©2008 Genealogy Trails
Olmsted County Early Crimes & Casualties
The first tragedy committed in Rochester occurred in the spring of 1858. A man named Ashenhurst was stabbed, from the effects of which he died. A saloon located near the present site of Rommell's meat market was the scene of the tragedy.In March, 1866, the First National Bank was entered by burglars, during the absence of the gentleman who usually slept there, the safe door blown off and about two thousand dollars in gold and currency taken. The robbers were captured shortly afterward by sheriff Loomis.
On the morning of January 26, 1867, a man named Delano walked into a drug store and purchased some strychnine, after which he went to his shop on Zumbro street and swallowed the poison. He was taken to the Stephens House, where he boarded, and Dr. Mayo summoned to attend him. By the time that gentleman reached him, however, he was found to be beyond human aid, and death soon overtook him.
On the night of February 12, 1867, some burglars entered the court-house by forcing open the east door. They entered the treasurers' office and blew open the safe, securing about fifty dollars in money. The drawers of the safe, containing several thousand dollars' worth of valuable papers, were afterward found secreted in a wood-pile near the building.
On Saturday night, February 27, 1869, a man lying sick with smallpox at Denrick's Plotel escaped from his nurse and jumped into the Zumbro river, below Cole's mill. The body was found some days after lodged under the ice. The name of the unfortunate man was Hamilton. He had been in Rochester but a short time, during which he was engaged in various pursuits.
In August, 1866, the Zumbro river was swollen by continuous rains. On Sunday night, the 5th, and Monday the 6th, the stream rose with unusual rapidity. On the 7th, from four till seven o'clock, it rose more rapidly than was ever known. It was transformed from a rippling brook to a mad rushing torrent carrying every movable thing before it. Several families living on the flat west of the river experienced a very narrow escape. They were aroused at four o'clock in the morning by the seething flood that by that time had reached a depth of over a foot in their dwellings. Being cut off from the mainland, they climbed trees. One little oak afforded a place of refuge for a Mr. Carrol and family, consisting of five persons, a Mr. Sullivan, his wife and two children, a Mr. and Mrs. Williamson and their daughter. A few hours later, however, they were seen and rescued from their perilous position. Most of the houses in east Rochester were deserted. The new pier for College street bridge was struck by the wreck of another bridge, being carried down on the bosom of the angry flood and nearly ruined. The outside of Olds' millrace and bulkhead was badly washed, and Cole's race also sustained considerable damage. Elsewhere the damage and loss of property was great.
In August, 1869, the Wabasha stage left the stage-house in Rochester en route for the former named city. A boy named August Menot was driving, and Mr. Nathaniel Wentworth, of Plainview, was a passenger. On reaching Silver creek they found that stream terribly swollen from heavy rains on the previous nights. The boy drove upon the bridge, but, on seeing the angry flood beyond, decided not to cross. Mr. Wentworth, however, insisted upon making the attempt, and, seizing the lines, urged the horses into the rushing torrent. The horses immediately went beyond their depth, and with the stage were born rapidly down stream. The boy in the meantime clung to the seat, which had been washed off, and, with the mail-bag in his hand, succeeded in reaching the shore. Mr. Wentworth was carried down stream for some distance, and finally sank to rise no more. The horses were also drowned.
On June 22, 1871, a white boy named Stephens, employed at the Climax barber shop, shot and killed a negro named James Willis. On the following February Stephens was sent to the penitentiary for a term of four years and three months.
On the night of February 28, 1877, the residence of James Fitzpatrick was entered by burglars, and among other articles stolen were some very valuable papers, amounting in all to several thousand dollars.
On the night of April 24 he was aroused from his slumbers by a loud knock at his door. On answering the summons he stood face to face with a tall muscular man, who asked him to come out. He refused to do so and the midnight visitor stepped in at the door and began at once to disclose the object of his visit. He stated that he had been employed by the parties who had entered Fitzpatrick's house, to ascertain how much he would give for the return of the valuable papers taken. The terms were agreed upon, and a place of meeting selected where the bargain was to be consummated. The spot named was on the Salem road near Stenger's centennial beer-garden, and the time, ten o'clock on the following day. Early the following morning, Fitzpatrick went to county attorney Start and sheriff Ellison, informing them of facts detailed above, and long before the appointed hour these gentlemen, with one or two others, was secreted near the spot where the strange interview was to take place. Fitzpatrick started out on foot and alone, as per agreement, and met his strange visitor, who had hidden among the trees a hundred rods nearer town than the place agreed upon. The missing papers were produced, and a part of the money was in the robber's hands when sheriff Ellison came driving down the road. At this juncture Fitzpatrick cried out' 'Thief! thief! take him!" but in an instant the wary robber rushed through the trees and underbrush and was soon lost from view. In spite of the effort of his pursuers he eluded them and has never been captured. He exhibited great cunning in changing the place of meeting, as it completely nonplused the officers.
In the early part of June, 1879, the city of Owatonna was visited by a gang of burglars. On Thursday night two of them stopped at a private boarding-house in Kasson, where they were arrested; one of them, however, escaped. Saturday night village marshal P. J. Schwarg, of Kasson, who had " spotted " one of the gang, followed him to Rochester, reaching here at four o'clock Sunday morning. Finding marshal Kalb, he informed him of his errand, and that his man was at the Norton House. Schwarg went to the Winona House, while Kalb immediately started for the Norton House to make the arrest. Meeting the thief at the dining-room door, he quietly informed him that he wished to see him down town on important business. Looking up quickly the man asked, "Are you an officer?" Being answered in the affirmative, he walked along with the marshal chatting very pleasantly until they reached the corner of Broadway and Fifth streets, when instead of turning toward the Winona House he advanced a few steps down Broadway and, turning quickly, presented a cocked revolver at the marshal's face, saying, "You go!" The sentence was very concise, but, emphasized by a gleaming weapon and a cool, wicked eye behind it, was full of meaning. The marshal quickly reached for his revolver; as he did so the burglar fired, the ball grazing the officer's cheek. Kalb returned the compliment, but missed his aim. The thief started to run around the corner of Mueller's grocery and stumbled over a bench. Kalb followed him, and the thief, still on his knees, with his back to the officer, fired again, but, owing to his position when pulling the trigger, the ball went wide of its mark. Almost simultaneously withthis report another rang out, and a ball from Kalb's pistol penetrated the body of the bandit, entering at the shoulder. He tried to rise, but with blood gushing from his mouth and nostrils fell back, and in a moment was dead. Thus ended the career of Dan Ganey, a cutthroat and gambler.
On the body of the thief was found a pioneer revolver, 38-calibre, a gold hunting-case watch, stolen at Owatonna, some burglars' tools and some valuable jewelry belonging to Hon. C. K. Davis, of St. Paul, which had been stolen from his house some weeks before. His home was found to be in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, where a widowed mother and other relatives reside. Shortly after the occurrence the citizens of Rochester presented the marshal with a handsome gold watch, as a token of their appreciation of his bravery.
©2008 Genealogy Trails