New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-01-30

EARLY Sunday morning there occurred
the death of Ernst Wicherski at his home
in this city. The end had been expected
BY the family for some time, as he has
been hanging weakly to life's thread for
several weeks. Sick for over a year with
a complication of troubles, that seemed
to permit of no recovery, death to him
was virtually release from misery and
pain; and thus in some measure is the
grief of the relatives alleviated. Mr..
Wicherski was born in the Province of
Posen, Prussia, on the 22nd OF October.
81 years ago. In 1855 he came to Amer
lea an9 settled in Chicago where he re-
NAMED until 1861 when he removed to
New Ulm. Returning to Chicago for a
spell, he soon found himself back at New
Ulm, where, rs far back as 1865, he en-
gagged in the boat and shoe business, a
calling he has followed ever since.
About this time he married his first wife
near Nlcollet. She died in 1881 and
two years later he was married again to
his present companion and survivor.
Seven children were born to them and of
those five are still living. MI. Wichers-
XII was man of straightforward con-
duct, and strict and temperate in all his
habits. He lived life of good will
towards all, and as consequence died
without enemies. To do his best, was
his motto and he lived up to it as near
as be- knew how. The funeral Will be
held this afternoon from the residence
under the rites Of the I. O. O. F. of which
he had long been a member. Albert
Steinhause, will deliver the address at
the grave.
Last Satul day an event occur red which
has created no little comment and stir in
this city. This was no less than an at.
tempt to take away the liberty of old
Christian StoH by declaring him insane.
Stoll IS man, peculiar and eccentric in
his way, but the beliefs so strong among
some of his friends that he is perfectly
rational, that they have started stories as
to the motives of certain parties, that
look suspicious. However, as there are
always two sides to every case, the Re-
view will refrain from giving credence
to either until all facts are brought to
light through thorough investigation
The facts, that are apparent, are as fol-
lows: In the morning the sheriff sum-
moned him to the courthouse, where he
| was confronted with petition, signed
by Louis Buenger. asking that Stoll be
committed to the asylum for insane
Drs. Stricken and Fritsche examined
him, without the aid of witnesses, arc
pronounced him insane. In their report
they set forth that he is 81 years old
whereas be claims to be 70; that he is q
Catholic, whereas he says that he has al,
ways been Lutheran; that he was la.
boring under the delusion that people
were prosecuting him, and that he had
attempted to commit suicide and injure
himself physically. NO testimony wa;
! produced tt. substantiate these statements
aside from the physicians, but upor
their decision of insanity he was commit
ted. AS soon as this fact was noisec
about his 'riends interested themselvesir
his behalf, and among them wers Col
Pfaender, H. Rudolph, Geo. Jacobs
| VIM. Pfaender Jr., Jos. A. Eckstein, Jos
GALES. Anton Hartmuth and others
VIM. Pfaender Jr. was the first to appea
before the probate judge and appeal TO
a hearing, but he was soon aided by At
torney Jos. A. Eckstein, and just as tn
poor old fellow was about to be taken t.
the depot, the court ordered that he b
detained. Bonds we're then given b.
Hartmuth, Col. Pfaender and Rudolph
for his safe keeping. and Hartmuth, wit
whom Stoll had been stopping and VIII
was greatly wrought up over the treat
ment accorded the man, took him i
charge. These are the bare facts an
whatever Interior motives may hav
prompted the proceedings remains to b
seen. This much however,, seems rea
sonable, that if the man was insane a
all, and if there was any danger to hin
or his associates from his being at liber
ty, his own friends would have been tn
proper ones to bring in the complaint
and that nothing should have been dom
at least without consulting them. Sis
ter Superior at the hospital where he wa
an inmate for some time, called the at
tention of the physicians early in thu
month to his condition, but declined t.
make a complaint, by which he could b
| brought before the court.
The postmaster, VIM. Brust, has give1
us the following items of interest regard
| ing the business transacted at the Office
during the year just ended.
The receipts from envelopes, stamps
| postal cards and the like were $5,299.71
and from box rent $463.45, making ;
total of $5.7S3.16.
| The total expenses for running the of
flee were $2.264.26, so that the net in
come to the government was $3,628.80
The receipts credited to postal accoun
show net increase over the previou
year of 5000.
The newspapers mailed 20,244 pound
| r L.. IL.