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

The sister and aunt of the boys were by their sides during this scene, and they walked with them as they returned to the jail under the same guard that escorted them forth. Until the following Saturday had been taken by the prisoners' counsel to plead to the indictment, and during the interval of three days the subject of how to plead was discussed for many hours. Bob was as independent as ever, declared he would not plead guilty, but the persuasions of sister and aunt finally prevailed, and when taken into court on Saturday in the same manner as before, each responded

“GUILTY,”

when the question was asked by the clerk. Judge Lord then, without preface or remark, sentenced each to be confined in the State Prison, at Stillwater, at hard labor, for the term of his natural Life. After the dread words had been uttered, the sister broke down and fell sobbing and moaning on the breast of her brother Cole.

Thus these bloody bandits escaped the gallows where their many crimes should have been expiated, and in a few days from the time they were sentenced, they were on their way to Stillwater, under a strong guard, but no attempt was made to molest them, although large crowds were collected at each station on the railroads by which they traveled. Sheriff Barton knew well the citizens of his State, and he had no fear that he would be interfered with while discharging his duty. The bandits were accompanied to their final home in this world by their faithful relatives, who left them within the prison walls, taking away as mementoes the clothes which the wicked men had worn. The robbers were immediately set at work painting pails, a labor which called for no dangerous tools to prosecute, and a special guard was set upon the renowned villains, as it is not intended that they shall escape to again terrify the world by their wicked deeds.

JOSEPH LEE HEYWOOD.

[pg 73]

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JOSEPH LEE HEYWOOD,

the brave victim of the desperate raid, was born at Fitzwilliam, N. H., August 12th, 1837. He left home when about twenty years of age, and passed the better part of a year in Concord, Mass., and then changed his residence to Fitchburg, remaining there not far from a year. At the age of twenty-three, or in 1860, he came as far west as New Baltimore, Mich., and for some twelve months was occupied as clerk and book-keeper in a drug store. Moline, Illinois, then became his home for a short time, but the war of the rebellion raging, he went to Chicago and enlisted for three years in the 127th Illinois regiment. This was in 1862. Soon after he was ordered to the front and saw not a little of hard service on the march, and on the field of battle. He was present at the unsuccessful attack on Vicksburg, and also at the capture of Arkansas Post. Not long after, his health giving way through exposure and over exertion, he was sent first to the hospital, and then sent, more dead than alive, to his friends in Illinois. A few months later, recovering his health sufficiently to do light service, he was detailed as druggist in a dispensary at Nashville, where he remained until the close of the war, and was discharged in May, 1865. The next year was spent, for the most part, with friends in Illinois, and then we find him, in the summer of 1866, in Minnesota, and in Faribault, and the year after in Minneapolis, in a drug store again. In the fall of 1867, he removed to Northfield to keep books in the lumber yard, for S. P. Stewart. Four years since he accepted the position in the bank which he held till all earthly occupations came to a sudden and untimely end.