St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-24
a Good-Looking Girl Charged
With a Series Of Mon
stpous Crimes.
Accused Of Putting Paris
Green in Butter and Fir
ing Buildings.
Mysterious Letters in the AL
legged Handwriting of the
Young Girl.
A Family Almost Driven
Crazy by Most Remark
able Persecution.

has been arrested on warrant charg-
ing her with long series of crimes that
have been committed at Louis Devaud'S
farm. Minnie Hoffsmith is her name.
She has an honest face, and to charge
her with an attempt to commit murder,
arson and malicious mischief seems pre-
posterous. Never was person perse-
cuted more terribly than has been the
family of Louis Devaud, farmer in
moderate circumstances who lives nine
miles southwest of this city. The per-
secution began in the latter part of
July. First the choice watermelons
of his patch were destroyed and
the vines were cut. This was
thought to be the work of some of
the boys of the neighbOrhood and was
looked upon as boyish prank. Less
than a week after that hive of bees
was overturned during the night and
paris green was sprinkled over the
honey in copious quantities. A few
days passed and the performance was
repeated. Then SOME one got into the
cellar and put paris green in the butter,
and threw ham into barrel of soft
soap. A large number of cans of fruit
were opened and poison put into them.
The family became
Thoroughly Frightened.
and the neighbors came in frequently
to discuss ways and means of capturing
the guilty persons. No trace could be
found that would lead even to a Sus-
picion. One day when Mrs. Devaud
started to mix her bread she found
paris green in the -four. The next out
rage was when some one got into the
house and ruined quantity of clothing
by cutting it with scissors. A few days
later the house was set on fire, and
while the family were putting it out the
barn took fire and over $4,000 worth of
buildings, grain and farming nipple
ments were reduced to ashes. The
news of these outrages had spread
throughout the entire county,
and the excitement ran high.
The Devaud family was nearly
driven frantic, they were afraid for their
lives and feared to eat and drink, as
they did not know but the we'll OF the
food might be poisoned. No cause or
reason could be OWNED why any one
should desire to so relentleSSly perSe-
cute Mr.. Devaud and his family, The
neighbors watched and the family
watched. but the depredations contin-
ued, and there was not the slightest
cleW as to who was guilty. For thirty
five years Mr.. Devaud had lived in the
same house, and to his knowledge he
had not single enemy in the county.
He had never had lawsuit nor quar-
rel of any consequence. Some of the
neighDOrS became
Weary OF Wondering
and some evil-minded person started
the rumor that some member of Mr..
Dcvaud's household was committing the
depredations. Shortly after this sus-
picion was fastened on Minnie HOff-
smith. Suddenly people began to re-
member that the child had acted
strangely all the while. The sheriff and
IN and warrant was sworn out and the
girl was arrested. Minnie is a slender
child not over four feet in height, with q
clear, honest face. large blue eyes, fair
hair, nose that turns up just enough
to be pretty, and full red lips. She has
spent the greater part of her life among
the pine-cOvered hills of this region.
Her father and mother with nine chill
dren have for the last four years lived
in a log cabin in the timber at the
foot of a high hill abont mile from
the Devaud farm. They came there from
over south of Bear creek, and the only
times Minnie has been to the city was
when she accompanied her father and
mother to the Methodist church on a
Sunday. And yet this child is charged
with list of crimes that would cause a
hardened villain to shudder. She is out
On bail now, and is with her almost
heart-broken father and mother. She
does not realize the enOrmity of the
crimes with which she is charged, but
goes about the little cabin home mind
Ing the baby and helping her mother
with the household duties, singing as
Is frank in her statements, and admits
10 being present on all the occasions
mentioned, but denies that she knows
Anything of Their Origin,
nor did :she or Mrs. Devaud see any
suspicious persons in the vicinity at any
time. A correspondent for the GLOBE
visited the Devaud farm to-day and ha6
long talk with Mrs. Devaud. Hel
husband had gone to town to engage
the services of preacher to conduct
the funeral of their grandson, who dice
last night. The family home stands OF
hillside, and is plain two-stOry frame
structure, painted white, with greer
blinds. A few rods from the house is {
great heap of ashes, the place where {
few weeks ago the barn and stacks o.
grain stood. The home, though
far better than the average Of
this region, has been the scene
of much sorrow. Years ago
when the Indians still roamed through
the forest, Mr.. and Mrs. Devaud haC
five children, but the diphtheria broke
out in the family and four were taker
away within a few days of each other
and the neighbors say the mother never
recovered from the shock. She wa
cheerful to-day, though nervous, per
haps from the recent eXcitemen
through which she has passed. Though
not absolutely positive, she is firml.
convinced that little Minnie Hoffsmitl
is the author of all the persecution sh'
recounted the whole list of wrongs, ant
said that Minnie was the first to dis
cover each one. When the persecution
began notes were found about the hOus
written in an
Almost IIIegible Hand
and signed Johnny Warden" tn
name of hired man whom the De
vauds had discharged some months be
fore. One note reads as follows:
You promise me your horse. l shall g.
green pisne In Their trought.
JOHNNY WARDEN
''Several notes of this character wer
found" said Mrs. Devaud, land nc,
that it is all over | remember that Mil
ME found them all. She also discovere
the mess in the watermelon patch, anC
I'm fact. it was she who discovered all Q
the mischief. She called my attentio
to Mr.. Devaud'S clothes, to all of tn
fires. aud when l ran to my brother
for help she called my husbands after
ton to the burning barn. Then Mimi
has crippled hand, and the imprint G
the hand in the butter is like hers.
Here Mrs. Devaud conducted the CORE
spondent to the cellar to see the butter
There were four thirty-pound tubs G
butter. the tops Of which were coyere
with finger marks and paris green.
some of the tubs the marks seemed t
have been made by crippled hant
but they were far too large for Minnie
fingers. Then Mrs. Devaud Shove