On This Date in Minnesota History: June 6

June 6, 1916 – A one-sided love affair came to a tragic close today at Kimball Prairie, Minn. (now just Kimball), near St. Cloud, when James Fitzpatrick, a street car conductor of Duluth, shot and instantly killed Sadie Johnson of Eden Valley, his boyhood sweetheart, and then killed himself.

Kimball Prairie, Minn., Depot¹ 

The couple boarded a Soo Line train at Eden Valley, Miss Johnson being on the way to Kimball Prairie to visit friends there. They were seen talking together on the train, and it is presumed that Fitzpatrick renewed his proposals of marriage to the young woman. When they left the train at Kimball Prairie, Fitzpatrick followed Johnson into the station, drew a revolver, murdered her and ended his own life.

From members of the girl’s family it was learned this evening that Fitzpatrick had frequently asked Johnson to marry him and that she had repeatedly refused. Both were born in Eden Valley and attended high school together.

Eden Valley, Minn., Depot² 

 For the last four years Fitzpatrick has been employed in Duluth. Johnson attended the state reform school at St. Cloud, and for two years was a teacher in the Blake Longwell school district near Kimball Prairie. Her school recently closed for the year and following her intended visit with friends in the school district, she had planned to re-enter the St. Cloud normal school for summer school work.

Fitzpatrick was 27 years old. Johnson was 20 and is survived by her father and mother, five brothers and two sisters. One of the sisters has been teaching at a school in the district adjoin the Blake Longwell. The Johnson family resided in Meeker County, about two miles south of Eden Valley.


The Minneapolis Tribune; “His Love Spurned, Conductor Slays Teacher and Self. Murder and Suicide Follows Meeting on Soo Line Train. Girl Had Refused Marriage Proposals. Tragic Shooting Occurs in Railroad Station at Kimball Prairie.”; June 7, 1916; p. 16.

¹http://www.west2k.com/mnpix/kimball.jpg

²http://www.thegrandedepot.com/history

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