St. Clair County
Remnants Of The Past

The Youngers Great Battle

Osceola Democrat
March 17, 1874

The whole community was thrown into excitement on Wednesday morning by the report reaching town that a desperate and bloody battle had been fought near Monegaw, on the road leading from Roscoe to Chalk Level, about three miles from Roscoe, and near the farm of Theodrick Snuffer, between a couple of United States detectives and John and James Younger, the detectives having along with them as guide Ed B. Daniels, a young man of Osceola.

One of the detectives, named Wright made his escape back to Osceola, and was unable to give full particulars of the fight and its results, but gave it as his opinion that his partner and Daniels had surrendered and would be killed.

Friends of young Daniels at once crossed the river and went a few miles to ascertain what was the result, and soon returned with the information that Ed Daniels and John Younger had been killed and the detective, Allen, mortally wounded.

Roscoe was reached about five o'clock in the evening, where we found the wounded detective Allen at the Roscoe House, under the charge of Dr. A.C. Marquis. We found Mr. Allen suffering considerable from his wounds, which consisted of a broken left arm, with several buckshot in it, and a pistol shot through the left lung, the ball entering the front and passing through the body, the wound having been caused by a ball being discharged from a large sized Navy revolver.

We went from Roscoe to the residence of Mr. Snuffer and there learned that the Younger Boys, James and John, had come to his residence about one half hour previous to the appearance of the detectives and young Daniel, they, the Youngers eating dinner at the time they passed. After eating their dinner, John Younger remarked to his brother, James, that they would follow those men and see who they were, stating at the time that he supposed they were detectives, and when they caught up with them the battle commenced.

Dr. Marquis thinks there is a possibility that the detective, Allen, will recover from his wounds.