Mr. Bunker said that himself, Mr. Heywood and Mr. Wilcox were sitting at
their respective desks, when they heard a heavy rush from the bank door to
the counter. They turned round and saw three men climbing over the counter
and with their knees on it and revolvers pointed directly at the three
bank officers. A man presumed to be Jesse James, and who acted as leader,
called out, “Throw up your hands, we are going to rob the bank.” James
then ran across the room and passed Heywood into the vault, which was
open, but seeing the safe door closed, turned back from the entrance and
seizing Heywood by the collar who, from being older than the others and
from the position of his desk, was naturally supposed to be the cashier,
ordered him to open the safe, Mr. Heywood said it was a time lock, and it
could not be opened. The other said that was a d—d lie.
Charley Pitts then came up on the other side of Heywood and threatened to
kill him if he did not immediately open the safe. One of the others called
out, “Let’s cut his throat and be done with it.” Heywood commenced
shouting murder and repeated the cry three or four times. They then
hustled him about, and James struck him on the head with the butt end of
his pistol, knocking him down. He was then dragged towards the vault,
where he lay with his head partially in the vault. James then drew the
knife across Heywood’s neck, who did not say anything, appearing to be
partially insensible, when another of them stooped down and fired close to
the prostrate man’s head, the ball penetrating a tin box containing papers
in the vault.
All this time I was on my knees on the floor, with Bob Younger standing
guard over me. I had a revolver under the counter, where I stand, and
which was in full view, and I endeavored gradually to edge over and obtain
possession of it, but Bob saw the attempt, and seeing the weapon, put it
into his pocket, saying, at the same time, that I could do nothing with
this, and it was of no use. He then placed it in his pocket and commenced
searching me, but did not take anything from me. The pistol was a Smith &
Wesson, and we always regarded it as an excellent weapon. Bob having
turned his head partially around to see what was going on in the other
part of the room, I raised my head with the view of giving the alarm to
any one I saw in the street, but my movements were quickly observed by Bob
who pulled me down, saying at the same time, that I had better keep quiet
for, if I attempted to rise again he would kill me. He then inquired where
was the cashier’s till, and I pointed to a box containing some nickels and
scrip, the former done up in cartridges. He seemed to know very well there
was more loose money than that, and he told me he would kill me if I did
not show him the till. I did not answer him, and he pulled out a drawer
containing stationery, but the drawer having some $2,000 he did not open,
supposing, probably, that in its contents were the same.
Meantime, while the two men were engaged with Heywood, James told Bob
Younger to bring out the sack. Bob took out a green bag and thrust a
handful of scrip into it, but did not take any of the nickels.
The distance from where I was to the rear of the bank, is about 25 feet,
and the rear door of the two hardware stores adjoin the rear door of the
bank. I thought if I could make my way out in this direction, I would have
a chance of giving the alarm, so that the citizens would come to the
rescue. In making this movement, I should have to pass where Mr. Wilcox
was sitting, and I made a slight motion for him to move so that I could
get past. He saw my motion and shifted his position. The man who stood
over me having his attention directed to the proceedings of the others, I
started, but was immediately followed by Charley Pitts, who fired at me,
the ball going through the blinds of the door and lodging in a brick
chimney, but not striking me. There was a stairway leading down, and Pitts
standing on top of that, fired down on me, I having reached the bottom at
the time, fired again, the ball just striking me below the scapula,
passing through the thin portion of it, and down, passing out about half
an inch below the collar bone, the course traversed being about seven
inches, and narrowly missing the sub-claviel artery, where the wound would
have been fatal.
I think it was James that said, while keeping us down, “don’t one of you
move; we have fifty men on the street, and you will be killed if you
move.” The safe was not locked at all, but there was only about $15,000 in
it, which they might easily have secured.
Mr. Bunker said he recognized the body killed at Madelia, as that of
Charley Pitts, and also identified Bob Younger, by the likeness published
herein.