The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-03
B)NRgH 4 PLA|N MAN
ERNOR OF WISCONSIN RISEN
TO PROMINENCE
BY INDUSTRY AND HONESTY
Once Known as One of the Finest
MaItsters in the Country,
Now a Successful
Lawyer.


ernor., Louis Gustave Bohmrich is re-
spected and admired in Kenosha ana
popular over the state. His mind is
free, original and bounding. He is ag-
gressive, plain-spoken, Independent.
Mr.. Bomrich is of South German birth,
and as boy bathed in the Rhine. He
is graduate of the University of Leip-
sic, of good old family, and came to this
country in 1879. He acquired the Eng
lish language at the university and made
a special study of grain. He settled first
in New Jersey, but soon moved to Gin
cinnati. He became superintendent of
malt house and prospered. He married
in Cincinnati Miss Lizzie Knauber, the
daughter of an old and wealthy German
resident of that city. From Cincinnati
he moved to New Jersey as the Eastern
representative of the H. M. Petit Malt
ing Company of Kenosha, and in 1885
moved to Wisconsin and settled in Keno
sha as superintendent of the Petit Malt
works. He has always been regarded as
one of the ablest maltsters in the coun-,
try, and under his superintendent the
Petit company enjoyed great prosperity.
Mr. Bohmrich has always been Demo-
crat and has always taken an active part
in public affairs. He was receiving $4,000
a year from the Petit company, when in
1895 he resigned and entered the law de-
partment of the Lake Forest university.
He took three years course, having
saved enough money in the meantime to
maintain his family in comfort while he
was pursuing his studies. F. c. Culley,
now editor of the Kenosha Gazette, was
the mayor of Kenosha when Bohmrich
graduated in law, and he Immediately
appointed him city attorney. Mr.. Bohm-
rich made an excellent city attorney.
With his usual energy and aggressive
ness he began a contest at once with the
Northwestern railroad over the owner
ship of the streets of Kenosha. The rail-
way company had laid it's tracks on
dozen or more of the streets of the town
and then declined to improve or in any
way care for the streets thus absorbed.
When Bohmrich became city attorney he
took the railroad company into court and
thus inaugurated a contest that is still
in the higher courts, and which has be-
come famous in Wisconsin
A FIGHTING LAWYER.
The first case the new but not over
young lawyer had was what became well
known in Wisconsin as the Bull case.
Mary Ann Whitley, who owned a bull
The animal was of very vicious tempera-
ment, but Mary Ann regarded him high
ly and finally employed one Peter Hauser
to care for him and keep him out of mis-
chief. One day Peter was off his guard,
and the bull caught him and almost gored
him to death. Peter sued the owner of
the bull for $1,000 damages and Bohm-
rich brought the suit. A jury gave Peter
a verdict, which was subsequently upset
in the higher court. A second jury
awarded damages a second time At
last compromise was reached, but
Bohmrich had demonstrated his tenacity
as a fighter and his ability as a Jury
lawyer.
Bohmrich is a strong campaigner He
is a powerful speaker, eloQuently fluent
in English or German. His strong point
is speaking to mixed audiences. When he
takes the stump he is in dead earnest
but he has a strong vein of humor run
ming through his speeches. Two years
ago he was candidate for state senator
in the Kenosha-Racine district and pulle
down the Republican, majority fully 1,5OO.
There is ordinarily a Republican majority
of l,2O0 in Kenosha county, but Repub-
licans admit that Bohmrich will carry the
county in November.
SUPERNATURAL BOOM.
The pressure for Bohmrich's nomina
ton did not come from home. His CHIEF
hacker was former Attorney General
James l.. OConnor. The candidacy was
started on a train on the way to the
Kansas City convention. A number of
the Wisconsin delegates were dining in
private car and, of course, politics was
under discussion. They were considering
the names of men who were available foI,
h Iho1-l n ffri oil
said the time was opportune for the
nomination Of a German, and asked
Bohmrich why he couldn't make the race
Bohmrich thought he was too poor and
not we'll enough known; but neverthe-
less the idea pleased him. From the sug-
gestion made on the train by O'Connor
the candidacy of Bobmrich sprung. He
had made speeches all over the state at
different times and was approved by the
leaders and masses of the party.
Bohmrich is a poor man. He owns a
house in kenosha valued at 81, 0G0 This
is all the property he has. 1t is a plain
two story frame building situated on a
second-rate residence street His furni-
ture is simple and plain and is included
in the valuation of the property. Ills
library is limited, but select
In personal appearance Mr. Bohmrich
has close resemblance to the late Hen
ry w Grady the gifted Georgia orator
and editor Of the Atlanta Constitution
He is forty-f1ve years old. He was born
into and reared in the Catholic church.
but married an Episcopalian He is not
a communicate of any church, but at
times attends services at the Catholic
and Epfscopalian churches. In his poIiti-
cal contests Mr.. Bohmrich has always
had the support Of the Catholics and
Lutherans. He is, however, a thorough
liberal in religion and has warm admirers
among members of all creeds.
IS A HOME MAN.
Mr.. Bohmrich is essentially q home
man. He derives his chief happiness and
pleasure from his family and is never
happy when any member of his family
is absent from the domestic walls Mrs
Bohmrich is kindly, charitable woman
whose chief recreation is doing deeds of
charity She is active in all the work Of
the Episcopal church and is her hus-
bands strongest supporter in all his am
billions. They have three children, girls.
The oldest, Stella, seventeen; the next.
Hilda, fifteen, and the youngest, Lulu
fourteen. The three girls are natives of
Cincinnati.
Mr.. Bohmrich is a member of the order
of Flks and of the Knights of Pythias.
He belongs to the Thousand and One
club and also to the Kenosha Country
club.