THEMSELVES FOILED

the bandits went to the river opposite Andrew Andersen's house and called to him to bring over his horses, that they were after the robbers. He took the hint however and ran the horses off. The robbers then passed up the river to the next house and crossed at a ford; then passed through Anderson's cornfield to a granary, then seeing teams that Mr. Horace Thompson, President of the First National Bank of St. Paul, had out hunting, they started east toward them, but Mr. Thompson and his son put coarse shot in their guns and faced [pg 50] them, seeing which the robbers turned north down the bluff and crept along in a band in the brush to the bank of the river.

Sheriff Glispin, and others, came down to Andersen's house, and citizens arriving, the Sheriff posted pickets along the bluff on the south side of the river, to watch the robbers. Among these, August Fedder and Wm. Shannon were by the house, Ole Stone on the bluff, and G. W. Green on a point east of the picket line on the north side. At this time J. Dolittle came down and said the guards at his house had gone, and the Sheriff, T. L. Vought and Dr. Overholt returned there to see to it, and the latter was stationed there by the Sheriff.

Meanwhile citizens were arriving on the north side of the river, and some of them saw the robbers go into the brush. About 1 o'clock Capt. W. W. Murphy arrived and having definitely ascertained where the villains were, and also that the citizens were unorganized, all willing but no one deciding what to do, he appeared to take in the situation immediately and at once took command and found every one well pleased to obey. After giving directions concerning the horses, he led forward to the north bank of the river, the stream being about 20 feet wide, and the prairie reaching to the water edge. Here he posted the men at equal distances, each with instructions how to act. The names of the men so posted were Geo. P. Johnston, T. Toren, W. H. Borland, C. Pittis. D. Campbell, Geo. Carpenter, Joe Crandall, H. Juveland, H. H. Winter, Chas. Ash, E. H. Bill, E. A. Loper, J. E. Smith, D. Brayton, J. A. Gieriet, Jack Delling, W. H. H. Witham, Robt. Shannon, W. Bundy, Isaac Bundy, G. Christopherson, and in a few moments these were joined by F. D. Joy, G. W. Yates, H. P. Wadsworth, O. C. Cole and several others.