Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-11-03


Our city was startled yesterday afternoon by
the report flying from mouth to mouth, that MIR.
Herman @. Adams had been shot in his Office by
a German who went in there to demand some
money due him from the Germania Bank. A
crowd speedily collected about the doors of Mr..
Adams Banking Office, and much excitement was
manifested as the facts TRANSFERRED. The circum-
stances are briefly these: About half past
O'Clock yesterday afternoon German, who had
a sum of money on deposit in the Germania Bank
(Which failed last year) called in at the Banking
and Exchange Office of H. G. Adams, and de
manded the money Of Geo. Papendck, formerly
of the Germania Bank. Mr.. Papendick replied
that the assets of the Bank were no longer under
his controls but offered the man $25 on account.
This was declined and the sum of $50 demanded;
(the deposit being about $l50;) Mr.. Papendick
not complying with the demand, the German
drew pistol and threatened to take his life if
he did not pay the money. Mr.. Adams observing
the action, called to Mr. Joseph Colt, who CHANGED
to be in the Office, and asked him to 60 for po-
lice officer. AS Mr.. G.. started to go, the German
turned and threatened to shoot him if he stirred.
At this moment Mr.. Adams moved rapidly to-
wards the door, when the German fred at him,
and turning round fred a second time at Mr.. Geo.
Papendick. The first ball took effect, wounding
MIR. Adams in the groin. The second missed Mr..
Papendick and struck the wall.
Immediately after firing these shots the man
left Mr.. Adams's Office, walked directly up stairs
into the Police Office, laid his pistol on the table,
sat down on the bench and waited quietly ior the
officers. In this attitude he was found by officers
WATSON and Skerret, who were speedily on the
ground, and was by them conducted to the jail.
He there gave the following account Of himself
and the attempted murder.
The name of the prisoner is John Fenier: he is
a carpenter by trade, and lives with his wife and
two children in a small house near Mr.. Vliet's in
the Second Ward. Feiner himself SAYS that he
had certificate of deposit in the Germania Bank
(Papendck & Coy for $l47; that he was in Mich
igan when the bank broke; that after his return
here, some time since, he got printed notice from
Waldo and Ody to appear and draw dividend
on his certificate, but this he did not understand
that he went to the place where the Germania
Bank used to be kept (now the Banking and Ex-
change Office of IL. G. Adams) yesterday morning
and demanded the money; that Mr.. Papendick Of
fered him $25, but he insisted on having $50,
which was refused; that he went and borrowed
81, ~ from neghbor, purchased a double-bar-
relied pistol for So got the man of whom he bought
it to load it for him, and thus armed, returned to
the Bank, with the idea of intimidating Mr.. Pap
endick and thus getting his money "a. he had heard
some other depositor did. Finding his threats
failed and that they were about to summond as
sistance, he fred his pistol, first at Mr. Adams and
then at Mr.. Geo. Papendick.
Flencr says that he does not at all know the
man whom they shot, but he meant to do it and
thinks it right. He cries occasionally about it,and
dcplores the necessity which drove him to commit
the deed. He has been working for some time
past with Mr.. Rugee. drawing only 50 week,
barely enough to feed himself and family, and
applying the rest of his wages to purchase lumber
for house he was building. He complains bit
terly of the suffering which the withholding of
this $l41 by the bank has inflicted on his wife and
children, and thinks that it was just to shoot the
man who kept his money from him.
Such is the prisoners story, which, supposng
TO be strictly true, furnishes not the slightest pail
Iation for the attempted homicide.