A Book of the Saint Paul Police 1838 - 1912 — 17
One of the most dramatic suicides that ever took place in the city of St. Paul occurred at 7 o’clock in the evening of January 25th, 1909, when Mary Ward, a young girl from Mankato, Minnesota, suddenly shrieked in front of a big crowd at 7th and Wabasha streets, and in the presence of hundreds drank the full contents of a bottle of carbolic acid, dying in a few minutes before the eyes of the horror stricken multitude.
January 30th, 1909, the four corners of the block at 7th and Cedar streets were consumed by fire which did a $750,000 loss. It was one of the worst fires in the history of St. Paul. The intense cold made it difficult to fight the fire, and there was a great deal of suffering among the police and firemen who did valiant service that night.
On January 4th, 1909, Thomas Loury, head of the Railway System of the Twin Cities, and a railway magnate of considerable prominence, died at his home in Minneapolis.
On March 26th, 1909, Roy Sumner was given a ten year sentence for committing a series of burglaries.
April 9th, 1909, a negro registered as John Doe tried to commit suicide by banging his head against the bars of the Central station cell. Capt. Clark discovered him in time and had him removed to a padded cell at the jail, and Doe was later committed to the State Insane Asylum at St. Peter where he is still confined, and no one to this day has discovered his true name.
April 9th, 1909, Alice Thompson was shot by Henry Kneipp at a chop suey joint on Robert street. Kneipp was jealous and after killing his sweetheart shot himself through the head and died instantly.
On April 16th, 1909, Capt. Peter Berkey, an old pioneer, died at his home in St. Paul.
May 10th, 1909, Antonio Bova was captured at Devil’s Lake, N. D. by Detective Frasier, brought back to St. Paul and tried for killing an Italian during a fight on 7th street. Bova received a sentence of 20 years in the penitentiary.
On May 14th, 1909, one of the most terrible murder mysteries that ever confronted the St. Paul police occurred when Louis Arbogast, a well known meat dealer, was found hacked to pieces with a hatchet in his bed, which had been set on fire. Louise Arbogast, the beautiful young daughter of the deceased, and Mrs. Arbogast, wife of the deceased were arrested. The mother was acquitted March 4th, 1909 after a sensational trial, and the indictment against the daughter was dropped. No crime caused so much public comment as this one, and while the mystery was never solved, the police are firmly of the opinion that the proper parties had been apprehended.
On June 25th, 1909, Doireto Minelli, a street sweeper was killed by Luigi Macini. This was part of a black hand massacre and the assailant was never found.
On June 29th, 1909, domestic troubles caused ex-patrolman W. A. Gavin to shoot himself at his rooms 641 Wabasha.
On July 16th, 1909, Ass’t Chief Clark passing a building at 7 E. Third street heard shots and rushed into the house and arrested James Brown after he had shot two people and wanted to kill a half dozen more. Brown was arrested and is now in Stillwater. None of his shots proved fatal.
On August 1st, 1909 the Central Station had a narrow escape from being totally destroyed in an acetylene gas explosion in the carbide factory adjoining the station on West 3rd street. Six persons were killed and over a dozen hurt in the explosion, and Chief O’Connor’s rogues gallery was considerably damaged. The chief was in his office at the time of the explosion and did wonderful work in personally superintending and assisting in taking out the dead and injured. All the other officers of the station were heroes in the part they played in assisting the dead and injured. Mrs. Horan, matron of the Central Station, was badly hurt in the explosion. Her grandson was killed but she escaped with quite serious bruises.
September 13th, 1909, Patrolman Billy Morrison, the popular driver of the Rondo Patrol wagon, lost his leg when an automobile hit the patrol wagon.
August 5th, 1909, August Pahl, trying to rob a bank at White Bear Lake, killed two men in the posse that tried to capture him and was himself riddled with bullets, dying the same day. Five others were wounded during the pitched battle.
On August 28th, 1909, the entire police force of the city took part in paying military and civic honors to Lieut. Bundy, a veteran member of the department who died two days before.
On September 21st, 1909, the entire country was plunged in grief through the death of Governor John A. Johnson, who died following an operation at the Mayo’s hospital in Rochester. Several days later the police played a prominent part in the funeral procession which followed the casket to the depot, where the remains were loaded on an Omaha train and taken to St. Peter for final interment.
November 28th, 1909, Al Schwitzer, a member of the fire board and one of the most prominent German citizens and politicians of the city, died.
On October 20th, 1909, Dr. George Doran, police surgeon, quarreled with his wife in his office in the Medical block, 7th and Robert streets, and during the quarrel his wife drew a revolver and shot him. Dr. Doran recovered and refused to prosecute his wife.
On November 11th, 1909, Andrew Schryer jumped from the high bridge and killed himself.
On November 14th, 1909, the police made a wonderful capture in locating Louis Sperro and C. D. Hall, the most famous post office robbers in the United States. Hall was given an eight year sentence and Sperro received a six year sentence, but not until Hall had headed an attempted jail delivery at the Ramsey County jail, which was blocked by one of the prisoners tipping off the delivery to the sheriff.
January 13th, 1910, J. C. Launsberry, an eccentric and wealthy Englishman was found dead from gas poisoning at his home, 64 Summit Avenue. There was considerable mystery attached to his death, and there was quite a contest for his estate between different sets of heirs.
January 10th, 1910, “Sure Thing” Smith and Tom Furey, two of the best known crooks in the country, were arrested at the Union depot and returned east for sentence.
On January 18th, 1910 occurred another big fire in the building of the American House Furnishing company.
February 21st, 1910, C. W. Young and John A. Vye were fined $50 each for criticizing the Grand Jury report. These men were members of a reform association, and made some stringent remarks about the Grand Jury failing to indict certain saloon keepers.
February 22, 1910, two fashionably dressed masked men walked into Carling’s cafe uptown about midnight with levelled revolvers and carried off about $400 and made their escape. The police were well aware of the fact as to who committed the crime, but though they issued many circulars and spent considerable time and money, the criminals were never brought back to St. Paul. Chief O’Connor is of the opinion they are serving time in an eastern penitentiary under another name for another crime at present.
