A Book of the Saint Paul Police 1838 - 1912 — 18
During the month of February 1910, the reform element instituted a series of warrants directed against saloon keepers who sold liquor on Sunday or to minors. The main fight was directed against Alderman Frank J. Huber, who after a rather sensational trial was acquitted on February 25th, 1910.
March 25th, 1910, Capt. William Murphy of the Volunteers of America disappeared from the city with $1250 cash which had been collected by the Volunteers by a tag day demonstration to furnish a working girls home for the Volunteers. Murphy came back later and told a rather peculiar story of his disappearance, and is now serving a seven year sentence at Stillwater.
On June 6th, 1910, Rev. E. J. Walsh and Mrs. Patrick J. Gibbons were murdered by Pat Gibbons, one of the best known stock dealers at South St. Paul. Gibbons worked himself into a jealous rage prior to the double murder. Gibbons was tried at Hastings several months later and a jury found that he was insane at the time, and he is now at the criminal ward at the St. Peter Insane asylum where he will remain the rest of his life.
On July 7th, 1910, Peter Lindstrom died from a fractured skull received in a fight with James McMonigle and Fred Beckman. The men were tried and acquitted.
On June 30th, 1910, Harry Bunce worked himself into a jealous rage while drunk, came home and shot his wife, killing her instantly at their home on McBoal street. He pleaded guilty two months later and was given a life sentence.
On July 17th, 1910, Dr. A. J. Stone, for many years Health Commissioner and a great friend of the police, died at his apartments in St. Paul.
On August the 4th, 1910, Detective Patrick O’Brien, an old and valued member of the force, died at his home in the city.
On August 18th, 1910, the remains of an unknown dead man were found in a box car, hacked to pieces, the murder had undoubtedly been committed somewhere in Iowa. Neither the perpetrators of the deed nor the identity of the murdered man were ever discovered.
On September 27th, 1910, while joy riding on Rice street Helen Boyer, a young girl and Henry Kaltenhauser, were killed and several others injured.
On October 24th, Alderman Frank J. Huber died at the St. Peter insane asylum.
On October 20th, 1910, George Bedner shot and killed Richard Dzieron at the latter’s home on Blair street. Both were 17 year old boys and the coroner found that the shooting was accidental during play.
On August 30th, 1910, Charles Welsh, 31 years old, a watchman, walked into the office of Alton C. Ray, Chief of Detectives of the Great Northern system, brandished a bottle of nitroglycerine, which he threw on the floor. By some miracle the acid failed to explode, and before Welsh could fire on Ray, the latter pulled out a revolver and defended himself. At the coroner’s inquest it was very clearly shown that Ray had acted in self defence and that Welsh was a desperate man. It took the jury fifteen minutes to acquit Ray of all responsibility in the matter on September 2, 1910. The local police recovered five thousand dollars worth of diamonds stolen in New England and captured the thief. The diamonds were hidden in a box at Snelling and University avenues. The jewels and the thief were returned to the east.
September 26th, 1910, Detective Frank Frazier captured Phillip Roberts of Chicago. She was one of the cleverest hotel thieves in the United States. She dressed herself as a man and with two men tried to make her escape. Frazier penetrated her disguise and arrested her.
Another mysterious murder occurred on October 21, 1910 when James E. Alexander, a motorman on the Grand Avenue Line got out of his box at the end of the line and was fired on from ambush. Alexander died instantly. The murderer was never apprehended.
On May 4th, 1910, Herbert P. Keller, republican was elected Mayor of St. Paul by a five thousand majority.
On May 23rd, 1910, Stewart B. Shotwell was run down and killed by Theodora Stark of Minneapolis, a girl autoist. She was arrested but later exonerated. Shotwell was one of the best known brokers in the West, and his death resulted in more stringent automobile regulations.
On May 24, 1910, John B. Cook, the veteran transfer man died and on November 10th, 1910, Edward G. Rogers, member of the assembly and well known former legislator, for 12 years clerk of the district court, died at his home in St. Paul.
On Sept. 23, 1910, Mrs. Minna Altschuler was shot and killed at the Willard Hotel by Ben Foreman, her lover. The exact circumstances were never learned as Foreman at his trial put in defense a plea that the woman had tried to kill herself and him and that the revolver was accidentally discharged. Foreman was found guilty and is serving a life sentence at Stillwater.
Late in the afternoon of December 7th, 1910, Mrs. Jos. Saro was killed by her husband, who coming home found her in the company of another man. Saro pleaded guilty and is doing a life term at Stillwater.
On December 16th, 1910, Charles P. McKenna kicked his wife to death while drunk and on a plea of guilty is now serving a life sentence in Stillwater.
Early in the morning of December 20th, 1910, five firemen were seriously injured during a blaze in the plant of the Hardwood Door Company at 7 corners where the flames did $50,000 damage.
On December 23, 1910, Emma Branch, colored, was shot at a dance by Elk Robinson and Broderick Campbell, both colored. After a long trial both were found guilty and are now serving life terms at Stillwater.
Early in 1911 “Shaggie Eye Brows” one of the most notorious burglars in St. Paul police history was captured after some marvelous work by the local police. William Cohn, described by all his victims as the man with shaggy eyebrows was given a sentence of 60 years at Stillwater for one of the longest series of burglaries in the history of the city. At the, same time John Krausher was given a sentence of 45 years for a similar series of robberies.
On December 30, 1910, two women were burned to death and over a dozen injured in the Concord flats near the down town ball park.
On January 3rd, 1911, the Shubert Theater safe was robbed and William Gerndt a watchman was arrested and acquitted of the crime. Later through the wife of H. T. Robinson becoming angered at her husband, Robinson was arrested and charged with the crime, found guilty and given a 20 year sentence. Ike Cohen, a participant in the robbery who turned state’s evidence was allowed his freedom on parole.
On January 10, 1911, Judge J. J. Egan, former member of the bench, died.
