The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-10-19

scaffold was to be, and where it was
While carpenters were putting up the
framework, the over-curious had TO be
driven back out of the way many times
Ermisch Tried to Escape.
Ermisch parted with his mother about
two weeks ago when she was sentenced
to 80 days in the workhouse for giving
her SON a revolver. She thought he
wanted to kill himself, but he used the
weapon trying to liberate himself and
companion. He succeeded in getting
into the Jail corridor, and then met
with such resistance by the deputies
that his attempted escape failed, but
not until he had dangerously wounded
Deputy Horst, who is still suffering
from badly injured hand. -....
The attempt of Ermisch to escape,
and the shooting of Deputy Horst
created a great sensation, and no doubt
was the means of deciding Governor
Nelson to let the death sentence be ex-
ecuted. Up to that time the date of
hanging had not been fixed and there
was belief that the governor might
RAeAI5 yOulAS AAACA Ala PAASSA ASA AAASs
wonigkeit Repcnted and Cried.
Wonigkeit parted with his mother
Wednesday morning. The woman
could barely push her hands through
the spaces in the cell door, but they
were eagerly caressed by the boy, while
he cried quietly, and said few words
that could not possibly afford the
mother the slightest solace. ...
During his last few days Of life,
Wonigkeit studied Scripture calendar
| and seemed to derive con siderable men,
tai comfort from tracing the proverbs
and promises on the little sheets Of
paper. s.
There was no thought of sleep in the
sheriff's household, which is in the Jail,
nor for any one in the remotest way
connected with the hanging, until the
| law had been obeyed, and the bodies
had been placed in coffins and removed.
Their Crime Was Murder i'm N saloon.
| The crime for which the young men
| were hanged was the murder of Will
lam Lindhoff, a bartender in Kohl
mans saloon, May 2 last, about 1890
/ p. m. Robbery was intended. Mrs.
| Kohlman was in the saloon when the
masked men bounded in, it being her
custom to look after the business while
her husband was absent. When Or
dered to throw up his hands the bar
tender, Lindhoff, was badly frightened,
but Mrs. Kohlman warned him of the
robbers, and urged that he get revol-
yer behind the bar. He started for the
weapon, but was shot and mortally
wounded by one of the highwaymen,
probably Wonigkeit. But before
dying he got the revolver and fred,
wounding Ertnisch, whose wound was
the means of his easy capture in short
time. .. 50. IS.
Both Young and Unsteady.
Ermisch was born in Prussia, and
was 19 years of age last July. He had
lived in st. Paul nine years, working in
cigar factories and at temporary work
in other lines of business. He said the
first crime he committed was stealing q
loaf of bread because he was hungry,
and had no money or friends. Then
followed other small thieving, and
finally the robbery was planned that
resulted in murder and finally the
double hanging. .,......
Wonigkeit was born in Berlin, and
would have been only 10 years of age
Oct. 20, next Friday He worked in a
saloon, box factory, and as a railroad
laborer. There was strife between him
and his stepfather, and he kept away
from. home.