St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-18
MINNEAPOLIS.
INTERNAL MACHINES.
Two OF Them Constructed by
st. BOnifaciuS Insane
Man.
One of Them Set Off and Broth
er of the Lunatic
Shot.

st. Bonifacius, the center OF pros
Derous German settlement to the west
of Lake Minnetonka, in Hennepln
bounty, has been in state of anxiety
for the past few days because OF the
presence in their midst of supposed in
fernal machines. Tuesday morning
Sheriff Eye received tine following tele-
gram;
ST. BoN1FAc1Us, Minn.-To the Sheriff OF
Gennepin County: Come at once to inyestl-
gate two internal machines found mere.
ALSO strange disappearance OF man.
HEGERTE d GoTHMANN.
A deputy sheriff was dispatched and
found the situation as reported III the
telegram. The story possesses all the
picturesque and in congruOus features
of a FeniaA conspiracy or nlhlllSt
plot, but differs from them in that the
perpetrator was an insane person
iaboring under the haluclnation that
everybody IN general, and the Masons
IN particular, were trying to poison his
food.
This character is John Sitter, who
has had a room in the village and done
his own cooking. He has considerable
property, which, it is said, he made III
California. His father, brother and Sis
ter also live in st. Bonifacius and are
well-tu do people The brother said it
had been known for some time that
Sitter ought to be in an asylum, but. as
is generally the case, it was regarded as
4 distasteful thing to do, and had not
been done.
About month ago John Sitter left
his horse and buggy at a farm house,
and said he was going to Excelsior to
get tooth pulled. That is the last
ever heard Of him. His brother said be
must have had $1.500 with him, as he
had more than that owing him, and
collected all but about 500 of it.
The disappearance is mysterious
one, and the'fact of his having SO much
money lends color to the suspicion that
he has been tOully dealt with. On the
door of the room he had occupied was
the following notice:
forbid any one to enter this room without
due process of law, JOHN STIFLER
AS time went on and nothing was
heard of the man except the whera-
bouts of his horse and buggy, the owner
of the room got impatient and on Mon
day had the brother come and assist III
forcing an entrance. In the center of
the room was SuSplciouS-lOoking box
about three feet square. On opening tia
revolver went off and inflicted bad flesh
wound in the leg of the brother of the
man who had devised the machine.
There were two cooked 36-caliber re-
VOlvers ingeniouSly arranged inside.
There were also articles of food i'll the
box. In the corner stood another device
placarded with a notice warning the
stranger Of harm if he undertook to open
it; this consisted of two boxes,
perhaps two and half feet
square, placed one above the other.
When the upper one was opened several
stones rolled out weighing about
Seventy-fve pounds each, and some
Vitrol spilled on the coat Of the investi-
gator and burned its way to the skin.
AT this point the investigation ceased,
and deputy sheriff was sent for. lie
cautiously but fearleSsly took the ma
chine to pieces. 1t was found to
be most fngeniousiy devised, and
was nearly as intricate, with its
multitude of strings and cog wheels, as
q watch. In the bottom was discovered
chest containing simply flour, which,
with al ingenuity peculiar TO the in
sane, had been thus effectively pro-
tected from being dOped by any sup
posed pOiSOner. The insanity of the ar
rankement is manifest i'll that while the
front of the chest was bolted and Sc
cured with lock most difficult to pick,
the back hinges were simply leather,
which could be easily cut with knife.
There were also plenty of bottleScon-
tanning medicine in the room. The
brother, who was very deeply affected
by the sad turn Of affairs. will be in
Minneapolis today and ask the court to
make him guardian to look after
what property remains. The departed
left several very curious wills, none of
which are signed by witnesses. He
leaves a block of land to the state Of
Washington and all his personal effects
to the state of Minnesota, both for the
benefit Of the public schools. The de-
parted was said to be we'll educated
and intelligent.