Saturday, January 11, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 11

January 11, 1970 – “The Vikings lost to Kansas City, 23-7, in Super Bowl IV at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Not only was the game the 1st Super Bowl in franchise history, but it was the 1st Super Bowl played by a modern expansion team.”
http://www.vikings.com/team/history/timeline.html




http://www.vikings.com/team/history/timeline.html


Friday, January 10, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 10

January 10, 1924 - Earl E. Bakken, an American engineer, businessman and philanthropist was born in Columbia Heights, Minn. “He founded Medtronic, where he developed the first battery-operated, transistorized, wearable artificial pacemaker in 1957.”

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




Earl E. Bakken

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



Thursday, January 9, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 9

And we think politicians are crazy today…

January 9, 1910
– Hon. John Lind, the retiring governor of the state of Minn., called on Harry T. Black, the managing editor of the St. Paul Dispatch, this afternoon. He didn’t stay long. A few words, a few blows, a short scuffle, and the governor retired.

Months ago, Gov. Lind concluded the only salve that would heal the wound of being called guilty of treason by the Republican newspaper would be found in a fist to fist or fist to face encounter with the managing editor of that paper. The encounter occurred, the fist and face exchanged greeting, and the old incident was again closed.

After the harsh charge was printed, Lind requested that Black print a retraction. Black replied that the paper was just out of retractions. The governor then dropped the matter with the determination, it seems, to give it his attention as soon as he had laid aside the dignity of the gubernatorial office, which he did at noon this afternoon when he handed the reins over to Gov. Van Sant.

Two hours later Lind rode the elevator up to Black’s office, where he again asked for a retraction, and Black again refused, telling Lind, “We’re not going to do anything about it. It’s up to you.”

The governor obviously felt the same way, for he let drive, catching Black full in the face. His blow wasn’t as hard as a horse would kick, but it stung a bit. Another pass was made, and then the newspaper man closed in on the governor, and they did a shuffle around the room. In a few seconds, other members of the staff appeared and separated the two men. Gov. Lind picked up his silk hat, which had rolled or been knocked off, adjusted his collar and walked out. He was satisfied.

Black remembered the incident as follows:  “Mr. Lind came in here, talked a few minutes and then reached over and struck me with a ring, I believe. What could a man do under the circumstances other than eject the aggressor from his office? That is what I did. Mr. Lind is not physically a man with whom a satisfactory fight is possible.”

St. Paul Globe; “Wiped Out an Old Score; Gov. Lind Disposes of a Grievance He Had Against Harry T. Black; Charge Made in Dispatch; The Retiring Official and the Managing Editor Get Together Without Doing Any Particular Harm;” Jan. 10, 1901; P. 2.


Minn. Gov. John Lind


In office
January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1901http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Lind.jpg



Wednesday, January 8, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 8

January 8, 1971 – President Richard M. Nixon created Voyageurs National Park on Minnesota’s border with Canada on this date. It was the country’s 36th National Park.

http://www.nps.gov/voya/historyculture/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=156594




Voyageurs National Park
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Voyageurs_National_Park.jpg


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 7

January 7, 1966 – “The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of St. Paul attorney T. Eugene Thompson for plotting the March 6, 1963, murder of his wife” Carol. Thompson had sought “to have his guilty verdict overturned and to be granted a new trial.”

Minneapolis Tribune; “State Supreme Court Affirms Thompson Murder Conviction”; January 8, 1966; p.1.


Carol and T. Eugene Thompson on their wedding day


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fringefestival.org/2012/img/shows/300/2399.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fringefestival.org/2012/mobile/show/?id%3D2399&h=131&w=300&sz=8&tbnid=aSULkgMvJGJE-M:&tbnh=48&tbnw=110&zoom=1&usg=__MIRu3mBlOQZysiNpkBq0KMYatRU=&docid=OCivbwRWVcXH1M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BA2DULOME-aVyQGSwICQBw&ved=0CCsQ9QEwBA&dur=1384




Murder of Carol Thompson; see March 6, 2013 blog

Gun handle pieces found at the scene of Carol Thompson’s murder identified; see April 9, 2013 blog


Thieves admit to stealing and selling gun used in Carol Thompson murder; see April 17, 2013 blog

Suspects arrested in Carol Thompson’s murder; see April 19, 2013 blog


Suspect implicates another as actual murderer in Carol Thompson case; see April 21, 2013 blog


T. Eugene Thompson represented one of the suspects in his wife’s murder; see April 23, 2013 blog


Pistol used to bludgeon Carol Thompson found; see April 30, 2013 blog


T. Eugene Thompson walks out on grand jury; see May 2, 2013 blog


Getaway car in Carol Thompson murder located; see May 3, 2013 blog

Blood-stained trousers believed to have been worn by Carol Thompson’s murderer found; May 9, 2013 blog

Suspect in Carol Thompson’s murder confesses, implicates T. Eugene Thompson; see June 20, 2013 blog



T. Eugene Thompson arrested in his wife’s murder; see June 21, 2013 blog



T. Eugene Thompson’s role in wife’s murder revealed to public; see June 22,2013 blog


Minn. Supreme Court denies T. Eugene Thompson’s attempt to collect wife’s insurance death benefits; see Feb. 10, 2014 blog


Monday, January 6, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 6

January 6, 1904 - Eugene A. Moody, the youngest enlisted soldier in the Union army during the Civil War, died on this date in Caledonia, Minn. He was a painter and paperhanger in Sioux City, Iowa.

As a boy, he ran away from home to join the army, but was not permitted to do so, and was taken back to Milwaukee by his father. He would not be dissuaded from joining the army, so his father assisted him to a place as a musician for the Thirteenth regular infantry.

Many have claimed to be the youngest regular soldier during the civil war, but the records of the war department show that Moody held the record.

He had applied for a Civil War pension as an invalid on Aug. 8, 1887. Based on census records, Moody was approximately 49 years old at the time of his death.

The Minneapolis Journal; “Youngest Boy Soldier; Death of Eugene A. Moody, Who Had the War Department’s Record at Caledonia, Minn.”; January 07, 1904; p. 2




Sunday, January 5, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 5

January 5, 1928 – Vice President Walter “Fritz” Mondale was born on this date in Ceylon, Minn.

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




Vice President Walter “Fritz” Mondale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waltermondaleasdiplomat.jpg