The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-31
|DYNA|MITER6 KILL
sTEUENBERG, LATE
IDAHO GOVERNOR
Assassins Stay Former Ex-
ecutive of Western State
at His Gate.
Man Who Prosecuted Occur
D'Alene Gang Is Muir
dered at Home.
Bomb Fired as Idaho Man
Enters on Way to
Family.
PICTURESQUE Figure of the
Picturesque Figure of the
West Assassinated By
Mysterious Plotters.

Special to The Journal.
~ OISE, Idaho, Dec. 30.-Frank
ID Steuenberg, former governor Of
Idaho and famous thruout the
nation for his RELENTLESS prosecution OF
the notorious Couer D'Alene gang in
1899, met dreadful death this evening
at the hands Of unknown foes.
AS he was entering the front gate Of
his house in the suburb Of Caldwell,
dynamite bomb was exploded, blowing
off both Of his legs and inficting fatal
internal injuries. 9
The distinguished Idahoan died in
twenty minutes.
The crime is one that will rank in
history for it's peculiar fendishness.
Governor Steuenberg, as he was famil-
iarly called, was about to join his fam
lily at supper. His wife and three chill.
dren were awaiting his coming. The
evening meal was spread upon the table.
It was forty minutes past six CLOCK
and quite dark. The country near the
Steuenberg home is not thickly settled,
and the dynamiters, protected by the
darkness, were able to work freely with
out fear Of discovery. =l,~-.
Gate Sprung the Trap.
They rugged up an internal machine
that would respond to the action of
the opening of the gate. The former
governors movements must have been
carefully watched, as the machine bomb
| was connected with the hinged gate
within few minutes Of his appearance.
| AS he opened the gate there was a
terrific explosion and a flash Of light
that could be seen clearly for mile
Illuminated the premises.
| Mr.. Steuenberg was hurled thirty feet
and was picked up nearly lifeless.
Death resulted more from shock than
from loss Of blood.
! The deed was committed in such
short time and the confusion of the
moment was SO great that no one gave
a thought to the perpetrators. Mem
bers of the family, the servants and
neighbors hurried to the stricken man
Physicians were summoned and applied
powerful restoratives, but to no avail.
Dypamiters Escape.
And in the meantime the dynamiters
were making their escape.
/ Immediately it was known that
machine bomb had been the cause Of
the murder, word was sent to the au-
thorities here, and the news was flashed
to all the surrounding cities, towns and
villages. No description of the Grim
inals could be given, but clews are ex-
} pected within a few hours.
! The reason for hoping that ultimately
the guilty ones may be caught is the
general belief that some Of the ex-gov-
ernor's enemies Of the Occur D'Alene
days are involved. ~
Incurred Enndty.
Six years ago Governor Steuneberx
invited serious enmity among the mem
bers Of the so-called inner circle Of the
Couer D. Alene dynamiters. He pur-
sued them ruthlessly, and some were
known to have sworn to obtain re-
venge. But these threats were long
ago forgotten by the former executive
and his friends. They were regarded
as the utterances of men who were
embittered at the moment.
With these facts in mind, Governor
Gooding, who was notified of the muir
der, at once entered into communica-
tion with the authorities Of the county
in which the old ex-Couer D'Alene
gang fourished. He wired the sheriff
and the Pinkerton officials to spread
out their net and arrest suspicious
characters. The governor will an,
nounce a large reward for the cap
ture and conviction of the murderers.
Ex-Governor Frank Steuenberg was
one of the most picturesque figures Of
his state. A native of Iowa, he was
nevertheless typical Of the far west, a
rough, hearty man of the plains and the
: hills. He was never east Of the Mis-
sissippi river until after he had be-
come chief executive of the state Of
Idaho in 1897. He stood seven feet in
:: his stockings, straight as an Indian and
as broad as a heavyweight pugilist.
He was an outspoken advocate OF
!. woman s suffrage, which had been ac-
copied by Idaho. He was also a
staunch supporter of Mormonism, al
!: tho not a member of that faith.
s Governor Steuenberg served two
!. terms, from 1897 to 1901, being the
!: candidate of the democrats and silver
!: republicans Of his state. He proved a
!. good executive, and put down strike
!: riots among the miners with an iron
. hand.