The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-05-25
HE LAYS DOWN TIE PEN
Has Had an Active and Exciting
Career; Carries Bullet in Arm;
How II Happened.
From Mondays Daily.


devotes considerable space to the life
work of Daniel Fichthorn, who has Just
disposed of his interest in The st. Pc
ter Tribune. Mr.. Duane says of The
pioneer journalist.
Daniel Fichthorn, the veteran editor
of The ST. Peter Tribune, and one Of
the oldest newspaper men i'll Minneso
ta is to retire from the work in which
he has been engaged for more than fiji
ty years. He has sold his interest il
the paper to Leonard n. PETERSON of st
Paul, and, at the age of seventy years
viii la rs. his pen.
Mr. Fichthorn has had long and in
tevesting career. Ee was born neal
Lewiston, Pa, in 1886, and when six
teen years old was apprenticed to Will
lam Mckay, then publishing the Lewis
ton Democrat. and one OF the leaders
than year later Mckay died, and, re-
lease from his obligation as an APP
prentice, young FichthOrn went to Al
toona, Pa, and helped start The Trib-
une, the first paper published at the
foot of the Allegheny mountains. The
publication is still in existence, as are
all of the papers with which Mr.. Fitch
thorn has ever been connected.
Going to Lafayette, Ind, in 1854, he
secured situation on The Morning
Journal. Lafayette was then city OF
10000 or $4,000 inhabitants, but its pa
pers had no power presses, and The
Journals edition was printed on a hand
press.
In the spring of 1885, Mr.. Fichthorn
removed to Delphi, Ind, and took charge
of The Delphi journal, a paper which be
published for fourteen years. Some of
the best years of his life were spent in
Delphi and a Colts revolver bullet
which he carries in his left arm serves
as a memento of the town. Mr.. Fich
thorn received his wound i'm an encoun
ter with Bernard b. Daley, young
Irish lawyer and a. noted orator, and
the anecdote surrounding it illustrates
the dangers which were risked by the
wartime editor At the opening of the
war Daley helped recruit a company
and was elected lieutenant, going to
the front with his regiment. After the
battle of New Orleans he was compell-
ed to resign from the army, and when
he returned to Delphi he became one OF
the leaders of the "copperhead' faction.
His actions were peculiarly distasteful
to Fichthorn and after n particularly
fiery outburst ON the part of Daley, the
young editor, in an article in The Jour
nal, branded him as traitor. A few
hours after the paper was mailed the
two men met on the street and Fitch
thorn received the bullet he will carry
to his grave.
Shortly. after this episode, Fichthorn
enlisted in Company ID, One Hundred
and Fftv-fourth Indian infantry, but as
soon as he was discharged he returned
to newspaper work. and in 1869 located
at Waverly. Iowa. For two years he
published The Republican and then
bought The Independent, continuing as
its publisher until 1888, when he went
to Minneapolis to engage in business. In
1890. with j. A. Loehl. hS purchased The
st. Peter Tribune, having the editorial
of the paper until its sale
to Mr.. PETERSON yesterday.
Although Mr.. Fichthorn has been a
lifelong republican and great party
worker. he but twice has been rewarded
with office. For five years he was post
master at Waverly, also serving as a
member of the council in the Iowa
town. and in 1901 was appointed post
master at st. Peter His commission
was received through the efforts of Con-
gresham McCleary, but a successor was
appointed when Nicollet county was
transferred to the Third congressional
district and c. r. Davis was elected
In disposing of The Tribune, Mr.. Fich-
thorn has done so with the idea of retir
ing from active life. He will sell his
other property in this city and 60 to
Illinois to make his home with his
daughter.