Dead Eye Jake

I came up with a short story over five stages about the James-Younger gang and the The Northfield Raid. I based it on some supposed facts taken from the internet and some from the movie The Long Riders. It goes like this here. Stage 1. It was a sunny Thursday afternoon on September 7 1876 when the James-Younger gang rode into Northfield, Minnesota to rob the town's First National Bank. The gang made up of the James brothers, Jesse and Frank, the three Younger brothers, Cole, Jim and Bob, and also Clell Miller,Charlie Pitts and Bill Chadwell. The gang had spent the last ten years robbing banks and trains across Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. At around 2pm the gang rode over the 4th street bridge and took up positions along Division Street and Bridge Square. Frank James, Charlie Pitts and Bob Younger entered the bank. Starting line: "This is a holdup!" Stage 2. What would later be called a "textbook James-Younger robbery," it began with the three outlaws entering the bank and announcing that they were holding up the bank and that no one has to get hurt. They jumped over the counter and ordered bank cashier Joseph Lee Haywood to open the vault. Haywood told them he couldn't open it since it was on a time lock. They again ordered him to open it or lose his life. Again he said he couldn't, sticking to his story of it being on a time lock. Starting line: "Open that vault, mister!" Stage 3. J.S. Allen, a hardware merchant was in the bank at the time and was able to get outside and shouted to others on the street, "get your guns, they're robbin' the bank!" In response,Henry Wheeler, Anselm Manning and other towns folk got their weapons and began shooting at the rest of the gang guarding Division Street. In the ensuing shootout, Wheeler killed Clell Miller from an upper level window across the street. Manning killed Bob Youngers horse and Bill Chadwell. Bank employee Alonzo Bunker tried to escape the bank but was shot in the shoulder by Charlie Pitts. Starting line: "Get your guns boys, they're robbin' the bank!" Stage 4. Amid the chaos on the street, Cole Younger rode up several times to the bank door and implored his friends to leave the bank. After Charlie Pitts shot Bunker he exited the bank. Bob Younger also left the bank after grabbing the loose change and script laying on the tables. The only money the outlaws escaped with totalled $26.70. Last to leave the bank was Frank James and before he left he turned and shot Joseph Heywood in the head. He died almost instantly. Starting line: "Let's get the heck outa' here!" Stage 5. The people of Northfield had no idea that Jesse James and his gang would come that far north to rob their bank. They took pictures of the two dead outlaws to identify them. A posse was formed to capture the outlaws who escaped. The governor issued a reward for their capture and volunteers came from the surrounding towns. At Hanska slough near Madelia MN, the posse surrounded the wounded Younger brothers and Charlie Pitts. A shootout ensued and Pitts was killed. Cole, Jim and Bob Younger were captured and sentenced to life in prison. Frank and Jesse had left the group days earlier and escaped back to Missouri. Jesse was the only one who wasn't injured in the Northfield Raid. Starting line: "We should never have left Missouri. "

Dead Eye Jake SASS #105569 Pawnee Station Vindicators Shooting 1 year

These pictures and stories are great. Very enjoyable. Thanks for posting. I'm a new shooter and didn't realize how different things were back then. Those action stages like the Chinese laundry, outhouse, horseback, barber chair, etc. had to be a lot of fun to shoot. Not so much emphasis on time just get through it and have fun doing it. Again, thanks and if you have more please post them.

I used 3/8 AR 500 and had them cut into 16x16 inch squares and 16 inch circles with a plasma machine. I welded the hangers on the back made out of 1/4 by 2 1/2 angle with a one inch hole on one side to slide onto the stands made out of 3/4 rebar. Welded with a Lincoln 255 mig. Turned up the heat and the wire speed from normal setting for those thickness. Everything holding up real good under soft lead. Even from the 45/70 at about 75 yds. Thats all the distance I can get at my little range. Works great for practicing CAS stages, though. See ya down the trail.