The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-18

told him what he had done and asked to
be locked up. Sheriff johnson, who had
known Taper from boyhood, could hard
ly believe the man was telling the truth,
but the news Of the crime spread fast
and was soon confirmed. Taper was
placed under arrest in the county Jail,
where he remained until his last hour.
The motive for the crime was jealousy
and unrequited love. Taper had been
| madly in love with Miss Mixa for long
time but she apparently did not care
particularly for him. There had been a
picnic week before when it is sale that
! the attentions paid to her by other young
| men caused him to make an insulting re-
| mark, which the girl would not forgive
For months previous it was generally
known that Taper was jealous. He did
not want anybody else to speak to her
and he held feeling of e1mity for all
| who did.
His previous character was such that
nobody ever dreamed that his madness
would reach the point it did, and his
outbursts were usually treated with good
| natured unconcern by those to whom
they were directed.
Rosa was a pretty Bohemian girl eight
cen years old, and had been working for
some time helping her widowed mother
and little sister, who lived in Mont
gomery, LIE Sueur county. Her reputa-
working girl, and in the little social af
fairs of the village she was always
favorite.
Taper was born and raised in Carver
county, and there are but few residents
here who are not well acquainted with
| him. Each and every one that knew him
gives him a good character In every re-
| spect. His parents, both early settlers
| in the county, are dead. Taper worked
| on farms around the county as young
man, and for five years was foreman Of
a large farm near Chaska He then took
| up bridge carpentering, which trade he
| followed for nearly five years, working
along the Minneapolis division Of Mime
| apolis & ST. Louis.
| H. G.. Peterson, foreman of the bridge
| crews, was on the train passing through
Chaska yesterday. He knew Taper in
timately, as he had been his boss all the
| time he was engaged in this work In
speaking of him yesterday to T e
G b e representative he said:
Taper was as good a man as 1 ever
| had. During the five years he worked
! under me, 1 always found him to be a
| peaceable and Woodworking man. do
! not recall that at any time he displayed
| any temper or a desire to injure any
| person. and I cannot understand what
! brought him to commit the crime he
did"
The Trial.
The trial lasted four days. There was
no attempt on the part of Tapper's at
torney to clear him of the charge, his
wish being to avoid the death penalty.
| w. c. Odell defended Taper, and Coun-
| ty Attorney P. w. Morrison prosecuted
| the case. Judge Caldwell presided.
1t took two days to impanel the jury,
| there being ffty-six subpoenas issued.
| Mr.. and Mrs.. Leonard were the prin-
| cipal witnesses for the state. When
| Taper was called to the stand he was
calm and indifferent. His testimony was
| brief, as he claimed that the last thing
| he remembered was taking Miss Nixa
| by the shoulder. On Wednesday, Oct. %,
Judge Caldwell pronounced sentence.
| Taper presented the same stoical at
| titude. He has been the same ever since,
! talking little and reading much. About
| a month ago Rev. A. E. Raedke of the
| German Lutheran church. converted him,
and since that time he has been very
| religious.