Thursday, January 17, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 17


*January 17, 1903 – Mathias Willisberger, more than 80 years old and scarcely able to care for himself without assistance, was sent to the Ramsey County poor house today. The man was gathered in by the police after having been found wandering the streets begging for something to eat.

Willisberger came here from Freeport, Ill., in search of his son, whom he says robbed him of his savings of $600. The father learned that his son had come to St. Paul and started in search of him, walking all the way from Ill. The trip was made during the coldest weather, and the old man suffered much, his feet being frozen until they are badly swollen.

When he reached St. Paul, he was cared for at the home of the Little Sisters, but two days ago escaped from that institution and has wandered about the city in search of his son until today, when he was picked up by the police and taken to the Ramsey County jail. This afternoon he was taken to the poor farm.

Willisberger says he lived at Freeport, Ill., and had managed to $600, with which to support himself in his declining years. His son, he says, managed to get hold of the money, and left the city with it.

It was for the purpose of finding his son that he came to St. Paul. The police will endeavor to ascertain whether or not his son is in the city.

The St. Paul Globe; “Says Son Stole All His Savings, Followed Him to St. Paul and is Now in Poorhouse.”; Jan. 18, 1903; p. 4.



Ramsey County Poor Farm

http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/nrhp/NRDetails.cfm-NPSNum=77000766.html

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