2019 Defeat of Jesse James Days Horseshoe Hunt

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Horseshoe Hunt Rules and Guidelines

  • (IMPORTANT – REGISTER FIRST) Buttons needed to be registered before the start of the hunt to receive the full grand prize.  If you did not register and do find the horseshoe, you can claim the $300 consolation prize.
  • Northfield public school grounds are NOT city-owned and exempt from this contest.  Please stay off all school property, including the colleges.
  • Members of the DJJD Committee, Northfield News, KYMN Radio (employees) and their immediate family are not eligible to participate as clues will be posted online, announced on air and found in print no later than 7am each day. Clues are posted online on this site, the Northfield News and the KYMN Radio sites each day. When the horseshoe is found and the Chairman has been notified, notice will be posted on Facebook and broadcast on KYMN radio ASAP. A full explanation of clues will be posted shortly after on this site.
  • The winner must be 18 years old or older.  In past years, families & groups join together to work out the clues and search for the horseshoe.  This is acceptable as long as a legal adult is supervising the search and able to represent the family if found.
  • The horseshoe will be located on public property within Northfield or Dundas and will not be buried. NO digging will be needed in the retrieval of the horseshoe and it will not require the use of a ladder.  PRIVATE property is excluded and we ask you are respectful as you search public areas.  Should damage to any property occur while searching for the horseshoe, the participant(s) forfeit prize money and maybe ban from future contests.
  • While the police are notified in advance of this contest and made aware of the possibility that people may be walking around aimlessly this week, private property owners have the right to contact authorities if you are on their property.
  • The DJJD Committee is not responsible for any personal injury or accident incurred hunting for or retrieving the horseshoe.  The horseshoe is placed with safety in mind. Closely monitor children in your party. Please hunt responsibly.
  • When the horseshoe is found, the winner must immediately notify Tim Freeland (507-581-5038).  Tim will arrange to meet you and confirm the shoe authenticity. There is only 1 horseshoe like this one in the world. Only past winners are aware of the markings on its backside.  This is how it is verified. You must be present at the DJJD Committee meeting the Tuesday Sept 4th 2018 at 7pm at to receive your check in exchange for giving the horseshoe back. The horseshoe is a historical artifact and must be returned to the committee. The reward check is one of the huge checks you see on TV (but you can’t keep the big version).
  • There is no cost for this event but you do need to register this years DJJD button in advance to claim the FULL prize.
  • If you win, you must agree to be publicly named along with the possibility of an on-air radio interview, your photo and name(s) on various local websites and a picture and write up in the paper.
  • If the horseshoe goes unfound by midnight on Tuesday, the week of DJJD, the hunt will officially end for the year and prize money will be returned to the donors.

This is the true story of Alexander Franklin James. Born January 10, 1843. Clay County, Missouri. Died February 18, 1915 (aged 72). Clay County, Missouri.

Hunt information
Dates:
First Clue:Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Found on:Monday, September 2, 2019
Finders:
NameHometown
Becca Brinkman Northfield
Prize:
Maximum Prize:$1500
Awarded Prize:$1500
Location:
General Location:Odd Fellows Park
Exact Location:Along Forest Avenue Between the Old County Rd 43 Sign and the end of the sidewalk
Concealer:
Clues
Published on Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Frank James was a fighter. He was a well-established horseman who knew how to pick the fastest and best rides. Because his father was a minister, the James family would frequently relocate around Missouri. After some time in the Civil War, he ended up fighting for a couple of Guerrilla warfare groups. This was a sign of what was to come.
Explanation:
The main idea is to determine what is true and what is clue. To know what’s real about Frank so that the “odd” statements stick out and act as location hints. In my preface, I use the word “True”. Implying that what I write is fact, and to be cautious. But, that’s the first big ol’ clue. True. Truth. “Friendship, Love, Truth”. That’s the IOOF motto. It represents the “three links” of their organization. The international order of Odd Fellows. In fact, in Oaklawn Cemetery there’s a large burial section for people that passed while in the care of the IOOF/Three Links throughout the towns early history. This motto is engraved on the large IOOF monument.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xHJMv5eXoNKY8Rrg8

The mention of them “relocating” is made-up. There have been many houses selling along the street the park is on, starting with Professional Pride Realty on 3rd, all the way down to Odd Fellows. There are signs in yards.

“This was a sign” is a direct reference to the 2005 hunt when Odd Fellows was used and Franklin and Bette Lee placed the shoe directly on the “Water Conservation” sign in this park.

This is the 3rd time the shoe has gone into Odd Fellows Park. In fact, I’m re-using some of my research from when I placed it in Odd Fellows the very first time I was the solo clue-writer in 2011. Embarrassingly, it was found on day 2 because I used the word “strange” early on. Stange=Odd. I’m hoping the third time’s a charm. Anyone who remembers this hunt or saved the clues would recognize the use of “signs”. While it is vague, it was the centerpiece of an entire hunt.
 
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Published on Thursday, August 29, 2019
The gang had scouted out southern Minnesota and knew Northfield was their mark. They stopped for lunch before they hit the downtown Northfield bank. Crossing the iron bridge into Mill Square the water over the damn drown out the sound of the hooves. While biding time outside the bank, mingling with citizens, Frank James, Bob Younger and Charlie Pitts had to make the decision. Enter the bank or ride through town.
Explanation:
The first line simply identifies “Northfield” as its location, not Dundas. The 2nd line should seem strange because I used “Northfield Bank” and not First National Bank. There’s a Community Resource Bank – Water conservation sign at the entrance to Odd Fellows. Line 3 mentioned water. Every year there’s water. But the throw-off is…there’s no water in OF. Just the water conservation sign. Mingling with citizens is a hint that there is a shelter house and a place where people gather at the OF park. The big decision. Ride on through. Walk through the park and go into that deep, mosquito filled woods at the park. Who’d dare go into that deep wood. Or should I say “Big Woods”. Great point.
 
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Published on Friday, August 30, 2019
As Cole and Clell approached from the south, Frank and the boys went in. Cole knew this was a mistake. While the gangsters were friends like family, he was mad as hell at them. Too many townspeople gathered on the street. Just before 2pm, the three entered. “Throw up your hands for we intend to rob this place! And if any of you holler you’ll no longer see my softer side,” Frank warned.

Note: Please pardon my damn dam error yesterday as many of you pointed out. They didn’t ride over a cuss word. (this is not part of any clue) (or is it) Kidding. (maybe)
Explanation:
The beginning of this sets up “Friends” (Friendship), the 2nd word in the IOOF’s motto. IOOF is “Three Links”. When Frank yelled, “softer” is an Anagram of Forest. A word scramble. Forest is one of the boarding park roads. Too many townspeople on the street. Gathering place. The Gazebo and picnic shelter. Before 2pm the “3 entered” equals “Three” Links.
 
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Published on Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Frank yelled at Joseph Lee Heywood, “You are the cashier, now open the safe you S.O.B.”. Joseph claimed he couldn’t open the vault because it was locked with Yale Chronometer Lock, a strangely shaped vault mechanism. Frank knew Heywood was lying. Frank tried to go into the vault himself but Heywood ran over and tried to push the vault door shut on him before being pulled away by Charlie. Angered, Frank pistol-whipped Heywood across the head then fired a shot into the portrait hanging on the wall, attempting to scare him
Explanation:
Yes, all the first few sentences set up “Strangely Shape”. Strange is ODD. And the strange shape is the multi-sided gazebo in Odd Fellows Park. If you look up what was hanging on the wall in the bank that day, there was a calendar clock but also a portrait of the US President at the time, Abe Lincoln. Lincoln is across the street to this park. In fact, as Lincoln ends, it virtually points at the shoe.
 
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Published on Sunday, September 1, 2019
Cole desperately called for the boys to come out of the bank, riding to the perimeter 5 times. Frank, who hated to accept defeat was the last to exit. Frank blamed the failure on Heywood. There was no strong-arming Joseph and no love lost there. Looking to even the score, he took one more shot and with the expression of the very devil in his face Frank James shot Joseph Lee Heywood in the head.
Explanation:
5th street kinda is Highway 19. It’s the same road. Cole rode up to the bank 3 times pleading for them to come out. Not 5 times. Armstrong Road=Strong Arm. Perimeter (where it’s at in the park). The 3rd of the 3 links…”Love” makes an appearance. The IOOF Motto. EVEN the score? Odd=Even. Odd Fellows. The line about “..the very devil in his face” is a direct quote from Wilcox, who was still in the bank and witnessed the assassination.
 
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Published on Monday, September 2, 2019
Upon leaving town, the gang needed to hug the Forest edge as they fled to the northwest, ducking down to stay out of sight. They only went in the big woods for rest. The James-Younger Gang was doomed in Northfield. They should have seen the sign after hitting the end of the trail. Frank & Jesse split from the others in this Odd get-away, three times.

“I was tired of an outlaw’s life. I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never known a day of perfect peace. It was one long, anxious, inexorable, eternal vigil. When I slept it was literally in the midst of an arsenal. If I heard dogs bark more fiercely than usual, or the feet of horses in a greater volume of sound than usual, I stood to arms. Have you any idea of what a man must endure who leads such a life? No, you cannot. No one can unless he lives it for himself.”
Explanation:
Well, as I say, we’ve only gotten here 2 times before. I believe it was 10 years ago, in 2009 when Franklin & Betty Lee (not James) hid it in the east parking lot behind the 400 block of downtown. Their joke that year was indicating it was in a park(ing lot) in the 6th clue. When people were thinking “park”.

This was the 3rd time the shoe was placed in Oddfellows park. Oddfellows is from the IOOF. The International Order of the Odd Fellow. Also known as “Three Links”…which stands for Friendship, Love & True, all 3 of which are found in the clues throughout the week.

The first line gives most of it away. Along the Forest line is literally where it is and also on Forest Avenue. It’s right along the edge of the Oddfellows forest/wood line. Along the NW outside edge. You need to duck in under the overgrown tree branch and look on the ground. If you’re walking along Forest past the parking lot towards 19 the sidewalk ends before a sign that says “43”. I believe that’s like county 43 road. It was between the end of the sidewalk and the sign, along the trees, but still out of the woods in the grass (weeds). I state in this clue that you don’t need to go into the woods. The last line gives “Odd” as in Oddfellows and mentions its 3rd appearance, along with “Three Links”.

This quote that ends this year’s hunt is the full quote Frank gave later in life after leaving his lawless lifestyle. Ironically, it mentions “hunted for 21 years”. This year makes it 22 years.
 
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