ealth compelled her removal from Minnesota to
Idaho, and Minnesota lost one of the brightest newspaper writers and one
of the best and truest women and staunchest friends that a man ever knew.
Jim and I had a host of earnest advocates during the latter years of our
imprisonment, but none exceeded in devotion the young woman who, as a
little tot, had ridden, unknowingly, with the bandit who was so soon to be
exiled for life from all his kin and friends.

28. THE NORTHFIELD RAID

While Pitts and I were waiting for Bob and Chadwell we scouted about,
going to Madelia and as far as the eastern part of Cotton-wood county, to
familiarize ourselves with the country. Finally, a few days later, the
boys joined us, having bought their horses at Mankato.

We then divided into two parties and started for Northfield by somewhat
different routes. Monday night, Sept. 4, our party were at Le Sueur
Center, and court being in session, we had to sleep on the floor. The
hotel was full of lawyers, and they, with the judge and other court
attendants, had a high old time that night. Tuesday night we were at
Cordova, a little village in Le Sueur county, and Wednesday night in
Millersburg, eleven miles west of Northfield. Bob and his party were then
at Cannon City, to the south of Northfield. We reunited Thursday morning,
Sept. 7, a little outside Northfield, west of the Cannon river.

We took a trip into town that forenoon, and I looked over the bank. We
had dinner at various places and then returned to the camp. While we were
planning the raid it was intended that I should be one of the party to go
into the bank. I urged on the boys that whatever happened we should not
shoot any one.

"What if they begin shooting at us?" some one suggested.

"Well," said Bob, "if Cap is so particular about the shooting, suppose we
let him stay outside and take his chances."

So at the last minute our plans were changed, and when we started for town
Bob, Pitts and Howard went in front, the plan being for them to await us
in the square and enter the bank when the second detachment came up with
them. Miller and I went second to stand guard at the bank, while the rest
of the party were to wait at the bridge for the signal--a pistol shot--in
the event they were needed. There were no saddle horses in evidence, and
we calculated that we would have a considerable advantage. Wrecking the
telegraph office as we left, we would get a good start