Private Investigator Files - The Younger Brothers

One of the best accounts of the Youngers comes from a friend to the Younger family, August Appler, editor of the Osceola Missouri Democrat, who tells how Cole Younger and his band of followers captured fifteen men. In camp that night, Cole debated with the members of his gang on the merits of the Enfield rifle. One of the gang thought that since it could kill a man at a mile, it could also kill ten men in one shot. Cole decided to use his prisoners as his test.He placed them in a line, one behind the other, then measured off fifteen paces and fired. Three men dropped.Cole continued to fire until all men had been killed, disappointed with the results.Another story gives some insight into the men behind the killings. The District Attorney of Dallas County, E.G. Bower wrote that "Cole, Bob, and Jim Younger sang in the choir of the Baptist Church in Dallas where they were on the side of law and order. The boys were often called on by the sheriff to assist in the arrest of despera
te characters and they always responded."One can see the solemn-face of Cole and his brothers side by side sharing a hymnbook under the admiring eyes of the Baptist congregation, while underneath their neat broadcloth coats rested well-oiled and much used Navy Colts.The gang could kill and plunder as much as they wanted as long as their victims were banks, railroads, and express companies. These institutions were commonly considered robbers of the people. When they were raided by the outlaws, the public generally shrugged their shoulders.Many peace officers, like Bower, were ex-soldiers and to arrest a "war comrade" was unthinkable-unless of course that comrade had raped your sister, insulted your mother, or stolen your horse.

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