The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1892-05-12
ordered paid:
TROUBLE IN MELROSE.

The Minneapolis Evening Journal of
Saturday has the following, showing the
two sides of lively war in progress at
Melrose:
A lively skirmish occurred in the village
of Melrose last Thursday night which
has created intense excitement among
the citizens and may end in protracted
law suits. About a week ago John
Hoeschen, of Freeport, bought what is
known there as the Clark mill property,
and which is valued at 100000. The
property was heavily mortgaged by it's
owners, E. Clark & Co., and the redemp-
ton time had passed when the arrange
ments were made with Mr.. Hoeschen for
its transfer. Apparently the transac-
ton had moved along satisfactory to
both parties and possession of the proper
ty was given the new owner on Thurs
dav morning. In the evening he
stationed night watch in the mill and
left for his home, five miles away. Some
time during the night he was notified
that the keys to the mill, which he had
left with the night watch, had been forci-
bly, taken from him and that two men
from the Clark side had taken possession
and had ousted Hoeschens man.
Hoeschen FASTENED to the scene and
found things as stated. He demanded
entrance, which was refused, and after a
few moments deliberaton he forced an
entrance, secured the keys and ousted the
parties, taking absolute and undisputed
possession Of the premises, subject to the
mortgages he had purchased.
Early next morning he and his friends
procured boards, nails and hammers and
proceeded to nail up he doors and Win
dows of the MILL and also the office of
Mr.. Clark In the brick block. This all
transpired during the early hours of
Friday morning. and when the action of
the previous night became known, excite
ment ran high and popular sympathy
was in favor of Hoeschen To say the
village is aglow with excitement is ex-
pressing the feeling in mild manner and
most OF the people await the result with
bated breath and hope for peaceful
settlement.
THE CLARK SIDE.-Some TIN &c or four
years ago there was bitter fight in the
little town of Melrose, Mimi, between
| the Catholic and Protestant elements in
the place. The Catholics, so the Protes-
tants claimed, wanted to have only three
months of school in year or less, Just
enough, in fact, to draw the money the
state apportions and have their children
attend Catholic schools the rest of the
year. The protestants and catholics had
the fight out and the former won, the
school year now being as usual. 1t hap
pened that Edwin Clark who used to live
i'll Minneapolis and who was the editor
OF the first daily newspaper in the city of
Minneapolis, was the head of the protes-
tant movement, His success In the fight
piled up opposition to him, and when he
got into rather Strengthened circumstan-
ces and had to mortgage his -four mill,
some OF his catholic opponents found an
opportunity, so the story goes, to put
on the screws. The mill was mortgaged
and the mortgage died, two of the men,
bers ofthe catholic faction. man named
Haskamp and another named Kraker
receiving the mortgage in assignment,
They in turn sold the mortgage to
friend named Hoeschen, who proceeded
to do what he could to GUST clard. Some
of the other creditors of Mr.. Clark filed
notice of intention to redeem the mort
gage. The matter finally got into the
courts where it is now making it's way
to the supreme bench.
Mr.. Clark is well known in Minneapo-
lis. He is held in the most kindly re-
membrance by the old citizens. He made
large Improvement in his mill short
time ago which necessitated the loan,
covered by the mortgage. The claim is
made by his friends and himself that the
Hoeschen party had no right, moral or
isgai, to effect the entrance they did into
the mill. -e-