This Day in History: September 7, 1876

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On September 7, 1876, the James-Younger Gang attempt to rob the First National Bank of Northfield of Northfield, Minnesota. The gang, having spent the years since the end of the American Civil War robbing banks, trains, and stagecoaches in the West, set it's eyes on the bank in this Minnesota town. While the bank was not a particularly wealthy one, it was believed to hold a large sum of money deposited by General Adelbert Ames, a retired Union officer from the Civil War and former Republican governor of Mississippi. Though the chance to grab a large quantity of cash was likely enough temptation, the opportunity for at least one of the ex-Confederates in the gang to get "revenge" on the Union general factored into the decision to rob the bank. Unfortunately for the James-Younger Gang the decision would be their own destruction

After scouting the town and planning their operation, the gang rode into town early in the morning of September 7. Around 2:00 PM, three of the gang (Bob Younger, Frank James, and Charlie Pitts) walked into the bank while the remaining five (Jesse James, Cole Younger, Jim Younger, Bill Stiles, and Clell Miller) stood guard outside. Their plans of robbing the bank quickly fell apart as the three bank employees refused to open the vault. Curious as to what was happening inside, shopkeeper J.S. Allen walked up to the bank and peered into the window only to be greeted by an armed and threatening Miller. Allen quickly raised the alarm about the ongoing bank robbery and the townspeople took up arms and engage the bank robbers. During the confrontation, an unarmed Swedish immigrant named Nicholas Gustafson was murdered by Cole Younger; however, the townspeople had also gunned down Miller and Stiles.

Meanwhile, the situation inside the bank had deteriorated. Two of the three employees had escaped, one of whom was wounded by a shot to the shoulder in the process. With no way to get in the vault and the rest of the gang being slaughtered outside, one of the men shot and killed the last remaining bank employee, assistant cashier Joseph Lee Heywood, and grabbed what cash they could, amounting to a few bags of change. Over the course of the firefight and subsequent escape, two of the gang lay dead in the streets while every single member of the gang had been wounded.

Pursued by posses and lawmen, the gang split up. Jesse and Frank James would manage to procure horses and make good their escape. The Younger brothers and Charlie Pitts were not so lucky. They would be cornered in a swamp near La Salle, Minnesota, two weeks later. After a gunfight with their pursuers, Charlie Pitts was dead and the Youngers were forced to surrender. The brothers were each charged with bank robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and bank robbery and each pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. All three were sentenced to life in prison.

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