History of Olmsted County, Minnesota, Part 12

Author: Joseph A. Leonard
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 736

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At that time it was not known that there was any sane witness of the transaction, but a young man of about twenty, John Date,

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was painting in the hall adjoining the ward at the time. This was not known at the time of the inquest. Superintendent Bowers hearing of it a few days afterwards, interrogated Date, but could not get full information from him. He was afraid of Becker. The superintendent was satisfied that Combs had been maltreated, but did not think there was sufficient evidence to convict the attendants of killing him. He consulted with Dr. Collins, one of his assist- ants, and Steward Kerr, and concluded that it was not advisable, at that time, to have the attendants prosecuted. He reprimanded and discharged them. It was quite questionable whether enough good would have resulted from any further action to compensate for the scandal to the institution that would result. Superintendent Bowers stated in the trial later that he intended to inform the trus- tees of the facts, but Captain Daniels, the resident trustee. was too ill to be talked to about it. and he hesitated to mention it to the board. And another reason not made public for keeping quiet about the matter was that at the time of the occurrence the Legis- lature had before it the question of making a large appropriation for the hospitals, and there was fear of arousing an opposition to the hospitals that would result in the defeat of the appropriation.

It was not till two months after the occurrence that Coroner Morse, hearing that Date had told some one that the attendants had murdered Combs, sent for and examined him. Warrants were send out by Superintendent Bowers, and Becker and Peterson were sent to jail by City Justice Benjamin to await the action of the grand jury. The body of Combs, which had been buried at St. Paul, was exhumed and it was found that the injuries to the chest were greater than had appeared at the coroner's inquest.

Superintendent Bowers notified the hospital trustees and a meet- ing was held, as a result of which Superintendent Bowers, Assistant Superintendent Collins, Supervisor Howe and Steward Kerr were suspended pending further investigation, and Dr. A. F. Kilbourne, second assistant physician at the St. Peter Hospital, was appointed acting superintendent, and William Schimmell, of St. Peter, treas- urer of the board of trustees. was appointed acting steward.

The daily newspapers at St. Paul and Minneapolis made the most of the sensation, welcome to them, and grossly exaggerated accounts of the affair and of Superintendent Bowers' connection with it were scattered through the state, appealing to the always present popu- lar prejudice against insane asylums. Governor Merriam had an investigation made by Secretary Hart, of the board of corrections and charities, and also appointed an investigating committee con- sisting of C. C. Williston, of Red Wing; Thomas Simpson, of Winona, and C. Amundson. of St. Peter. In the District Court, which was in session at the time, Judge Start directed the grand jury to investigate the case and the management of the hospital. They made an elaborate report of the facts and exonerated Super-

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intendent Bowers from misconduct in the matter, and from the newspaper charges that he should be indicted as an accessory after the murder, and commended the general management of the hospital.

Becker and Peterson were indicted for murder and tried, being prosecuted by County Attorney W. Logan Brackenridge and At- torney General Moses Clapp and defended by C. C. Willson, of Rochester. The jury found Beckman guilty of manslaughter in the second degree, and Peterson of assault in the second degree. It was evident that while they abused the negro, they had not in- tended to kill him. The judge so stated in sentencing them. Becker was sentenced to imprisonment in the penitentiary for four years and Peterson for three years. The maximum penalty for Becker's offense allowed by law was fifteen years, and for Peterson's five years.

The committee appointed by the governor examined 138 wit- nesses, and about the first of October, more than three months after their appointment, they made a full report to him in which they not only exonerated Superintendent Bowers from wrong doing, but highly commended his ability and his conscientious faithfulness during the more than ten years that he had been in charge of the hospital. They reported Steward Kerr as thoroughly honest but somewhat unbusinesslike in his department, and Supervisor Howe negligent. They reported that the attendants were not as efficient as ought to be, but as good as could be expected for the low wages paid by the state. There were ninety complaints made to them of ill treatment of patients, but they found only twenty sustained by evidence. Certainly that number is small in the case of more than 2,000 such persons during ten years by all sorts of attendants. It was shown that there was an understanding by the attendants to conceal such cases, and that whenever they came to the knowledge of the superintendent the offender was discharged.

In finding himself exonerated by the report Superintendent Bow- ers resigned in a manly letter to the trustees. Steward Kerr and Supervisor Howe were reinstated and Doctors Collins and Randall resigned.

Superintendent Bowers was given a reception by the citizens of Rochester at Cook's Hotel, where highly commendatory addresses were made by C. C. Willson, Esq., Rev. W. H. McGlauflin, Dr. W. W. Mayo, Rev. Father Riordan and Capt. M. J. Daniels, and a splendid gold watch was presented to the retiring superintendent. Throughout the whole affair the sympathy of the community was with Superintendent Bowers. It was realized that he was the vic- tim of the sensational journalism of St. Paul and Minneapolis daily papers.

Steward Kerr resigned and the management of the hospital was

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reorganized by the appointment of Dr. Kilbourne as superintendent, William H. Knapp, of Rochester, as steward, and Dr. Sarah V. Linton, of Minneapolis, as physician in charge of the female department.

Dr. Arthur F. Kilbourne was born in Iowa in 1858, and was a resident of Keokuk till 1880, when he removed to New York City, sity. He was assistant physician of the New York City Hospital for Insane and was appointed assistant superintendent of the insane hospital at St. Peter in 1884. He is still superintendent and has shown great ability in the management of the institution and has great social popularity. He is a member of the American and Min- and graduated from the medical department of New York Univer- nesota Medical Association and of the American Medical Psycho- logical Association.

Dr. Robert M. Phelps was born at Ripon, Wisconsin, in 1858. and graduated from Ripon College, taking the degree of A. M. He graduated in medicine from Rush Medical College of Chicago in 1885. He was appointed assistant physician of the hospital in 1885 and assistant superintendent in 1890. He has been especially interested in the training school for nurses. He is still assistant superintendent. He is a member of the American and Minnesota Medical Associations, and at a recent session of the National Medico Pschyological Association was elected president of that society.

Dr. Sarah Linton Phelps, wife of Dr. R. M. Phelps, was when appointed assistant physician, resident physician to the Northwestern Hospital, of Minneapolis. She was a graduate of the Philadelphia Woman's Medical College. She devoted much attention to the instruction in the Training School for Nurses. She was efficient in her duties till disabled by consumption, of which she died at Denver in June, 1903.

William H. Knapp was born in Pennsylvania in. 1854 and removed to Rochester, New York, and came from there to Roch- ester, Minnesota, in 1875. He was for several years bookkeeper in the dry goods store of J. D. Blake & Company, afterwards Leet & Knowlton, after which he established the store known as China Hall, which was transferred to his sisters on his entering the service of the hospital, in which he showed unusual efficiency. He is now the managing partner in the John A. Cole Milling Company, and has a reputation of much business ability. He has been inter- ested in public affairs, has served as an Alderman and is now presi- dent of the Commercial Club.

The present staff of the hospital comprises, medical superin- tendent, Arthur F. Kilbourne; assistant superintendent, Dr. Robert M. Phelps; assistant physicians, Drs. O. C. Heyerdale, Charles I ..

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Chapple and Laura A. Linton; steward, Roy A. Baker. The num- ber of nurses usually is fifty-three men and sixty-one women, and the total number of employes, 202. There are now 1,161 patients, of whom 605 are men and 556 women.

Dr. Oscar C. Heyerdale is a native of La Crosse, Wisconsin, born in 1873, and came from Blue Earth, Minnesota, in 1884, and was educated in the Rochester schools. He spent four years in the drug store of Weber & Heintz and graduated from the North- western Medical School in Chicago in 1898. He practiced medicine at Plainview, Minnesota, a year and entered the State Hospital in 1899 as third assistant physician, and has been promoted to second assistant, in which capacity he is now acting. He is serving his second term as master of the Masonic Lodge of Rochester.

Dr. Charles L. Chapple was born in Wisconsin in 1869, educated at Prescott, graduated from the literary department of the Minne- sota University in 1892 and graduated from the Minnesota College of Medicine and Surgery, served a year as interne at St. Barnabas Hospital, at Minneapolis, and came to Rochester in 1899 as third assistant physician.

Roy A. Baker is a native Minnesotian, having been born at Anoka in 1873. While a child he moved with his father's family to Fergus Falls. At the age of twenty-five he went to Alaska, where he spent an adventurous year and a half, returning to Fergus Falls, where he was engaged as an accountant and was bookkeeper in the steward's office at the State Insane Hospital, from there was appointed steward at Rochester in December, 1902.

A training school for the nurses was established by Drs. Kilbourne and Phelps in 1890, and has been conducted, mainly, under the instruction of Dr. Phelps. A class of thoroughly trained nurses is graduated every year since 1892, and the school has since that time graduated 243 qualified nurses; 154 women and 89 men.

Liberal appropriations have frequently been made by the Legis- lature for improvements and an extensive and imposing pile of 'buildings of red brick, trimmed with drab stone, has grown up, com- prising a central administration building with a handsome tower, and wing around, several separate buildings, a pavilion, two sep- arate cottages and a number of outside buildings and a green house. The hospital has extensive heating and lighting plants, an organized fire department of the employes and everything for comfort and safety. The grounds include a farm of 960 acres, owned by the state, and 440 acres rented, all cultivated chiefly by the patients. Frederick A. James, the farmer, came from St. Peter, and has filled that position since the establishment of the hospital.

A novelty in connection with the farm is a cave cellar excavated in the soft sand rock at the base of a bluff and fitted with bins, in

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which are stored thousands of bushels of vegetables, most of them raised on the farm.

The hospital is, practically, an independent village of about fifteen hundred population, nearly twice as large as any village in the county, with all the conveniences of a city, and is an admirably conducted community.

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OLMSTED COUNTY COURTHOUSE

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EVENTS OF 1874 TO 1883.

I N the legislative session of 1874, I. M. Westfall, of Rochester, anti-Monopolist, was a senator and the representatives were John Hyslop, of Marion township, anti-Monopolist; Charles T.

Shellman, of Viola township, anti-Monopolist; Michael Dos- dall, of Farmington, Democrat, and Frederick T. Olds, of Roch- ester, Democrat.

The vote at the election was a tie between Westfall and Christo- pher T. Benedict, Republican, and the special election following resulted in the success of Westfall.

Silas D. Hilman, of Rochester, was elected enrolling clerk of the House of Representatives.

Rev. I. M. Westfall, a native of Ohio, came to Rochester from Indiana in 1860, preached the first universalist sermon in the city and a church of that faith was established, of which he was pastor. He also preached, at times, at Mantorville, Spring Valley and other places. After about three years and a half he became a homeo- pathic physician and a farmer, and was active in politics as an anti-Monopolist. He was a fluent speaker and very social and popular. He later removed to Watertown, South Dakota, where he died in 1889.

John Hyslop was a native of Scotland. He immigrated to America in 1852 and in 1855 settled in Marion township, near Chester, and developed a valuable farm. He was again a repre- sentative in 1878. He died in 1897, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was a strong minded and forceful man.

Charles T. Shellman was a native of New York State, born in 1834. He moved with his parents to Wisconsin in 1845. where he spent his youth. He came to Viola township in 1862 and carried on farming on a large scale. He was unusually well informed, energetic and prosperous in business and of excellent character. He died in 1895.

Michael Dosdall was a native of Prussia and claimed to have been a member of the Prussian Legislature. He came to Farmington in 1867 and became the owner of one of the largest farms in the town- ship. He was highly social, extensively known in the county and popular with his countrymen. He moved to Dakota about 1892, and from there to the State of Washington, where he died in 1907.

Silas D. Hillman was a farmer in Viola. He taught school and became one of the proprietors of the Record, published at Roch-

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ester. He then practiced stenography, which was at that time a new art thereabouts, and became very proficient as a court reporter. He followed that business for a number of years in partnership with a brother at Minneapolis, where he died in 1905. He was industrious, popular and successful.

The new county officers elected in November, 1874, were: Auditor, Adolph Bierman, of Rochester, Democrat; Coroner, George W. Nichols, of Rochester, Republican; County Commis- sioners, O. Cravath, of Elmira, Republican, and W. H. White, of Farmington, Democrat. Auditor Bierman served three terms.

Adolph Bierman is a native of Norway, born in 1842, and a gen- tleman of liberal education and of unusual business capacity. He came to America in 1862 and enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Wiscon- sin Infantry, and served three years. After a few months residence again in Norway, he came to Rochester, and was for seven years bookkeeper in the mercantile establishment of Andrew Nelson. He was state auditor two terms, from 1891 to 1895, and was a very efficient officer. He was appointed United States collector of inter- nal revenue for Minnesota, under Cleveland's first administration, in 1855. Since that service he has conducted his large farm near Rochester, which he has recently sold, and is now a resident of the city.

Dr. George W. Nichols, practiced medicine several years in Roch- ester, and became a popular member of the community. He served two terms, being re-elected without opposition. He removed, in 1880, to Wahpeton, Dakota.

Obed Cravath was an early settler, and one of the most prominent farmers in the township of Elmira, and highly esteemed. He and his brother, Austin Cravath, of Winona county, were the first to bring into this region thoroughbred short horn cattle. He died a number of years ago.

William' Henry White was a native of Vermont, born in 1835. His grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. He learned the carpenter trade and moved to Wisconsin and came to Olmsted county in 1862. He served in the First Minnesota Regiment, and after his discharge located on a farm in Farmington township. He was elected representative in the legislature before the end of his term as commissioner, and, after his legislative service was elected sheriff and served two terms. He died in October, 1906. He was an efficient officer and very popular.

In an issue of the Post of June, 1874, it was stated that E. W. Crocker, of Rochester, had shipped from Chicago and sold at retail, three bushels and five quarts of strawberries. The first shipment sold at 70 cents per quart and the price got down to 20 cents, or an average price of about 40 cents a quart. It was probably the importation of the luxury that now comes by the car load. When

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the country was new strawberries grew abundantly in the native grass and could be had for the picking on the prairie or on vacant town lots. They were small and more difficult to pick over than the larger varieties we get at the groceries now, but were infinitely superior in sweetness and flavor. Nothing more delicious than the primitive strawberry was ever grown. Man, in improving on Nature, has not improved the strawberry.

The new county officers elected in the fall of 1875 were Henry C. Butler, of Rochester, Democrat, county attorney, and Henry Por- tier, of Kalmar, Democrat, county commissioner.

Henry C. Butler was born in the state of New York in 1828, the son of a farmer. He received an academic and collegiate education and read law. In 1850 he went to St. Paul and entered the law office of Hon. William P. Murray. He went from there to Beloit, Wisconsin, and in 1851, at Janesville, was admitted to practice law. He engaged in farming for three years, and in 1855 located for the practice of his profession at Carimona, then the county seat of Fill- more county. In 1859 he removed to Chatfield, and in 1864 to Rochester. He was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue and afterwards register in bankruptcy. He became judge of probate in 1879, and held the office fourteen years; after which he was court commissioner until his death in 1895. He was a thorough lawyer and an accomplished gentleman.

Henry Postier was a native of Germany, born in 1834. He came to Wisconsin with his parents in 1851, and to Kalmar in 1855. He was a hard working and prosperous farmer, had the respect of his neighbors and served the township as town clerk and assessor. He served three years as county commissioner. He died in 1888.

In the legislative sessions of 1875 the representatives were Lucius M. Gaskill, of High Forest; Burr Deuel, of Quincy ; J. V. Daniels, of Rochester, and William Brown, of Rochester, all Republicans.

Lucius M. Gaskill was born in Vermont and lived in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire till, in 1852, he went with his father's family to Wisconsin. In 1859 he came, with his brother John, by ox team prairie schooner to High Forest village. He spent two years and a half in the State University and studied law. He was postmaster at High Forest and was assessor. He removed to Dexter, Moon county, where he drew the act incorporating the village, and was a member of the village council for four years, assessor two years and justice of the peace one term, and was post- master. In 1896 he erected a building at Judge, in this county, and is now residing there. He has kept a store and been postmaster. He is intelligent, unusually well informed and popular with his neighbors. He has the peculiar record of having been postmaster under every president that was assassinated and lost the office under their successors.

Burr Deuel, a native of New York state, was at the time of his

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election, and for several years, proprietor of the flour mill at Quincy. He is of sterling character, well informed, frank and thoroughly reliable. He was afterwards state senator. He moved to Dodge county, and from there to Minneapolis, where he is now living.

As late as the fall of 1875 bears were seen in Olmsted county. One was driven out of a hog pen in Rochester township with a pitchfork and one was seen in the neighborhood of Stone's Corners, and another in the Genoa woods. They were hunted but only their tracks found. It was believed they had come from Wisconsin in search of food.

In the legislative session of 1876 J. V. Daniels was against sen- ator and the representatives were A. Burnap, of Orion, Republican; Henry Stanchfield, of Viola, anti-Monopolist; E. Perry Whiting, of Farmington, Republican, and W. Henry White, of Farmington, Democrat. Mr. Whiting served two terms.

Henry Stanchfield was a native of Maine, born in 1827. He was overseer of a gang of railroad track layers in the West five years. He came to Viola from Illinois in 1870, and was an extensive and enterprising farmer with a fine farm of 360 acres. He moved to Winona, where he died in August, 1897.

E. Perry Whiting, a native of New York state, came to Farm- ington township from Wisconsin in 1860, settled there as farmer and became a prominent and respected citizen, filling several local offices, and was for several years town clerk. He died in 1889. aged sixty years.

At their session in January, 1876, the county commissioners ap- pointed M. G. Spring, of Rochester, county superintendent of schools, superseding Superintendent Niles.

Mr. Spring was a graduate of the Massachusetts State Normal School and came to Rochester about 1865. He taught private schools in Rochester and was a well qualified teacher and of good character. He held the office six years, being elected to his second term without opposition. He afterwards kept a stationery store in Rochester, and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1893.

Miss Eugenie A. Wheeler, of Eyota township, was the author of a geography of Minnesota, published in 1876, which was exten- sively used in the schools of the state. She was a teacher in several of the schools of this county and in the Winona Normal School and Niles School in Rochester. She was married in 1882 to Prof. Goff and became a resident of Athol, Dakota.

W. H. White, having been elected to the legislature in the fall of 1875, resigned as county commissioner, and John Cornwell, of New Haven, was appointed commissioner to fill the vacancy. He was elected to the office in 1876 and served two terms.

Mr. Cornwell settled on a farm in New Haven in 1855, and be- came one of the largest land holders in the township. He was a

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good business man, thoroughly reliable and highly respected. He removed to Owatonna, where he is now living.

In the fall of 1876 James N. Coe, of Rochester. Republican, and W. J. Rank, of Dover, Republican, were elected county commissioners.

James N. Coe was a native of the state of New York, born in 1822. He removed to Ohio in 1847, and was a merchant. He came to Rochester in 1856 and was a partner with William D. Hurlbut, his brother-in-law, in dealing in real estate and money loaning. He served several years as chairman of the board of county commis- sioners. He was an expert accountant and an unusually capable business man, thoroughly conversant with all county affairs and perfectly reliable. He was the most careful financier ever on the county board. He died in November, 1903.

William J. Rank was a Pennsylvanian by birth, born in 1824. While a child his father's family emigrated to Indiana, and he came from there. driving an ox team, and settled on a farm in Dover township in 1855. He was an excellent farmer and was honored by his neighbors by election to township offices. He died in March, 1906.

In the legislative session of 1877, Burr Deuel, of Quincy, was a senator, and Marcus Wing, of Rock Dell, Thomas W. Phelps, of Marion township, and George W. Pugh, of Rochester, representa- tives-all Republicans.

Thomas W. Phelps came with his father's family from Penn- sylvania in 1854, being among the earliest settlers in Marion town- ship. He developed a fine farm at the village of Chester and was prominent in local affairs. He had an academic education and was unusually well informed.

George W. Pugh was a native of England and came to the state of New York when a child. On becoming of age he went to Mich- igan, where he became a prominent business man and was sergeant- at-arms of the assembly. He was unfortunate in business and came to Rochester in 1861 and worked as a laborer. He was active in local politics and was street commissioner, alderman and justice of the peace. He was sergeant-at-arms of the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1879, and was afterwards assistant doorkeeper of the House of Representatives at Washington. He was intelli- gent, energetic and highly esteemed. He died in 1883.

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History of Olmsted County, Minnesota, Part 12

Author: Joseph A. Leonard Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Number of Pages: 736

Author: Joseph A. Leonard
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 736