Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-11-16
of the inner cell door. then kicked the
bucket from under his feet.

of the inner cell door. then kicked the
bucket from under his feet.
Upon searching the cell occupied by
Messmann, large quantity Of matches
were found with the heads chewed off,
evidently with the intention of commit
ting suicide. An attempt had also been
made by Messmann to sever the sash cord
from the little window of his cell by rub
bling it against the sharp corner of the
window stop. 1t is supposed that he
wished to use the sash cord to hang HIM
self with. Under the mattress of the
prisoners bed a large quantity of bread
and potatoes were found hidden. Mess
mann partook of very little food during
his confinement
Sheriff Muth had refused TO allow
Messmann's sister-in-law to see him last
Thursday. This made him very morose.
Friday evening the sheriff had an inter-
view with the prisoner and remarked TO
him that the story of his whereab bouts on
the night of the murder was badly
tangled up and did not agree with that of
his brother and sister-in-law. and said
Ernst who did you kill first, the old
man or his Wife?' Messmann at first pre-
tended not to understand. but finally
broke down and said, Il guess it's all up
with me-" He then told the sheriff the
following particulars of the crime:
Il stopped with John Bahls and wife
on Friday night. Saturday night at 6
o'clock [ asked John Bahls to show me
out to the stable, as ! wished to go to
bed. The old man walked about six feet
ahead OF me. When we got to the stable
| saw an Ak, which | took and struck
him on the head. He fell over back
wards and ] finished him. l then went
to the house and told Mrs. Bahls that |
wanted a private conversation with her
in the next room. Upon entering the
room [ picked up a large cobblestone,
which was used to keep the door open,
and struck her on the head with it until
she was dead. | then hurriedly searched
the house for money, prylng open the
bureau drawers, but found nothing. By
this time a political procession was com
ing il the direction of the house and the
street was crowded with people.
Fearing that / would be discovered, [
discontinued my search for money and
ran out of the house, through the garden,
and took the main road to my brothers
place in Two Greeks, about eight miles
distant, where | arrived at about 9
o'clock and crawIed through a window
into the house unobserved. / went to
bed in one of my nephews' bedrooms.
had gone to a dance. The boys did not
get home until $50 in the morning.
Messmann was 56 years old, though he
did not look it. He was born in Ger
many and came to this country thirty
three years ago. His wife and two chill
dren died at sea. He was looked upon
as q bad character and worked from
place to place among the farmers of the
northern part of this county. He had
known the murdered couple for fourteen
years and worked for them at various
times before they sold their farm about
seven years ago.
A prominetn resident of Mishicott. who
rfxyr- i
$50 leading men of the village had made
all arrangements to take Messmann from
the county jail on the 21st and lynch him.
providing evidence establishing his guilt
was introduced III the municipal court.
Sheriff Muth had received information to
this effect and had warned the prisoner
of his suspicion, telling him that the
Mishicott people did not know in which
cell he was confined and that under no cir
cumstances must he respond 20 his name
If called by anyone else than the jailor or
himself 1t is supposed that the fear of
being lynched drove him to suicide.