Saturday, November 16, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 16

November 16, 1992 – A TV-movie about the murder of three-year old Dennis Jurgens in White Bear Lake, Minn., by his adoptive mother, Lois Jurgens, was released in the United States on the Lifetime cable network on this date. A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story” starred Beverly D'Angelo as Dennis’ birth mother, Jerry Sherwood; Dana Ivey as Lois Jurgens and Max Gail as Mr. Jurgens.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103954/releaseinfo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Dennis_Jurgens

A good movie, but the costume department just didn't get get Lois Jurgens' hats right. Jurgens liked little hats that sat on the side of her head. In the movie, her character wore full hats with brims.

Death of Dennis Jurgens; see April 11, 2012 blog.



http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2954139392/tt0103954


Friday, November 15, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 15

November 15, 1919 – Thirty-two Luverne, Minn., residents were welcomed home today by a large delegation, headed by a band, after being acquitted in federal court in Mankato on the charge of kidnapping, tarring and feathering of John Meintz.



John Meintz1

Meintz had requested personal damages of $100,000 for the treatment he’d received on the evening of August 19, 1918. The jury denied him any damages, after deliberating one and a half hours.

Judge Wilbur F. Booth, in charging the jury, said that the evidence was overwhelming in support of the contention that Meintz was disloyal (by not supporting war bonds) and that there was a strong feeling against him in the community.

The action of the Luverne citizens in staging a celebration was taken as an indication of strong approval of the acquittal verdict.


Luverne Welcomes You2

The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune; “All Luverne Greets 32 Citizens Freed in Tar-Feather Case; Court Vindicates Men Accused of Punishing John Meintz as Disloyalist.”; November 16, 1919; p. 1.

http://www.historybyzim.com/2012/06/john-meints-wwi-anti-german-sentiment/

1http://maryannkreitzer.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

2http://imgur.com/xsaXB

Thursday, November 14, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 14

November 14, 1922 – It was announced today that a national bank examiner discovered the embezzlement of $33,400 from the Minneapolis National Bank located at Nicollet and Lake Street. Suspicions of management had caused a special audit, which instead uncovered the actions of W. J. Smith, a cashier, and A. E. Klein, a teller, who both said they used the money to live with.

Smith confessed to taking about $20,000 and Klein to $13,400. According to Chief National Bank Examiner H. M. Sims, the funny thing about it was that neither of the two knew that the other was taking the bank’s money.

Minnesota Daily Star; “Cashier, Teller, Short $33,400, Minneapolis National is Looted Bank”; Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 14, 1922; p. 1.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 13

November 13, 1997 – The Prospect Park water tower with its distinctive "witch's hat" design by Norwegian architect Frederick William Cappelen was named to the National Register of Historical Places on this date. The 110-foot water tower was built in 1913 with a holding capacity of 150,000 gallons on a hill with the highest elevation in Minneapolis.1

“The Witch's Hat Water Tower is rumored to be the inspiration for Bob Dylan's ‘All Along the Watchtower,’ as the tower was clearly visible from Dylan's home in nearby Dinkytown.”2

1http://www.pperr.org/history/thetower.html

2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospect_Park,_Minneapolis




Prospect Park Water Tower

Photos taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain November 13, 2013, 
as long as acknowledgement included.




"PROSPECT PARK WATER TOWER 

THE WITCH’S HAT WATER TOWER WAS DESIGNED 
BY NORWEGIAN ARCHITECT FREDERICK WILLIAM 
CAPPELEN AND CONSTRUCTED BY THE CITY OF 
MINNEAPOLIS IN 1913. OCCUPYING THE HIGHEST 
NATURAL LAND AREA IN MINNEAPOLIS, THE WATER 
TOWER WAS BUILT TO IMPROVE WATER PRESSURE IN 
THE HOMES OF PROSPECT PARK RESIDENTS. THE 
TOWER WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN 1952, BUT HAS BEEN 
PRESERVED AS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS CITY’S 
HISTORY. THE WITCH’S HAT WATER TOWER AND TOWER 
HILL PARK ARE LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF 
HISTORIC PLACES."


http://www.pperr.org/history/thetower.html



Tuesday, November 12, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 12

November 12, 1889 – U. S. magazine publisher, Dewitt Wallace, was born in St. Paul on this date. He co-founded Reader's Digest with his wife Lila Wallace and published the first issue in 1922.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeWitt_Wallace




http://monstermemories.blogspot.com/2008/11/1969-readers-digest-night-of-living.html


Monday, November 11, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 11

November 11, 1857 – Stillwater Prison Warden Douglass Rigg accepted a committee recommendation to discontinue the last uses of hickory striped clothing, and this the last vestige of an era in which prisoners everywhere wore clothing of coarse stripes has come to an end. Hickory material was used most commonly for mattresses and pillow covers, has been used for clothing in some work assignments here, but will be replaced by khaki in the kitchen and chambray in the shops. The recommendation approved by the warden designates three standard uniforms, "Class A"(Dress khakis with green coat in winter); "Class B"(Work khakis); and "Class C" (work denims and blue chambray shirts). The hickory stripe shirts and trousers will be worn until they are no longer serviceable. When all extra hickory material is used up, no further supply will be purchased.”

http://projects.wchsmn.org/reference/events/tradition-stripes-prison-end/




http://nathanbyrne.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/get-out-of-jail-free-card.jpg


Sunday, November 10, 2013

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 10

November 10, 1981 – Six-year-old Cassie Hansen was kidnaped from a church in St. Paul's Midway area and subsequently murdered by cab-driver Stuart Willis Knowlton. Her body was found the next day “in a dumpster behind the Auto Clinic located on the corner of Grand and Grotto in St. Paul's Crocus Hill area.”

http://mn.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19860321_0004.MN.htm/qx


Cassie Hansen's grave-site at Fort Snelling National Cemetery

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=749327&PIpi=11587677