Description:

Younger Brothers
Lewis Station, MO, September 25, 1897 and February 14, 1898
Confederate Home Seeks Pardon of Younger Brothers Letters, Superb
ALS

A pair of autograph letters signed by W. C. Bronaugh, a member of the board for the Confederate Home of Missouri, both written on official letterhead from Lewis Station, September 25, 1897 and February 14, 1898. Penned to Cora McNeil, Jim Younger's former sweetheart and the author of the novel "Mizzoura", which chronicles the Younger Brothers' lives. She was married to George M. Bennett, mentioned in the second letter, who attempted to secure a pardon for the Younger brothers. Each letter 2pp. 8.5" x 11". Mailing fold, otherwise very good.

The first letter, September 25, 1897 reads, in part: "…Your favor of the 22nd is before me…I will be in K. City…I will go to the Reunion in Moberly…I will be much pleased to confer with you about the pardon of the Younger Bros. I think there are few such men as they are living, they have more honor & principal than half the men who have their liberty. I will do anything in my power what is honorable to bring about a pardon & I am quite sure that is can be effected ere long. I did all in my power to keep the matter quiet but it got out from Portis [?] in Minn. first and not from me. The boys have thousands of good friends in Minn. It may be I can & will run up to K. City from the Reunion & see you…".

The second letter, February 14, 1898 continues in the same vein, in part: "…Your very kind & good letter of the 10th Feby was rec'd…I was just getting ready to answer it when our good Preacher & his wife appeared at the door…he preaches one among the best sermons I have ever heard. I wish you…Jim & Cole could have been & heard him…Should we get the noble boys out we will have an old fashion love feast [?] here of their friends regardless of their church relations. What think you?...I have just written to Mr. [Judge] Bennett of Minneapolis…A letter from Steve Elkins says he will do all he can to get Senators [Cushman K.] Davis & [Knute] Nelson to favor the Youngers pardon…".

In 1876 the James Younger Gang made their disastrous raid in Northfield, Minnesota. The original target was Mankato, but armed citizens changed their focus to the First National Bank of Northfield. Due to the actions of cashier Joseph Lee Heywood, and citizens A. R. Manning, a hardware merchant, and Henry M. Wheeler, a medical student home on leave, the gang was unsuccessful in the heist. Unfortunately, Heywood was killed for not opening the safe. A Swedish immigrant, Nicklaus Gustafson, was also killed in the street because he did not understand the gang's orders to get out of the way. The raid only lasted seven minutes; two of the gang members died, and the rest escaped, riding south out of town. A posse at Madelia captured the Younger brothers and killed another gang member.

The subsequent conviction and imprisonment of the Younger brothers was a touchstone for a number of popular obsessions at the time. Still smarting from its defeat in the Civil War, Southerners tended to believe that the sentencing of the "boys" was a way for the North to continue to antagonize its fallen foe and remind it of its political reach. It is understandable, then, that a not-insignificant group agitated for a pardon for the brothers and through it, wrest back just a little control over the fate of two of its crusaders.

The Youngers pardon cause supported by McNeil and dozens of others had its desired effect: Chief Justice of Minnesota Charles M. Start (1829-1915) signed a pardon the Youngers on July 10, 1901, along with the Governor of Minnesota, Samuel Rinnah van Sant, and Attorney General Walter Douglass. The notice announced: "Upon principle and judicial authority, we are satisfied that chapter 234 of the Laws of 1901 became law, although not approved by the Governor. We also recognize that it is the exclusive province of the legislature to extend the parole system to life convicts, and it has done so subject to certain conditions and limitations. We are satisfied that the petitioners in this case have, by exceptionally good conduct in prison for a quarter of a century, and the evidence they have given of sincere reformation, earned the right to a parole if any life prisoner can do so." Jim and Cole were finally paroled in 1903.

Cora McNeil Deming (1857-1942), another admirer of Cole and Jim Younger, was believed to have been Jim's sweetheart before he went to prison. McNeil had firsthand knowledge of the Youngers: her childhood home was close to the Osage River in Monegaw Springs, MO, on whose bank the brothers had a hideout cave. According to McNeil, many residents of that area assisted the Youngers in avoiding capture for years. McNeil continued her correspondence with both Jim and Cole while they were incarcerated in Minnesota following the botched Northfield bank robbery. She was married to Minneapolis judge George M. Bennett who attempted to secure a pardon for the Younger brothers.

McNeil was the author of the novel "Mizzoura," which painted a romantic and sympathetic picture of the outlaws. Deming stated that she wrote the novel "to bring fruitful returns to two penitents who, for their crimes, have paid a heavy penalty" (quoted in Kansas City Star, October 20, 1902). She also noted that the Youngers were "…kindly disposed towards the weak or helpless, but sterner men never lived…". The "Constance Lee" character mentioned by Perry in this letter was a fictionalized version Cora McNeil in her novel.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
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