The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-06-16
THE CASE AGAINST LAMPE.
Story of Crime for Which He Was Ar
rested at SanbOrn.

Story of Crime for Which He Was Ar
rested at SanbOrn.
Lake Benton News:
The charge against Lampe is based
on the placing of nine sticks ofdyna-
mite in the alley against the east
side of Hans Lavesson's automobile
shed on the night of Tuesday. May
18th. Wednesday morning, May 10,
a bunch Of kids (about ten years old
discovered an old telescope grip east
of Mr.. Lavesson's auto shed and see
ing that it contained box, which
they couldn't open at the time, left
it until Thursday, when they opened
it. The kids tore the box open and
had dynamite scattered around play
ing with it when one boy happened
to think it might be dynamite and
reported the find to Mr.. Lavesson.
An investigation was Immediately
made and the following was the re-
suit: A box about Is inches long,
II inches wide and 10 inches deep
had been partitioned into two COM
partments. In one was nine sticks
of dynamite (giant powder No. l,
50 proof cut into eighteen pieces,
stacked in layers of fine sand. A
dynamite cap or cartridge was
placed in the dynamite. from which
fuse ran to pile of waste in the
other compartment. In the waste
was set an ordinary white candle.
Air holes had been bored in the box
and a tin shield was put up to hide
the light. The box was placed in an
old telescope grip, which. fortunate
ly was not supplied with air holes to
keep the candle burning. The can
die had been lighted, and judging
from the amount burned and the
smoked box, burned about fifteen
minutes. 1t was evidently intended
that the candle would burn the
waste, set that afire and the burn
ing waste would light the fuse, and
then-nine pounds Of dynamite
would wreck Mr.. Lavesson's automo-
bile, the shed and shatter the win
dow glass for hundreds of feet
around. How the kids ever played
with it as they did without being
bowed into atoms is a wonder that
has caused many a shudder among
our people.
Following the report of the find
ing Of the dynamite internal layout
there was but one name on the lips
of everyone Even the little tots
about town, five and six years old,
spoke the same name in a sort of
awe and terror, as if they were NAM
ing the devil. That name was
"Lampe."
Theodore Lampe came to Lake
Benton practically ION the hog" in
1899 and went to work for Chas.
Greene, in the mill. On October l,
1900, Hans Layesson and Lampe
bought the mill of Greene for $500
$500 cash, balance in $500 semi-an-
nual payments. Lampe was to have
half interest. Lavesson paid So, $50
cash and Lampe $3.50 cash. Future
payments were met principally by
Mr.. Lavesson furnishing ready cash.
Lampe got salary as miller of $50
a month-$30 Of which went to ap-
ply each month on his half interest.
In 1903 Boemmells bought one
third interest for 1888, and the
stock was raised to $4,000. Through
cash, labor and profits, Lampe put
in in all $1,000. From this time
trouble started and finally, when the
farmers in open meeting refused to
have anything to do with the mill
while Lampe was there, in June,
1906, Lampe was voted out of the
management. Then came Lampe's
sensational Verdi cleanup for par
ticulars of which anyone can consult
rrain firp,c he dealt. his lonp series
of vicious, sneering remarks about
the mill owners; the "black-hand"
terror which resulted in a mass
meeting of citizens sending spokes-
man to inform Lampe he was sus-
pected and that his departure or
good behavior was necessary to in
sure his future safety from mob vi
olence; then his Jungle" circulars
and later his brilliant Sanborn sa-