USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 73
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
While Matthias, a little son of William Otto, was playing April 20 on a platform at Lake George, St. Cloud, he fell into the water and was drowned.
Peter Sand, Jr., of Le Sauk, aged fifteen years, while working in the hay field with his father, July 17, was struck by lightning and instantly killed.
W. A. (better known as "Lon") Gates died at the Central House in St. Cloud July 22 from the effects of a kick in the stomach received two days before from a mule he was endeavoring to catch.
A two-year old son of Fred O. Hecklin, of Paynesville, was drowned in the north branch of Crow river, August 28.
Michael Muede was brought November 10 to the Stearns county jail by the sheriff of Todd county, charged with having in company with his brother John deliberately murdered two men, named Colway and Steinhuber. The crime was a most fiendish one. John, who was first arrested, was taken to Long Prairie for a hearing, where he made a full confession, and was lodged in the county jail. This was broken into the night of November 8, by a party of armed men disguised and the culprits hanged to a tree. The other brother, Michael, was found between Lake George and Lake Henry, in this county, taken to Hartford, where he had his preliminary examination, and was brought here for safe keeping. At the March, 1880, term of the district court for Todd county he was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to imprisonment for life.
1880. By a fall from a load of hay March 17 W. P. Douglas, of the township of St. Joseph, on the Rockville road, broke his neck, death being instantaneous. He was in his sixty-eighth year, and left a wife and four children.
In the town of St. Augusta April 16 a little girl aged eleven years, daugh- ter of Jonathan Woll, died from eating wild parsnips. A little son of N. Gosser also had eaten some of the poisonous vegetable, but a less quantity and was saved by the use of emetics.
An old man, a resident of St. Cloud, was drowned May 5 while fording Sauk river near Hayward's mill. By the careening of the wagon he was thrown into the stream, and being a cripple was unable to help himself. The body was rccovered by his nephews, Andrew and John Henneman, a short distance below the Union mill.
A seven-year-old daughter of George Watters, of Paynesville, was drowned in the mill pond May 21, while playing with other children on floating logs.
While Frederick Finken was unloading wheat at Oak station June 1, his horses took fright at a passing train and ran away. In crossing the track the wagon was struck by the engine and Mr. Finken received injuries from which he died two days afterwards.
E. Burt Wood, formerly of St. Cloud, while at work on Wright's dam at Fergus Falls June 30 fell into the river and was drowned.
A young son of Joseph P. Burgh, of St. Martin, was driving a yoke of oxen attached to a harvester August 9, when the animals started to run and the boy in attempting to stop them fell in front of the sickle-bar and was so terribly mangled that he died six hours afterwards.
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Anton Trisko, an aged man living on a farm near Melrose, committed suicide August 15 by shooting himself with a revolver.
A little daughter of Ferdinand Danzel, of St. Joseph, while playing Sep- tember 18, in her father's flouring mill, was caught by the dress in a cog- wheel and was so fearfully crushed between that and the floor that she died the following day.
L. B. Roach, of Holdingford, October 15 lost his way during the snow storm which raged that day and the next and perished. His body was found on the nineteenth where he had laid down on the ground exhausted.
Samuel Killian, fourteen years of age, of Avon, had been left by his par- ents, October 23, in the house with three younger children. He took a gun to shoot some pigeons and in some way the weapon was accidentally dis- charged, the charge of shot striking his sister Eva, eleven years of age, in the eye and coming out of the back of the head, causing instant death.
1881. Albert Schroeder, of the town of Paynesville, was killed by a fall- ing tree March 18 while engaged with his brother in chopping wood.
Dr. C. S. Weber, a prominent physician of St. Cloud, died April 7 from an overdose of aconitc taken by mistake.
C. H. Kauffman, for several years a resident of St. Cloud, was drowned October 13 in the Mississippi river at St. Paul.
Falling under the wheel of a loaded wagon he was driving into Major Smith's farm near St. Cloud, October 22, H. B. Kenyon received injuries from which he died two hours afterwards.
The wife of Heinrich Kaeter, of St. Cloud, suffered a painful death De- cember 17 by the explosion of a bottle of turpentine which had been set on a stove to heat, the burning fluid setting fire to her clothes, which were almost entirely burned from her person. She lingered in great pain until the evening of the next day.
While E. Gaumnitz was working in Newton's grist mill at Sauk Rapids December 31 his clothing caught in a shaft and he was drawn against two upright posts, being so badly injured that he died the next day.
1882. By a railroad accident at Stephens May 1, Isaac Stein, a railroad engineer whose home was in St. Cloud, was instantly killed.
The same day, while Fred Raymond was engaged with a number of other men in rolling broomsticks at Bridgman's lower mill, St. Cloud, he was caught by a rolling log and so terribly crushed that he died almost instantly.
A thirteen-year-old son of Allan Griffin, who had removed only a few weeks before from St. Cloud to a farm back of Sauk Rapids, died May 16 from eating wild parsnips which he found while working in the field.
While catching driftwood in the Mississippi at St. Cloud May 29 a young boy named Julius Poepke fell into the river, was swept away by the current and drowned.
During the temporary absence from home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Chase, living about three miles from St. Joe, September 4, their little son Reuben, aged nine years, secured possession of a shot gun which was accidentally dis- charged, the load of shot entering the eye of his sister Laura, aged three years, causing instant death.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
The body of John Thome, of St. Cloud, was found in the Mississippi river, September 10. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning. Thome came to St. Cloud in 1871, having over $7,000 in cash, which had grad- ually disappeared.
Valentine Gording, a prominent citizen of Albany, was killed by the cars at that place September 26. He was standing on the track watching a train on the passing track when another train coming up struck him, causing almost instant death.
A son of Levi Smith of the town of Raymond was killed November 16 by the explosion of his gun.
Philip Richter was beaten over the head with billiard cues and clubs in William Otto's saloon in St. Cloud on the evening of November 23, receiving injuries from which he died at noon the 25th. The coroner's jury's verdict was that he had died from blows inflicted by William Otto, John Smith, his bartender, Ignatz Grell and John Meyer. Otto was arrested, as was also Grell at Westport, to which place he was traced. Richter was a son of John Richter of the town of St. Cloud, and left a wife but no children. The trial of Otto and Grell took place at the December term of the district court, both being found guilty of manslaughter in the second degree and sentenced each to five years and six months in the penitentiary. The other parties were never arrested or found. Otto was pardoned by the governor in 1885.
1883. A fire on the night of January 6 destroyed John Wolf's house in the town of Rockville, and two children, a boy of seven and a girl of five years, who were sleeping upstairs were burned to death, all the efforts of their parents to rescue them being fruitless.
William R. Noble, for a number of years a resident of St. Cloud and bookkeeper for J. B. Mills & Co., died at St. Paul, January 23 from a revolver shot. He was at the time cashier of Culbertson's bank.
Captain John Hartley, who had been stationed in St. Cloud when Gen. M. T. Thomas made this city his headquarters and was well known to many of our citizens, committed suicide in New York City March 10. He had recently resigned from the Twenty-second United States Infantry.
While returning from Paynesville to his home in the town of Roseville, June 26, Fred Smithson was killed by a kick from one of his horses, his skull being crushed. For a number of years Mr. Smithson had lived on a farm about two miles from St. Cloud, on the Clearwater road.
On the same day, Laurie, the fourteen-year-old son of William Gordon, of Winnebago Prairie, was drowned while bathing in the Mississippi river.
Through a fatal mistake in being given a poison for what was supposed to be a cough medicne, Alice, the four-year-old daughter of C. T. Hines, of St. Cloud, died August 3.
During a thunder storm August 27 Judson Whitney's barn at Maine Prairie was struck by lightning and a young man named John Hicks was killed. Other men in the barn were uninjured.
A young girl, Genevieve Mayhew, of Fair Haven, was killed October 31 by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of her brother.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
A six-year-old child of John Harkins, of Maine Prairie, died December 12 as the result of concussion of the brain caused by a fall on the ice.
1884. While loading a large saw log on a sled January 15 Nicholas Just, of the town of St. Wendel, was crushed to death by the log rolling back on him.
John Dolan, foreman in the Manitoba yards at St. Cloud, slipped and fell under a moving car April 21, and was so badly injured that he died the following morning.
Mrs. Helen C. Chase died May 16 from the effects of a scalding received some days before. She was in her 66th year.
Albert Gillett, son of Jerome Gillett, of Sauk Centre, was thrown from a horse June 22, receiving injuries from which he died three days afterwards.
Montfort Johnson, station agent of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany at East St. Cloud, was found lying on the floor of the station on the morning of October 10, with a bullet hole in his head and his revolver by his side. The shooting undoubtedly was accidental. His accounts were checked over and found to be correct to a penny.
A four-year-old son of Henry Behrend was kicked in the chest October 16 by a horse and died a few minutes later.
1885. Henry Oster, of St. Joseph, was instantly killed March 16 by a falling tree while chopping cord wood.
William Reichman, of St. Cloud, who had been confined in the Stearns county jail on a minor charge, escaped March 19, was rearrested at Moltey five days afterwards and committed suicide by shooting himself.
Ernest Vater, living near Albany, was shot and killed March 23 by Aman- dos Buttner, his half brother. It was claimed that the shooting was done in self-defense. Buttner gave himself up and was bound over to the district court in June, at which time he was acquitted.
George Stilling, of New Munich, was killed March 27 by falling from a loaded wagon, one of the wheels passing over his neck.
While crossing the ferry over the Mississippi river at North Prairie June 13, Martin Kiffer, an old settler of Brockway, was accidentally knocked over- board and drowned.
An infant son of Rudolph Berg, of St. Cloud, fell from a table November 19, and striking on his head was instantly killed.
John Riley, a farmer living near Melrose, fell over the embankment of the dam at Clark's mill November 19 and was drowned.
1886. During a row in Frank Beaudreau's saloon at East St. Cloud on the evening of August 1 (Sunday), Scott M. Justice was kicked in the stomach by Ed. Clower, receiving injuries from which he died two days afterwards. Clower was arrested and bound over to the district court. His trial took place in January, 1887, at Sauk Rapids, when he was found guilty of man- slaughter in the second degree and sentenced to eighteen months at Still- water.
A. W. Bush, an old-time jeweler of St. Cloud, was found dead in his bed at Denver, Colo., Angust 12, from an overdose of morphine.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
A daughter of Michael Allen, living near Melrose was run over by a rail- road train August 31 and instantly killed.
On the afternoon of September 26, while Peter Goetten, son of Peter Goetten, one of the prominent citizens of St. Cloud, was walking with some companions, one of them, Ambrose Wahl, was examining a revolver, when it was discharged, the ball piercing young Goetten's intestines, resulting in his death the following day.
A two-year-old child of J. Presschran, of Brockway, was burned to death September 27 from its clothes catching fire.
1887. By the burning of the farm house of Charles Kortz, near St. Joe, April 25, Mrs. Kortz, who was alone in the house and was totally blind, was burned to death.
Frank Getchell, the twelve-year-old son of J. B. Getchell, living on Sauk river about two miles from St. Cloud, was drowned May 10 while bathing in the Mississippi river near the normal school.
Barney Mourman, of Freeport, at the end of a prolonged debauch com- mitted suicide June 10 by sending a ball from a revolver into his brains. He was a young man of good abilities, but the liquor habit had gained control of him.
Mrs. Caroline Seal, of Albany, committed suicide September 2 by hang- ing. The cause was said to be despondency.
Michael Kaiser, of Cold Spring, was run over and killed by a freight train September 25, near that village.
Amy Hall, a 'bus driver at Sauk Centre, while attempting to cross the railroad track between two parts of a freight train, November 17, was struck and killed.
1888. As the result of a quarrel about a cow George W. DeBill, a well- known laboring man of St. Cloud, was shot by Albert Blanz, a German boy employed at the Minnesota House barn, March 10, dying a few hours after- wards. Blanz was arrested, and at the June term of court was found guilty of murder in the second degree and sentenced to imprisonment for life.
Charles Lloyd, a farmer living three miles from Sauk Centre, committed suicide March 19.
A young man named Peter Schenck, of St. Wendel, while hunting May 28 drew his gun toward him by the muzzle, when the weapon was discharged, the shot entering his abdomen. He died the following day.
A young son of Dennis Millane, of Sauk Rapids, was drowned July 2 while bathing in the Mississippi river at that place. The body was not re- covered until August 11, when it was found in a jam of logs at Elk river.
Peter Schwartz, of Luxemburg, fell from a load of hay August 10, strik- ing on his head and receiving injuries from which he died the next forenoon.
While crossing a Manitoba railroad bridge near Albany September 20, Valentine Garies was struck by a freight train, thrown down the embankment and killed.
R. H. Copeley, an octogenarian, living with John Bartholemy, near Saul- paugh's granite quarry, St. Cloud, committed suicide September 20 by cut- ting his throat. He was simply tired of life.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
While under the influence of liquor and jealousy John Pflum, of Freeport on the night of November 18 shot and killed a widow, Mrs. John Kometisch, living near that village and to whom he had been attentive.
While two sons of John T. Marvin, living in the town of St. Cloud, were skating on a small pond, back of the house, November 16, both broke through the ice and went to the bottom. Both were rescued in a short time, and with difficulty James, aged ten years, was revived, but Ira, the younger, aged six years, never showed any signs of returning consciousness.
While skating on the Mississippi river at St. Cloud November 25 a young man named Valentinc Engel plunged into a large air hole and was drowned. The body was recovered near where it had gone down.
Conrad Vormald, of Albany, while skating home November 26 on Pelican lake from the school where he was engaged as teacher, broke through the ice and was drowned. He had attended the St. Cloud normal school and had been employed in Schaefer & Emmel's store.
Barbara Wagner, of Avon, indicted December 6 for the murder of her husband, Felix Wagner, June 14, by the use of strychnine, was arrested the same day and lodged in the county jail. This was the first trial of a woman on this charge to take place in Stearns county, and the jury rendered a verdict of not guilty.
1889. Nicholas Eiden, a farmer from Haven, was instantly killed, June 18, in Bridgman's lumber yard, St. Cloud, by his team running away. By the explosion of the boiler of a threshing outfit which the Zarm Bros. were using on H. Koetter's farm, near Freeport, October 8, H. Zarm, the engineer, was so badly injured that he died the following morning, and a boy, John Wiegman, also died from injuries received.
Charles G. Fisher, of St. Cloud, conductor of a freight train on the Mani- toba road, was instantly killed at Sauk Centre, November 25, by falling from the top of a car.
1890. Father Anselm Bartholemy, a young candidate for the priesthood, was drowned, July 3, in the lake at St. John's University, by the capsizing of his boat.
Thomas Hoefner, living in the town of St. Wendel, while walking on the railroad track near Collegeville, July 7, was struck by a passenger train and instantly killed.
George, a young son of George Fuller, of St. Cloud, was drowned July 13, while playing among the logs in the Mississippi river near the waterworks station.
Sanford Bullard, a carpenter of St. Cloud, while hunting and fishing July 17 met with a tragic death. In company with Sebastian Schaefer, of St. Cloud, and John Eberle, of Rockville, he had gone in a small boat on a shallow muddy lake on John Ahle's farm, in the town of Rockville. The boat tipped, shipped water and swamped, gradually sinking until the water reached the necks of the three men as they stood in it. Bullard, who was a good swimmer, started for shore. Before he had gone half the distance he gave out and began to sink, going inch by inch into the treacherous mud, until he finally disap- peared before the eyes of his two companions who, although only a short dis-
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
tance away, were powerless to aid him. After a time Schaefer and Eberle were able to attract the attention of a farmer, who came with a boat and rescued them. It was not until the following day that Bullard's body was found and taken from the lake.
John O'Day, of St. Cloud, a fireman on the Great Northern road, fell from the top of a car, July 23, at Rogers Siding, breaking his neck.
Missing his footing while attempting to step on a moving switch engine, Joseph Long, assistant yardmaster in the Great Northern yards at St. Cloud, was run over, September 19, receiving injuries from which he died two days afterwards. Joseph Heinen, Sr., of St. Joe, who was over eighty years of age, was struck by the locomotive of a freight train, September 27, and instantly killed.
John Kopp, an old man living at Sauk Rapids, committed suicide Octo- ber 1 by shooting himself. The objections of his family to his marrying again were supposed to have been the cause of his taking himself off. A note on his table read, "I will give you the satisfaction of carrying me out."
As a result of his horses running away in East St. Cloud November 7, A. Muschel, of Minden, was thrown from his wagon, a wheel passing over his body and head, causing injuries which resulted in his death.
Frank Rakovitz, a farmer living in the town of Krain, committed suicide November 23 by hanging.
While working about a deep pit filled with water in Breen's west-side quarry at St. Cloud, November 25, Andrew Pulford fell to the bottom and was drowned.
1891. Julius Stachman, for a number of years a resident of St. Cloud and editor of the Nordwesten, committed suicide at St. Paul, June 13, by taking a dose of morphine.
As a result of a second attempt at suicide, Joseph Thielen, partner in a pop manufactory at St. Cloud, drowned himself in the Mississippi, June 23, tying a large boulder around his waist. The body was found at the dam several days afterwards.
Three men went to their death in the town of Krain, August 5. They were bathing in a small lake when one, Frank Grappenhaus, aged 16, got beyond his depth and his cries brought John Oebenberg to his assistance, but he was seized by the boy, as was John Eynk, on whose farm they were at work, and all three went to the bottom, none being able to swim. The bodies were recovered at noon the next day.
John Spoden, a farmer in the town of Rockville, committed suicide De- cember 22, by hanging himself by a rope to the limb of a tree.
1892. While chopping wood near Richmond, March 11, a young man named Henry Behman met his death. A falling limb knocked him to the ground, and his ax which he dropped was held blade upward, he striking it with his head which was literally split in twain.
While a little son of Casper Fielder, of St. Cloud, was asleep in a small barn, August 21, the hay was set on fire by some older boys who were smoking, they running away forgetting their little companion, who was burned to a erisp.
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While at work, August 22, in the cattle yard on his farm near Clear- water, S. A. Clifford, 78 years of age was attacked by a Jersey bull and so terribly gored that he died soon afterwards.
Francis Cassidy, a farmer living in the town of Lynden, was so seriously injured by falling from his buggy, October 3, that he died the second day fol- lowing.
While playing around a pile of cord wood a little daughter of Joseph Gost, of the town of St. Wendel, was crushed to death, October 30, by the wood falling on her.
Peter Vandersluis, of St. Cloud, died October 30 from a shot from a re- volver.
While skating on Long lake, in the town of Collegeville, December 3, a young man named Peter Biewer went into an airhole and was drowned.
1893. Charles Henningway, a blacksmith, died at St. Cloud, January 31, from the effects of injuries received some days before when he was struck by a Great Northern engine while on the track between East St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids.
Mabel, the two-year-old daughter of J. D. Sullivan, of St. Cloud, in falling from a chair April 2, thrust a button-hook into her neck, the inflammation which resulted causing her death on the seventh.
While playing around where his father, Henry Shelgren, of Sauk Rapids, was fishing in the Mississippi, May 10, Clarence, a lad of four years, fell into the river and drowned.
Mrs. Lizzie Kline, wife of H. D. Kline, of Paynesville, died May 13 from the effects of a gunshot wound.
The body of a young girl, Alice Leonard Hayes, was found in the road in the town of Lynden on the night of May 14, all indications pointing to a murder. The coroner's jury failed to find any clue to the person by whom the crime had been committed. A reward of $500 was offered by the county.
Michael Dougherty, a Great Northern brakeman, was run over by the train and killed May 20, near Sauk Centre.
While feeding strips into a lath machine at Thayer & Neil's sawmill, Sauk Rapids, May 30, a boy named Lee Gowslowski was almost instantly killed by one of the pieces breaking and striking him with great force over the heart.
J. R. Harris, who came to St. Cloud in 1856, and for some years after- wards was a member of the transportation firm of Harris & Bentley, was mur- dered by burglars, June 17, at Minneapolis, which had been his home for a short time.
While swimming in Sauk river, near St. Cloud, June 29, David, son of Abe Vogel, got beyond his depth and was drowned.
J. L. Mullen, of Sauk Centre, a volunteer fireman, while the department was out for practice, June 30, tripped and fell, the heavy hose cart passing over his chest, causing almost instant death.
Hillman Cates, of Kimball Prairie, committed suicide, July 23, by shoot- ing himself. The death of his wife followed by that of a favorite sister caused
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
a despondency which made him weary of life, as he told in a letter to his father-in-law, Edwin Baker.
Alfred Milligan, a Great Northern brakeman, was crushed to death at Albany, June 26, while coupling cars.
A little boy named James Patten, of Sauk Rapids, who had been bitten some six weeks before by a mad dog died August 11 of rabies.
The body of Eliza Marty, a young girl about nineteen years of age, was found at the Tenth street bridge on the morning of September 6. A post mortem examination showed that she had committed suicide by taking an overdose of strychnine. Her home was at Monticello and her father came and took the body there for burial.
While a three-year-old child of Anton Finneman of Maine Prairie was playing about the house, September 25, its clothes caught fire and it was so terribly burned that death resulted.
John Barchard, of the town of Brockway, was brutally murdered, Oc- tober 9, by his son Gustave, as was charged. The latter fled but was arrested two days afterwards by Constable Waltz and H. F. Meyer, of Albany, about seven miles south of that village and brought to the county jail. The two men had lived alone, the father being 94 years of age and the son 33. The latter had a bad reputation and had subjected his aged father to much ill- treatment previous to the murder. The trial came on the December term of the district court, when Barchard was acquitted, the evidence not being deemed sufficient to convict. He was afterwards examined, declared to be insane and sent to the Fergus Falls asylum.
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