Saturday, October 11, 2014

On This Date in MInnesota History: October 11

October 11, 2000 – “The Wild played their first ever home game on [this date] against the Philadelphia Flyers and skated to a 3–3 tie. Minnesota native Darby Hendrickson scored the first-ever home goal for the Wild.”

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





Darby Hendrickson

http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/File:Darbyhendrickson.jpg



Friday, October 10, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: October 10

October 10, 1969 – Hennepin County District Court Judge Douglas K. Amdahl denied a new trial for T. Eugene Thompson, “a former St. Paul lawyer serving a life murder sentence for the 1963 death of his wife.” Thompson’s appeal attorney, Ronald Meshbesher, “could appeal the decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which has already upheld Thompson’s conviction and expressed impatience at the ‘legal games’ his attorneys have employed under the state’s post-conviction remedy law.”

The Minneapolis Tribune; “Judge Rejects Thompson’s Try for Another Trial”; October 11, 1969; p.9.



T. Eugene "Cotton" Thompson (right) being arrested

http://musicmasteroldies.blogspot.com/2013/11/new-oldie-ho-ho-ho-by-jim-adams.html


For more information on the murder of Carol Thompson, see these blogs:

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 April21, 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 affirms T. Eugene Thompson’s conviction; see Jan. 7, 2014blog


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



Thursday, October 9, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: October 9





October 9, 1900 – “One of the largest explosions ever occurring in the state: seven thousand five hundred pounds of dynamite in the powder magazine at the Spruce mine, about half a mile from [Eveleth], blew up about 5:30 o'clock. A hole 100 feet square and 25 feet deep marks the spot where the magazine stood. The force of the explosion was so great that there is not a piece of glass over a square within a radius of two miles of the mine. Practically every window and mirror in Eveleth was broken, while in saloons all bottled goods were demolished in addition. The loss in the city is estimated at $30,000. The damage done to the Spruce mine was about $3,000, the mine laboratory and warehouses being totally wrecked.”

http://www3.gendisasters.com/minnesota/3387/eveleth%2C-mn-explosion%2C-oct-1900




Wednesday, October 8, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: October 8

October 8, 1918 – The first of the September 12 WWI registrants were called to the colors on this date.

In a telegram from Gen. Crowder, federal provost marshal, to Adjt. Gen. Rhinow, Minnesota was called upon to entrain 6,750 registrants during the five day period beginning Oct. 21. The call fulfills Gen. Crowder promise that registrants of the new class would be called to service in Oct.

While many of the men to be taken in the two parts of the call will be 21-year-olds who registered June 5 and Aug. 24, 1918, there are not enough of these youths left to supply such a large number of men.

The call is for 3,500 men to entrain to Camp Forrest, Lytle, Ga., and 2,250 to Camp Cody, Deming, N, M. Minnesota never before has sent drafted men directly to these camps, although, many Minnesotan draftees were transferred to Camp Cody from Camp Dodge earlier this year.


The Bemidji Daily Pioneer
; “First Call Is Issued Under New Registry: 6.750 From Minnesota”; Oct. 08, 1918; p. 1.




Major General Enoch Herbert Crowder, Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, WWI


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





Tuesday, October 7, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: October 7

October 7, 1910 - A fire that had already consumed the communities of Williams, Cedar Spur, and Graceton three days earlier approached Baudette and Spooner [Lake of the Woods County, Minn.] during the evening hours. “As the towns rapidly became furnaces of flames; citizens gathered at the depot for safety. Victims of a typhoid epidemic were evacuated by train before a whirlwind of flame swept away the two towns and the bridge over the Baudette River that connected them. Before morning almost everything at Baudette was leveled, leaving what one survivor called "a desolate plain" covered by charred ruins. Only the sawmill at Spooner remained standing. Forty-two persons lost their lives in the Great Fire of 1910. About 300,000 acres were burned in ten townships, including much valuable timber and many homesteads and livestock.”

http://www3.gendisasters.com/minnesota/3532/baudette-spooner,-mn-great-fire-1910





http://www.lakeofthewoodshistoricalsociety.com/history7.html


Monday, October 6, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: October 6

October 6, 1903 – Peter O. Elliott, the Minneapolis religious crank who was arrested yesterday after trying to secure an audience with President Theodore Roosevelt, has subsequently been found insane and taken to the government asylum.

Persons charged with insanity in the District of Columbia must be formally committed to an asylum after an examination in open court, and this method will be pursued in Elliott’s case.

In his talk at the police station Elliott declared he went to the White House because the President asked him to come and see him. He said he carried a pistol to protect himself and did not intend to do any harm to the President. Among Elliott’s possessions were numerous clippings describing and relation to incidents in the life of President Roosevelt and cards of the Minneapolis Patent Company of Minneapolis.

Elliott has been a resident of Minneapolis for 15 years, and believed by acquaintances here to be a harmless visionary. He spent most of his time on patents that he was perfecting, and was a well-known figure in South Minneapolis.

Weather permitting, Elliott was known to address anyone who would listen on topics such as economics, sociology and politics until his audience grew tired or hissed him off the street.

In these speeches, which were little more than tirades against existing conditions and institutions, Elliott more than once suggested his intention of harming the President, while in private conversation he said he was going down to Washington and that if Roosevelt would not see him, he would force the President to grant an interview.

Apparently, Elliott wanted a federal appointment, and his grievance against the nation’s chief executive was that an appointment was not given to him. He also claimed that he was going to marry Alice Roosevelt.


Minneapolis Journal; “Elliott is in an Asylum. Minneapolitan Who Tried to Call on Roosevelt Is Declared to Be Insane. He made No Resistance When Taken to the Asylum—Friends Are Silent.”; Oct. 6, 1903; p. 1.




Peter O. Elliott

Minneapolis Journal; Oct. 6, 1903; p. 1.


Sunday, October 5, 2014

On This Date in Minnesota History: October 5

October 5, 1903 – Shortly before noon today, Peter O. Elliott, a Swede from Minneapolis, attempted to make  his way into the White House to see President Theodore Roosevelt, saying the President had sent for him and he wanted to see him. Elliott, who was told the President was engaged and could not see him, then tried to force his way in and was overpowered by officers on duty and carried to a police van. Seeming to realize then for the first time that he was under arrest, Elliott began a furious struggle with his captors, trying to escape.

He drew a revolver from his right trouser pocket and attempted to shoot Officer James Cissell. The officer grabbed his hand and wrenched the weapon from his grasp.  Elliott’s struggles were so fierce, however, that the two officers in the cramped quarters of the van were unable to subdue him. Officer Cissell then drew his revolver and fired two shots to attract attention. Attracted by the shots, Chief Usher Thomas Stone and Officer Parker of the White House force, who had assisted in carrying Elliot to the van, rushed back to the vehicle and aided in overpowering him.

In the struggle within the police van, Elliott broke a glass panel with his head, severely cutting his head and face. Officer Cissell sustained a serious cut on his right arm, two inches of flesh being cut out of the fleshy part of his arm. He suffered considerably from loss of blood, but his injury is not considered serious.

Elliott was taken to the emergency hospital where his wounds were dressed. From there he was taken to the first precinct police station and incarcerated in one of the detention wards. An official examination as to his mental condition will be held very soon.

This was Elliott’s second attempt to see the President. The day before, while Roosevelt attended morning services at Grace Reformed Church, Elliott appeared near the entrance to the church and made an effort to speak to the President, but he was foiled in his endeavor by secret service officers. At that time the man showed no symptoms of insanity and quietly left the vicinity of the church when ordered to do so by the officers.


Minneapolis Journal; “Armed Madman Seeks President. Peter Elliott, Whose Home Is in South Minneapolis, Arrested While Trying to See the President. He Fought Fiercely When Hustled Into a Police Van and Two Men Could Not Subdue Him—Carried a Revolver and Tried three Times to Get at the President—Is Now in the Emergency Hospital, His Head Badly Cut.”; October 5, 1903; p. 1.




Peter O. Elliott

Minneapolis Journal; Oct. 6, 1903; p. 1.