St. Paul daily globe., 1894-09-09
ERMISCH AND WONIGKEIT,
History Of the Fiendish MUIR
der Of William Lindholf
on May 2.
CONFESSION OF WONIGKEIT,
Daring Break for Liberty
Made by Murderer Err
misch.

Gov. Nelson has declined to extend
clemency to Murderers Ermisch and
Wonigkeit, and yesterday he named
Oct. 10 as the date for their execution,
the hanging to take place before the
hour Of sunrise.
These two young desperadoes, wear
ing masks, at about O'clock on the
evening of May 2, entered the saloon of
L. X. Kohlman, at the corner of Wa
basha street and College avenue. COM
manded everybody in the room to throw
up his hands and demanded the cash at
the bar.
William LindhoIf. Kohlman's bar
tender, was on duty; and lie, Mrs.
Kohlman and two or three customers
sitting in chairs. were the only ones in
the saloon.
willie, 1t looks like robbers" said
Mrs. Kohlman. better get your re.
volver."
Lindholf started for the drawer con-
tanning the revolver, and. as he did so,
both the robbers opened fire upon him.
The bartender secured the revolver and
returned the fire, but he was already
fatally wounded, and he shot without
effect.
After the murderers had emptied
their revolvers they ran out of the
saloon, one through the front and the
other the back door, and made their
escape.
Lindholf was taken to the city hos
pital. where he died within two hours
after the shooting.
Soon after the murder Ermisch was
taken sick, and was for some days con.
cealed in bed at tie home of his mother,
Mrs. Schneider. on Blair street. Won-
igkeit renamed in hiding about the city.
BY a Mere Accident
the identity of the murderers came to
light.
The police captured Wonigkeit, and
guarded the Schneider residence until
IL was safe to remove Ermisch to the
city hospital. AT the hospital Ermisch
lay some weeks under careful guard.
At length he was so far recovered that
it was safe to place him i'll the county
Jail.
The trial came off in the district court
before Judge Kerr in the latter part Of
June. ending in conviction OH June 20.
Wonigkeit turned states evidence,
relating without reserve all the details
of the fiendish affair; also what he and
his partner had done from the time they
were let out of the state reformatory up
to the murder. He made the confession
with the evident expectation of escap-
ing the gallows. But County Attorney
Butler through the whole proceeding
had brought him up to the point of con-
fession without holding out to him the
hope of leniency. He was as guilty as
Judge Kerr the merited penalty of
death. the same that was meted out 10
Ermisch.
Only an unwise sentiment could de-
wise any reason why the young men
should not be executed. Though Err
misch was but nineteen and Wonigkeit
less than twenty-one, it was shown to
the court and public that from child
hood they had been criminals. They
were sent to the reformatory for
burglary. and after two years they
came back to st. Paul. armed them
selves with revolvers and amused them
selves on the highways leading to st.
Paul by
Holding Up Farmers
in broad daylight and robbing them of
their watches aud cash. After few
dayS at this snort thew murdered Lind
holt.
After the conviction an effort was
made to induce Gov. Nelson to reprIevs
the young men to life in the peniten-
tiary. Many feared that the governor
would eprevailed upon. in view of the
youth of the culprits. TO grant the re-
prieve. But fortunately the true des-
perate character of the murderers soon
came to light. Ermlsch secured re-
volver through his mother, and at
tempted to carry out the plot for escape
laid between himself and Wonigkeit
through the passing of notes. He shot
and painfully wounded his death watch
and escaped PARKWAY through Jail. 1t
was his intention to corner the death
watch in the end of the corridor on his
cell floor. compel him to give up the
key to Wonigkeit's cell. and then re-
lease his partner in crime. But the
death watch was too quick and foiled
his scheme.
Whatever intentions the governor
may have had in the matter. this daring
break made it impossible for clemency
tO he extended