Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 480
image_0 image_1 image_2
Younger Bros Pardon Sought by Bishop - Henry Halleck's Cousin - Mentions Northfield Raid, Confed Freelancers, More
Younger Bros Pardon Sought by Bishop - Henry Halleck's Cousin - Mentions Northfield Raid, Confed Freelancers, More
image_0 image_1 image_2
Description:

James Younger
Orange Co., FL, n.d.
Younger Bros Pardon Sought by Bishop - Henry Halleck's Cousin - Mentions Northfield Raid, Confed Freelancers, More
ALS
A fine content autograph letter in the hand of Cora McNeil on behalf of Henry Benjamin Whipple, Bishop of Minnesota, to Chief Justice Charles M. Start and making a plea for the pardon of the Younger Brothers. Lake Maitland, FL [n.d. but sometime between 1886-1901]. Beautifully penned on two separate lined sheets. Staple holes at top left corner, a bit of marginal wear but overall, very good condition. 2pp. 8.33" x 9.25".

McNeil is reportedly the former sweetheart of Jim Younger, and the author of a romanticized account of the Younger-James gang's activities titled "Mizzoura." She devoted much of her life to obtaining a pardon for "the boys," and harnessed every possible individual for her cause, from politicians to the clergy, as in this case. It is unclear whether this is a transcription of a letter that McNeil seeks Whipple to write, or a fair copy of one which he had written.

O'Neil writes, in part: "…I learn from Bishop [Mahlon Norris] Gilbert that an appeal is made to the Board of Pardons for the pardon of Coleman and James Younger. I join my fellow-citizens in this request for the following reasons: I know the conditions of Missouri during the Civil War, my cousin General [Henry] Halleck, was in command. The previous conflict in Kansas had ripened into the bitterest hatreds and vendetta. The family of the Younger Brothers were sufferers. They joined the free lancers of the Confederacy.

I believe their subsequent history was the outcome of those days of guerilla warfare, and so far as I know, and believe, the Younger brothers were not guilty of personal acts of cruelty or murder. I believe that in the Northfield Bank robbery the murder of the Cashier was the act of a drunken member of the gang. Since the day they entered prison they have lived exemplary lives and men like Genl. [Henry Hopkins] Sibley, Gov. [William R.] Marshall and others have expressed to me their belief that they had received their punishment in such manner as to guarantee their good behavior and were proper subjects of clemency.

Their case cannot be a precedent for the future, for we are not likely to suffer again the hatreds of the Civil War. They are old men, I shall be glad if at this Christmas tide you can see your way to grant their 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. 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.

A certain amount of historical revisionism is also at work here, and Bishop Whipple is quick to adopt it: he suggests that the Younger brothers' past as "freelancers" (partisan fighters) in Missouri during the Civil War was a product of Bloody Kansas and a defense of the Confederacy. On the other hand, history shows that as a partisan fighter, Cole Younger was doing personal jobs at the same time as fighting for the "Lost Cause." In killing the militiamen responsible for his father's death and in riding with Quantrill and his raiders, Cole terrorized the countryside with vandalism, looting and murdering Lincoln supporters. Though freelancers sought to disrupt Union communications, supply lines and advancement that would serve the Confederacy, they also used their position outside of the military and law itself to engage in other depredations that served their own interests.

For himself, Cole would always maintain that he and his brother were forced into a life of crime by mobs intent on lynching them and by the harassment of Yankee lawmen. "They kept accusing us until they drove us into it," Cole told a reporter for the "Honey Grove Signal of Texas" in 1915.

Henry Benjamin Whipple (1822-1901) was the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota, holding that office from 1859 until his death. He is particularly known for his work in reforming Indian Affairs. During the 1880s and 1890s, Whipple's health compelled him to spend several months each year at his winter home in Maitland, Florida, where he held missionary services and built the Church of the Good Shepherd.

In ca. November 1886, Whipple began work to shape the future for the Youngers, whom he saw as martyrs for the South. Union general Henry Sibley (1811-1891) corresponded with Whipple on the subject in a letter dated November 26, 1886; and in 1901, Whipple added his name to those on a petition begging for their pardon.

Whipple was the first cousin of Union General Henry Halleck. The relationship between the two men outside of blood is uncertain; however what is certain is that Whipple used his association with Halleck to advocate for Indian reforms. Whipple became a more vocal critic as tensions between the Dakota and white immigrant communities erupted in the U.S.-Dakota War in August 1862. In September, a military commission headed by Sibley brought 303 Dakota men to trial and execution in Mankato. Whipple argued that the government did not have the right to order a mass execution.

He and Halleck met with Abraham Lincoln in the fall of 1862 in an effort to spare their lives. Halleck himself had requested the meeting about the Dakota Indian war in Minnesota, which "…had come as an unpleasant distraction to a president preoccupied with a far larger conflict" ("And the Wilderness Shall Blossom" by Anne Beiser Allen, 2008). As a result of the meeting December 1862, Lincoln authorized the hanging of 38 Dakota instead of 303. The balance were imprisoned and some eventually pardoned.

We could find no evidence of Henry Halleck going on record about the Youngers, either for or against their imprisonment or pardon!

Charles M. Start (1829-1915) served as Chief Justice in the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1895-1913. A staunch proponent of individuals' rights, he argued for a measured approach to justice: "A reform movement ought not to be sent straight to the mark, like a cannon ball, without regard to the wreck and ruin which may follow. It should be strenuous, but fair; persistent, but deliberate; it should be based upon justice and controlled reason, for no permanent reform can, or ought to be, secured in any other way."

Start signed a pardon the Youngers on July 10, 1901, along with the Governor of Minnesota, Samual 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 con- duct 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."

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 8.25" x 9.25"
  • Medium: ALS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

March 12, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000