Monday, December 21, 2015

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 21

December 21, 1912 – Children passing Nicollet Avenue and Third Street downtown Minneapolis were brought to tears today when they saw two Santa Clauses engaged in a fist fight.

Concerned that “St. Nick” would get hurt and not be able to fulfill his duties on Christmas Eve caused the little ones to burst into screaming alarm.

The two Santa Clauses were engaged in soliciting funds for the poor of Minneapolis when one of the Good Saint’s impersonators threw the taunt at his competitor that his “make-up” was faulty.

“Aw, you don’t look like Santa Claus,” he said.

“I look more like him than you do,” the other retorted.

That’s when the altercation began. One Santa shot a swift right to the other Santa’s eye. He in turn came back with a hard punch to his competitor’s sawdust stomach.

The children happening on the scene at the time were horror stricken, dumb founded. One little girl burst into tears and a number of the boys doubled up their fists and started to “take sides.”

A policeman put an end to the fracas and the subdued Santa Clauses went back to their respective posts.

Police interference was too late, however, to save the fall of the children’s most popular idol for the youngsters who had witnessed the almost unbelievable sight.

“I saw a crowd gathering about the Santa Clauses from where I stood at Hennepin Avenue and Third Street,” said Peter Kope, traffic policeman, who interrupted the fight. “I reached the men before they had damaged each other to any extent and saw them become reconciled. When I asked them their names, each replied Santa Claus.”

Adjutant John O’Neal of the Volunteers of America, for whom the men were working, says that the fracas was reported to him but that inasmuch as the participants had “made up,” with each other, he would take no action in the matter.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Street Santa Clauses Engage in a Fist Fight. Two Impersonators of “St. Nick” Have Controversy Over Their Make-ups. Children Horrified to See Bewhiskered Kriss-Kringles Maul Each Other.”; Dec. 21, 1912; p. 1.




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If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
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