Nicollet County, MN Newspaper Articles

St. Peter's Courier gives the following account of an attempt at murder:
On the 23d inst., a man by the name of Frederick Mathes, a German, was assaulted by a person named Ammon. They had gone on to a claim together, and, as they had but one axe, were taking turns in cutting down some trees. After Ammon had finished cutting, he suddenly stepped up behind Mathes, struck him a severe blow with the but of the axe, under the left shoulder blade. Not stunning him, he saw Ammon coming at him the second time, with the axe raised to strike him. He threw up his left arm to ward off the blow, and received the stroke upon the left wrist and on the neck.

Mathes succeeding in getting the axe and a gun, which he fired off. Ammon demanded his gun, but Mathes refused to give it up, at the same time begging for his life. - They started for St. Peters, Mathes compeling A. to go in front.. Repeatedly he attempted to get in the rear, but was forced back. After reaching White's shanty, M. fainted twice; on coming too, he made A. leave. Mr. Mathes remained at Sullivan's on Wednesday night, and on the following day came to St. Peter in a cart, and put up at the house of Stephen Green. Mathes, strange to say, did not have Ammon arrested.

The reason assigned for this brutal affair is that Mathes was supposed to have some money, of which Ammon wished to rob him. [The Quincy Whig, Saturday, May 17, 1856 - Contributed by Debbie Gibson]