Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 71, 1905

Chapter 71

WORK OF THE COUNTY FATHERS - MURDER OF PHILIP BISHMAN - BOY ACCIDENTALLY HANGED - DEATH AND DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY TORNADO JULY 5 - ELIZABETH AND ADAM BISHMAN, JR., KILLED - OTHER TORNADOES, JULY 15 AND AUG. 30 - SHERIFF COLLINS SHOOTS A DESPERADO - GASOLINE EXPLOSION - DIED: "JOKER" JONES, GOTTLIEB KRASSIN, SAMUEL KNUTSEN, THOS. BOWERS, JOHN G. FELL, C. HOOVER, MRS. G. BUCHLER, MRS. L. W. CONCANNON, MRS. C. J. BLUHM, F. HOLLANDER, MRS. FRANK ERFURTH, BENNY SIMONS, GEO. WOSKIE (KILLED) - THE ELECTION.

The board of county commissioners met in annual session Jan. 7, 1802, and organized by re-electing Mr. Herman Ewert chairman. The Waseca County Herald was chosen the official paper of the county for the year. The board this year consisted of Herman Ewert, H. J. Hanson, M. H. Helms, Herman Weckwerth, and Fred McKune.

Bishman, June 18, 1902

On the 18th of June, 1902, Charles Lipke and Mrs. Katie Hanson, of Wilton, were married in the forenoon by Judge Geo. A. Wilson, at Waseca. It appeared in evidence that Lipke invited Philip Bishman and Michael Mulcahy, of Waseca, to attend his reception that evening. These two men secured a keg of beer

"I am about thirty-seven years of age. Knew Philip Bishtnan In his life time - have known him from boyhood. Left Waseca with him Wednesday evening about 9 o'clock. We got a team and buggy from Gallagher, took a keg of beer from Meyer's saloon and drove to Wilton. Bishman drove the team. Stopped nowhere on the road till we reached the Kujath place, in Wilton. We took the beer and went out upon invitation of the man who got married (Lipke). When we got there we put team in barn. Bishman took keg of beer in house and we went in. We drank some beer. The groom drank with me and then I drank with the bride. There were several people there. They were social and drank beer lively. After staying about twenty-five minutes I wanted to go home; but they were playing cards and called Bishman back. I went out into the barn and camped down. Don't know just how long I was there, but two or three men came to where I was and one of caught hold of me, and I said, 'What is up?' They said, 'We'll use you as we have your partner.' '^fHefe were three of them. One knocked me down and dragged m.e to Uhe buggy and I got in. Then they went toward the house, then they caipe back and pounded me with a club. Bishman was then in the buggy and ,said, 'Don't, boys, don't.' They knocked me out of the buggy and I took a northeast course to get away from

"I live in Wilton - have lived there five years. I knew Bishman anyway five years. I saw him there at Kujath's place Wednesday night. I met Bishman and the other man there. I was at the charivari that evening, at Kujath's with my brother. Some of the folks there had gone before I left. My brother and I left between 12 and 1 o'clock. I saw some of the fight. I saw B. P. Bahr knock Bishman down in the house with his fist, and when Bishman got up Bahr knocked him down again. Mrs. Kujath said they should stop and put Bishman in the buggy and send him home. I was outside, but could see in. Fred Kujath and old man Kujath were outside, I think. Bahr dragged Bishman out of the house to the buggy. They said they wanted to get the other man (Mulcahy). They went to the barn and got him, and about then my brother and I left. We heard the racket after we got away a short distance. I did not hear striking before I left, but shortly after I heard striking as with a strap or board. I heard Bahr ask where Mulcahy was. I heard nothing from Bishman. After I got away I heard Bahr call 'Philip' three times, but I heard no answer. The moon shone and the night was light. This was at Carl Kujath's, and Fred is Carl's son. Both the Kujaths and Bahr and the others had been drinking and were jaggy."

Ernest P. Bahr, one of the accused, at his own request, and after being informed by Mr. Moonan of his legal right not to make any statement, was sworn and made substantially the following statement :

"I live in Wilton - am twenty-five years old in July, and a farmer. I have rented the Jack Turnacliff farm and my mother keeps house for me. I have known Philip Bishman since I was a boy. I have also known Mulcahy since I was a boy. Wednesday evening I was at a neighbor's and heard of the wedding - saw the Sumnick boys and we went over to Piehl's place - in front of Kujath's. There were some fourteen or fifteen of us. Services were being held in a church near by, and we waited with our charivari until meeting was out. That was about 10 o'clock. I was chosen captain. Then we went to Kujath's and charivaried the couple. As we were about ready to go, Bishman and Mulcahy drove up with a keg" of b.^er. They asked us to come back and have some beer; and so we wffent into the house and commenced to drink beer. We probably dT^nk too much. Bishman and Mulcahy wanted to drink with the bpide. Bphman followed her into the kitchen and when he came back in the roam he and Mulcahy talked very vulgarly between themselves. TJ'hey talked' so we thought they ought to be whipped. Bishman sat by Mi's. Kujath. ' I told him he was a son of a - - - . I hit him several blows with my hands. Then Bishman came out of doors. Fred Kujat]^' said I did just right. Fred's mother* said we should not hit him again, but put him in the buggy and send them away. Then the two Kujaths and myself went to the barn to get Mulcahy. We hit him a few blows and took him to the buggy and put him in. When we got to the buggy with Mulcahy Bishman had gone - had got out of the buggy. While we were looking for Bishman, Mulcahy jumped out of the buggy and ran away. Both the Kujaths followed him, but he got away. When they came back, Fred said, 'Let's have another drink,' and we drank more. Then we found Bishman near the fence by the house. I lifted him partly up and about that time Fred Kujath hit him on the head with a water glass and afterwards with a club as I took him to the buggy.

"When we got to the buggy I put my ear down to his mouth and found he was dead. I said to Fred, 'He Is dead.' Fred said, 'If he is dead we shall have to report him to the coroner.' First we thought to take him to the house, but Mrs. Kujath said we should not bring him in the house, so we took the body to the barn. The old man Kujath said we should make up a story that we found him in the barn dead in the morning. The old man also said he ought to be killed, and that he hit him himself.

didn't tell her the truth. Then I went and got Verbitzky to haul my milk to the creamery, after which I hitched up my team and drove to Kujath's. Fred was going to Waseca, and the old m^n said we must both tell the same story, and he would clean up the blood and obliterate the tracks. Fred changed his stockings and we drove to Dr. Blanchard's oflSce in Waseca. We told him about the death, but didn't tell it all. We hitched the horses and pretty soon Sheriff Collins called to me and I went to Dr. Lynn's office where I saw Mulcahy, who said, That is the man who used the club.' I don't remember striking anybody with a piece of board - don't think I did. I know Fred Kujath hit Bishman with a piece of board and kicked him about the head as he was on the ground by the buggy, before we knew he was dead. When I first found Bishman was dead I called 'Philip' three or four times, but got no answer. When we found Bishman by the fence, near the house, he was alive and talked, but when we got him to the buggy he was dead. I saw no blood on him at the fence. I was not at the buggy when Mulcahy ran away. When I was through with the charivari I started and intended to go home, but Fred Kujath urged me to stay and have some more beer. I am willing to tell all I know about the matter."

These statements at the inquest reveal substantially all the facts It was a drunken hrawl, just such as may happen at any time among people indulging in intoxicating liquors. At the fall term of court, Bahr and both the Kujaths were convicted of manslaughter - the two Kujaths after trial and E. P. Bahr upon his own confession and plea of guilty. Carl Kujath, the elder, received a sentence of one year and six months in the Stillwater prison, and each of the others ten years. So far as Bahr was connected with the murder of Bishman, he no doubt was incited thereto by his drunken condition, and it is clear to the mind of the writer that, had there been no intoxication, there would have been no murder.

County Saturday Night, July 5, 1902

The whole county of Waseca was storm swept last Saturday evening. The tornado in many places destroyed buildings large and small, making a general wreck of windmills and killed two persons and a large number of horses, cattle, sheep, and poultry. It was one of the worst and most extensive storms in the history of this county. Its general direction was a little north of southwest to a trifle south of northeast, with cyclonic demonstrations here and there quite erratic. Everywhere the wind blew a gale and the rain fell in blinding sheets. The first reports that reached us here were the sad and fatal results of the storm at the farm of Mr. Adam Bishman, of Otlsco. Adam Bishman, .Jr., his two sisters, Elizabeth and Clara, and a lad from the Owatonna State school, were in the basement of the large barn milking cows at the time of the storm. It appears that the two large barn doors on the west side of the barn were open, -and when the storm came in all its death dealing fury, it blew out the east side of the barn and moved the structure off its foundation, letting the large quantity of hay in the barn fall down upon the people and animals in the basement. As we are informed, there were, besides the four persons named, nine horses, a large number of cows and some smaller animals in the basement of the barn at the time. All of these were caught fast b«neath the hay, lumber and timbers. Miss Elizabeth was evidently killed at once, as she was found beneath a piece of timber with her chest crushed in and her collar bone and two upper ribs broken. Her death must have been almost instantaneous. The rescue required time and the herculean efforts of many neighbors. When the storm struck the farm, Mr. Adam Bishman, Sr., seventy-eight years of age, and his aged wife were in the house, and at first did not realize the force of the storm. Mr. Bishman first discovered that three large soft maple trees between the house and barn were broken off near the ground. He next looked to the barn and found it demolished. A glance revealed to him the horrible fact that his son and two daughters were buried beneath the crushing mass of hay and timber, and that he alone was powerless to rescue them. He and his aged and heart-stricken wife were alone in that terrible storm. What could they do? In a moment Mr. Bishman decided to call in his neighbors, as he alone was powerless. The rain was still coming in almost blinding sheets, accompanied by the fury of the wind, as he started for Otisco station, about a mile to the southwest, nearly facing the wind. He reached the station after much effort. There he called upon Mr. R. Jacoby, who, with promptness and energy, aroused the neighborhood. In the meantime, a telephone message was sent to Dr. Swartwood, of Waseca, calling him to the scene of the fatal disaster. For four hours men with strong hands but tender hearts toiled in the storm and darkness before they were able to rescue the living and give aid to the wounded. They were compelled to remove most of the hay with their hands. They found Miss Clara Bishman and the Owatonna State school boy alive and unharmed. Miss Elizabeth, as before stated, was dead. Adam Bishman, Jr., was fastened beneath the timbers of the barn, still alive, but so crushed and injured that he died Sunday evening.

Bight cows were found with the life crushed out, and two others so badly injured that they soon after died. Four out of nine horses in the barn were found dead. The house was not injured. Three trees close to the house were twisted off near the ground. The gasoline engine-house between the house and barn was untouched. Just north of the barn, east of the house, and west of a cottonwood grove, was a shed, which was untouched. The Cottonwood grove just east of the shed, was badly injured. Adam Bishman, Jr., died of internal Injuries, having been caught between timbers which pressed upon the lower part of his chest and back. When taken out by the rescuers, he was able to talk, but circulation could not be restored and death resulted. He was born in Otisco, and reared on the farm where his young life was crushed out. He was a bright, well-educated young man, being a graduate of one of the departments of the State University. He was the pride and reliance of his aged parents, having assumed the heavy burdens of carrying on the large farm. Miss Elizabeth had been a home girl all her life, never having enjoyed very good health. But she had always been a kind and faithful daughter and a great comfort, especially to her aged mother.

Other Destruction

"The whole county bears evidence of the destructive force of the storm. We cannot name all the losses, but we give the greater ones as they have been given to us.

"St. Joseph's church, on South Prairie, was so shaken by the wind that the plastering was badly injured. Mr. George Matthews, of the same vicinity, had a span of horses frightened by the storm into a wire fence, and they were so Injured that recovery Is hardly expected. Tim and James Sullivan, of Janesville, who own one of the largest, if not the largest barn in the county, the same being 40x100 feet, write that the barn was moved on its foundations about six inches at one end and three inches at the other - the foundation walls being badly injured. Martin Vaughan, In Alton, found the cupola of his barn blown off and the roof injured. Joseph Adams, of Freedom, reports a severe loss - barn and other buildings torn down and a span of horses killed. Mike McGannon, of Byron, had the chimney on his house blown off and other slight damages done. T. J. Adams' big double corn crib was dashed against his house with such force as to break in his roof. Henry Linnihan, of Byron, says his house Is badly racked and injured by the storm. Daniel Linnihan, Sr., had glass broken in his house and a chimney demolished. In the village of Otisco and vicinity the following are reported: J. L. Hanson, store front blown in; Otto Bauman, store front badly damaged; Frank Taylor, blacksmith shop blown down and demolished; Hoover's warehouse moved from its foundation; Everett, Aughenbaugh & Co.'s warehouse moved from foundation; and R. Jacoby and W. H. Stearns' corn houses were overturned.

The Janesville Argus reports that a barn at the west end of town was lifted off its foundation and literally torn to pieces. One side was carried a block or more and landed In the forks of a big cottonwood tree in front of Mr. Wentland's residence. The timbers were scattered over a wide area. J. D. Underwood had the roof of his barn taken off and his buggies tangled up in bad shape. The horses were caught and were extricated from the ruins with difficulty. The roof was taken up and carried quite a distance. The greatest damage was done about four miles northwest of this place at the home of J. H. Jewison where a large barn, erected three years ago, was leveled to the ground. Reports from an eye witness are to the effect that from appearances the bam was moved off its foundation and then collapsed in turning over. Three cows were killed outright and two others injured. Strange as it may seem, the horses, three in number, were not killed. They were pressed into a space about three feet high. After considerable labor they were gotten out and at present they appear to be all right. Mr. Jewison lost his hog house and corn crib, but his residence remained without injury.

The Herald also learns that Wilton suffered. Herman Weckwerth, of Wilton, county commissioner, was one of the heaviest losers by the storm. He had two large barns and some smaller buildings totally wrecked. His loss cannot be less than $2,000. Diedrich Freeman, of Woodville, had his barn moved off its foundation. The barn on the Rieck place, east of the McDougall farm, was turned off its foundation and badly damaged. Gustof Krueger, the farm tenant, found one of the horses in the barn with one leg so broken and mangled that the animal had to be killed. Several windmills in Woodville, among them Emil Sahler's, were torn down. Albert Domy's horse barn was torn away, leaving his horses exposed to the storm, but not injured. Alfred Wood, no doubt, was the heaviest loser in Woodville. It is reported that the cyclone first turned his barn around and then tore it to pieces, scattering the lumber and timbers in every direction. Pierce Hacket, of Blooming Grove, reports damage to his house, barn, and granary. Some of his smaller buildings were swept away entirely. Charles Brush, of the same town, on the Steele county line, section 2.5, had his barn torn down and a fine span of horses killed.

Tuesday was a very comfortable, pleasant, refreshing day and very few persons indeed suspected a destructive storm that night. Even the weather bureau of Tuesday gave no intimation of the storm that was to sweep from the land of Manitoba across North Dakota and Minnesota like a demon that night. The storm or a kindred storm was heard of about 8 o'clock Tuesday evening in North Dakota and soon after Borup, in Clay county, Minnesota, was reported wiped out. The storm reached St. Paul about 12:40, and a little after 2 o'clock a. ra., a storm struck Waseca with great fierceness. Coming from the northeast, it swept the whole city. Every yard was visited, and every lot owner had his favorite tree broken and crushed by the merciless wind. The buildings, fences, and sheds on the fair grounds were badly wrecked. "Floral hall" was crushed. The judges' stand was unroofed and car-

Tied southwosi across the laci.'l.ra-fk. The hay that was being made on the premises was sc,:itlLrc<l to all the winds ot hiavcn. One cupola of the high school building was torn off, and the fine shade trees were badly demoralizi'd on the northi'ust. Large trees in all parts of the city were broken down, and the leaves and liranches covered all the land. Several farmers from Blooming Grove leport general destruction to wind mills, and the huiiic rcporls conic from WoodvilU; and Otisco. It would be an endless task to report the destruction of fruit and shade trees in this county. Most of the fruit is torn from the trees and the crop is almost a total loss. P. J. Kelly's barn was turned one-quarter around. From facing the south, it was turned about so as to face the east. The plate glass in the side window of the front of Thomas Barden's brick building, on the corner of Lake avcMiue and Second street, was broken out by the force of the wind, but no other damage resulted. A small patch of slate roofing was taken from the court house tower by the wind. A ijortion of the roof was taken off the C. &. N.-W. round house, and a large number of trees in the vicinity were broken down. Ward's large barn on his farm, west of I own, was moved slightly on its foundation.

Another Death-Dealing Tornado, August 30

"One of the strangest and most heart-rending accidents in the history of this section of country, resulting in th« death of a number ot persons and the wounding of many others, occurred last Saturday afternoon, about 6 o'clock, some two miles east ot Meriden on the C. &. N.-W. railway. The train was due at Waseca at 5:50, but was a little late. It was made up of an engine, a baggage car, and two coaches, and left Owatonna for the west soon after 5 o'clock, with nearly sixty passengers on board. The storm, which had been raging for some time, had attracted general attention, but no alarm was felt. The train was in charge ot Conductor W. H. Kinzle and Engineer J. K. Mitchell of Waseca, and was filled mainly with residents of the little towns and cities through which the road runs.

"Suddenly there arose in front of the train, and slightly to one side, a huge black cloud, driven forward at racehorse speed by a wind that seemed to have sprung up In an Instant. Everyone on the train noted with alarm that this cloud was headed directly toward the cars and the conductor was asked to try to outrun the tornado. Engineer Mitchell had also noted the dangerous looking cloud, and had made up his mind that safety lay in getting ahead of it. He threw open the throttle. Faster and faster ran the train, and faster and faster sped the sullem cloud that menaced the terror-stricken passengers. In an instant the air grew so dark that to see the length of a car was impossible. Calling to the brakeman, the conductor instructed him to light the lamps in the car, in an endeavor to reassure the passengers, who were in a panic. The brakeman responded. Jumping on one of the seats he opened one of the lamps, struck a match and applied if to the wick just as the tornado struck the train, which was running at a high rate of speed over a slight embankment, two miles from Meriden. With a crash and a jar the train came almost to a standstill, but only for an instant. The weight of the engine proved too much for the cyclone, which leaped over the ponderous machine and attacked the baggage car and the coaches with their human freight.

The baggage car was lifted bodily from the track, the coupling wrenched apart, and the car piled in a heap against the fence at the edge of the right of way, nearly twenty feet distant. The two passenger coaches followed an instant later. They were picked up, high in the air, and then slammed down on the wreckage of the baggage car, bottom side up, with a force that broke all the windows and smashed some of the seats into fragments. From the mass of wreckage at the side of the track arose the screams of mangled and bruised men and women, hemmed in by debris of all kinds, and groping in the dark for an exit from the overturned cars. By herculean effort the train men released several of the male passengers, armed them with axes, and then the real work of rescue Wfis begun. Huge holes were cut in the overturned cars, and through these holes the half-unconscious persons were dragged, many of them fearfully mangled and torn by the cruel splinters that filled the cars. Suddenly the work of the rescuers was halted by a cry. coming from the debris at one end of the car: 'My baby! My baby!' The voice of a woman arose above the groans of the wounded. There was a rush for that end of the car, where lay Mrs. Charles Peterson, reaching out in the dark for her five-year-old son. She failed to find him, and perhaps it was just as well that she did. His delicate body had been shockingly mangled by the crashing timbers, and the mother might not have recognized in the torn and bleeding form the child that had, a few moments before, been nestling at her side. The little fellow was dead, with the head severed from the body. Ten feet away -was the body of a woman, cut almost in two by a timber that had struck her as the car turned over. Tenderly these two bodies were laid on the grass at the side of the track and covered with a piece of cloth, and then the work of searching the wreckage went on. In the second car were found three persons who had been so badly injured that they were at first thought to be dead. These persons were Miss Eva Richardson, A. C. McConnell and an unidentified woman. Miss Richardson died

"By this time the number of searchers had been materially Increased and a systematic attack was made on the wreckage. Rain was falling and the injured, as well as the uninjured, were drenched to the skin in short order. Owing to the fact that an oil tank carried by the train had broken and the oil had been scattered around in the neighborhood of the wreck it was not considered prudent to make a fire. As soon as the injured had been drawn from the wreckage, Engineer Mitchell ran to Meriden and telegraphed the news of the disaster to Waseca. T-wo special relief trains were hastily made up, equipped with doctors and supplies and rushed to the scene of the wreck. By the time these trains arrived the injured and the dead had been taken to a farm house a mile away, where they could receive better attention than could be given them at the track side. Every room of the modest little farm house was filled with the injured persons; and all over the floors, made comfortable with quilts and blankets, were the victims of the wind's fury. When the special trains arrived at the place where the train had been wrecked the doctors were taken to the farm house, where they dressed the injuries of the wounded. Then conveyances were secured, and all of the persons, including the dead and the fatally injured, were taken to the trjains and brought to Waseca. The injured persons were taken to the various hotels, where they were placed in the best rooms to be had, and every effort was made to make them comfortable.

Persons who had been on the train and had escaped injury were generous in their praise of the various members of the train crew, who had done so much to avert a panic. By their rapid work and their calmness they had quieted the excited men and women who were struggling to free themselves and who in their madness, were trampling on the unfortunates unable to aid themselves.

The path of the cyclone was from the southwest to the northeast. In the vicinity of the accident, farm buildings and windmills were razed to the ground, trees uprooted, and stacks blown over or carried son. New Ulm; Elizabeth Miller, of St. Peter, and Almira Bickford, of for rods across the fields.

The killed were Delmar Peterson, aged five, Waseca; Ethel Richardson, New Ulm; Elizabeth Miller, of St. Peter, and Almira Bickford, of Albert Lea. The last named lingered until Saturday evening, when death relieved her suffering."

A Terrible Explosion

Local paper: There was a frightful explosion Friday evening, Oct. 10, about G o'clock, at the restaurant and residence of Mr. Gus Schildknecht, in this city. The noise of the explosion was heard half a mile away. ' The south front window in the lower story of the restaurant was shattered and some of the pieces blown across the street. The front windows in the second story were blown out and shattered, and the basement was set on fire. Two young men, Hugh McDougall and Gus Schildknecht, .Jr., who were in the basement, were severely burned about the face and hands. Miss Schildkneoht, who was sitting at the supper table near the trap door leading into the basement, was knocked over by the door as it was thrown open by the force of the explosion. The building was lighted by gas generated from gasoline in a tank in the ground outside the buildins and convrye:! into the basement and building through pipes. Evidently there was a leakage somewhere In the piping, for when Gus Schildkneoht, .Jr., accompanied by young Hugh McDougall, lighted a candle at the foot of the stairs, in the basement, the explosion was terriiic.

Both young men were thrown down, but at once sprang to their feet and rushed up stairs, both being considerably burned. McDougall suifered more injury than Schildknecht, his face and hands being severely burned. Schildknecht's left hand is in a sling, and he is not able to do much wilh his right. McDougall is confined to his room."

The Death Roll Of 1902

ilr. James Jones, better known as "Joker" Jones, passed lieaeefully away Friday morning, Jan. 24, 1902. Mr. Jones was born in Kells, county of Meath, Ireland, about 1810. In 1848, he was married to Miss Mary Devlin who preceded him to the grave by ten years. They left Ireland in 1849 and landed at New York. They first moved to Albany, X. Y., where they made their home iintil 1853, when they came as far west as Chicago. There he was employed on the waterworks system for three years. In the spring of 1856, in company with Richard Oroke, John Otis, and their families, he came to Minnesota, arriving at Okaman about the middle of May. Here he purchased eighty acres of land, in section 8, Iosco, on which he lived until the time of his death. He was a hard working man and also one of the most genial of men, always ready with a joke to make every one feel happy. Even during the days of corn coffee and "Johnny cake," he made the light of joy to shine in desolate places. Shortly after the death of his wife, he fell from a horse and broke one of his legs, which left him a cripple the rest of his life. His eyesight commenced to fail him about five years prior to his death and continiied to fail until he became totally blind. With all these afflictions, however, he was the same jolly old soul to the last. His healtb was poor during the closing year of his life, and lie required the constant care of bis devoted daut;'hteT. Two daughters are all the relatives that

Gottlieb Krassin, Sr., died at the residence of his daughter, ]\Irs. Theodore Pommerenning, of Otisco, Saturday, March 8, 1902, of bladder difficulty and old age. He was born in Prussia, ^Iny 18, 1818. He was married in that country and came to America with his family about 1851, and first resided near Princeton, Wisconsin. They remained there until 1856, when they came to Waseca county, arriving in the town of St. Mary, August 5 of that year. He reared a large family of children, six of whom survive him ; namely, Gustof, Gottlieb, and John A. Krassin, Mrs. Henry ileyers, of Waseca, and Mrs. Chas. Rudolph and Mrs. Theodore Pommerenning, of Otisco. One brother and one sister also survived him.

IMr. Samuel Knutson, one of the pioneers of the county, died ]May 11, 1902, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. Knutson was born in Norway, and came to this country while yet a youngish man. He came to this county in 1857, settling in Woodville. He shortly afterwards removed to Blooming Grove, and settled on the north shore of Knutson Lake, named in his honor. He left a large number of relatives to mourn his departure, but they may well feel consoled in the fact that he lived the life of the righteous to a fair old age.

"Sir. Thomas Bowers, one of the very early settlers of Wilton, whose home was on the southeast shore of Silver Lake, quietly and peacefully passed to the Great Beyond, Thursday, May 22, 1902, surrounded by relatives and friends. Mr. Bowers was borU in Scotland, of Irish parentage, in 1822. He came to America in 1S47, and first lived in New York, where some of his relatives still reside. He afterwards made his home in Dubuque, Iowa, and from there he came to this county about the year 1856. He located at Silver Lake where he has since resided. He leaves surviving him two sons and a daughter - one son, Thomas, Jr., having died about a year before the death of his father.

After long, weary months of great physical pain, Mr. John George Fell, of Waseca, quietly passed away to that unexplored region "from whose bourne no traveler returns." For months he suffered from cancer of the lip and face which finally killed him. Mr. Fell was born August 24, 1827, at Fautsbach, Wurtem- berg, Germany, and was in his seventy-fifth year at his death. He came to America in 1857, and settled in the town of Iosco, in 1858. In 1860, he married I\Iiss Friedericke Schulz. Eight children were born to them, one of whom died young. Four sons, three daughters, and his wife survive to mourn his loss. At tintime of his death he had nineteen grandchildren. He encountered all the hardships, toils, and privations of pioneer life without a murmur, and was always ready to assist those deserving aid. He accumulated a competency and left his family well provided for.

ilrs. 6. Buchler, wife of ex-Mayor Buchler, of Waseca, after an illness of two and a half months, died Sunday, June 15, 1902, of a complication of ailments. She was born in Hessen, Germany, in 1841, and came to America when twelve years of age. She married Wr. Buchler, ]May 10, 1862, in Sheboygan coimty, Wisconsin. The family came to Waseca in October, 1869, and she resided here continuously from that time to the time of her death. She leaves surviving with her husband three daughters and two sons.

Mrs. L. W. Concannon, of Byron, died suddenly of heart disease about 10 o'clock Tuesday morning, Sept.. 9, 1902. Her husband came to this country from Ireland in 1S51, and settled in Illinois. They were married in 1856, and came to ilinnesota in 1877. They moved to section 19 in Byron where they have since lived, having a very pleasant home. She Avas the mother of eight children, and enjoyed the respect of all her neighbors.

Mrs. C. J. Bluhm, of Waseca, died suddenly and luiexpeetedly Sunday night, Sept. 20, 1902. Deceased retired Sunday night apparently in good health. Nothing tinusual occurred until about fifteen minutes before 1 o clock, when Mr. Bluhm awoke to find his wife breathing heavily. He spoke to her but received no answer. He then shook her gently, thinking she had nightmare, but still received no response. He then turned on the light and found that she was dying. He called the children, but she recognized no one and expired at once. ]\Irs. Anna K. Ilitmeyer Bluhm was born near Milwaukee, Wis., February 2S. 1861. She came to Minnesota with her parents in 1875, and married lsh\ Bluhm November 8, 1878. They at first lived on :i farm in Vivian, but afterwards moved to Jlinnesota Lake whore Mr. Bluhm en- saged in selling general merchandise for five years. The family then moved to Waseca where they have since resided. Mrs. Bluhm Avas the mother of thirteen children, ten of whom survived her.

]\Ir. Plorian Hollander, one of the early settlers in the old village of Wilton, died of old age about 11 o'clock, Tuesday night, Oct. 28, 1902. He was a harness maker by trade, and carried on that business in Wilton until the people of the village deserted the place, when he engaged in farming. He was about eighty years of age at the time of his death. One of his granddaughters cared for him during the last years of his life.

Mrs. Frank Erfurth passed to rest Oct. 25, 1902. She was the second daughter of the late Robert JMcDougall, one of the 1855 ]noneers of this county, and was about thirty-four years of age. She left surviving to mourn her departure, her husband, a daughter, and two sons. She was the first one of a family of nine rugged children to be called hence by the Angel of Death.

On the 8th of Nov. 1902, Benny Simons, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. Simons, of Waseca, was drowned in Rice Lake. Benny, a Courtney boy, and Mrs. Miller's boy got into an old boat and pushed out into the lake. The boat was leaky and soon commenced tn take in water. The boys, no doubt, became frightened, for Benny and Courtney both jumped out of the boat. Benny went beyond the reach of the boat, while Courtney hung to the side of it and finally crawled back into it. Benny came to the surface once or twice, but soon sank in the water and soft mud, drowned. ^Messrs. Willcox and Foster who were in a boat on the lake, some distance away, heard the cries of the boys and hastened to their relief. They soon rescued the Courtney and the IMiller boy, and at once proceeded to search for the body of the drowned lad, which they found after some little delay. His death was a sad blow to his parents.

Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 16, 1902, shortly after three o'clock, the wires flashed the announcement of the almost instantaneous death at Owatonna, of Engineer George Woskie, of Waseca. The dispatch announced that a freight was standing on the Milwaukee track, near the crossing, as Engineer Woskie pulled in, and just as his engine reached the crossing, the Milwaukee train suddenly backed into his cab, killing him almost instantly. His head was cut open and he was otherwise injured. His fireman was only slightly hurt. Mr. Woskie was an old and well-known engineer on the C. & N.-W. road, and a long time resident of Waseca. He left a wife and son, the latter about eleven years of age, to mourn his untimely death. Deceased was forty-four years old on the 26th of June previous to his death. In an action against the Milwaukee company, Mrs. Woskie recovered $5,000.