The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-10-19
ASKS PARDON FOR
Frontier CRIMES
MICHAEL MIEDE SEEKS GLEN.
ENCY AFTER THIRTY-SIX
YEARS IN SALTWATER
OUTRAGES WELL REMEMBERED
COMMITTED IN TODD COUNTY
BROTHER LYNCHED-PRIS- -
ONER CAUGHT HERE

The following article reproduced
from the St. Cloud Journal-Press of
Wednesday evening will be read with
more than passing interest by old res
idents of this region, who can recall
the stirring events described, as we'll
to the younger generations:
The lynching of "Black john
Miede at Long Prairie on a cold
Sunday morning in November 1879,
by 200 citizens Infatuated over a
double murder, is recalled by the
pardon plea of Michael Miede, SEN
fenced to life Imprisonment for the
same crime, which is before the state
pardon board meeting late today. 1t
is one of 80 pending applications for
pardons or combinations.
Michael Hiede, GA years old, and
having served more than SO years, is
the oldest inmate but one in the
state prison at Saltwater. His con-
viction and life sentence followed a
series of crimes in Ward township in
the later seventies.
In the spring of 1879 the Miede
brothers "Black John" and Mike and
Frank Steinhuber and Henry Kol-
way and a 17-year-old girl whom the
latter claimed was his wife, settled
in Ward township. During the late
summer the girl went to the Miede
shack on the prairie and lived with
the brothers. Kolway tried to prevail
upon her to return to him, and ac-
cording to the testimony of neigh
bors, Michael Miede became enraged
and threatened his life.
Early in the fall the shack on the
Miede claim burned to the ground
while the brothers and the girl were
| away on three days hunting trip.
There were reports that Kolway fred
1t and others that the women of the
frontier, shocked at conditions, kim
died the blaze. Michael Miede cred
tied the first theory, it was testified,
and repeated his threats against
Kolway.
Late in October, 1879, neighbors
noticed the Kolway cabin closed and
apparently abandoned, and both KoI-
way and Steinhuber had disappeared.
Foul play was rumored and the
door was broken down and the walls
and furniture were found stained
with blood. "Black John" was ar
rested and a confession was finally
wrung from him.
At four p. m. Sunday, the fol-
lowing day about 200 men with their
faces blackened, broke into the
county Jail at Long Prairie, dragged
forth "Black John" terror stricken,
entreating and cursing, and hanged
him to tree a short distance from
the Jail.
Michael was arrested by a deputy
sheriff at German settlement near
Sank Centre the same night, taken
to Long Prairie and then when the
lynchlng reached the deputy's ears,
was spirited away to st. Cloud for
safe keeping.
That Michael killed Kolway with
a shotgun while "Black John" split
Steinhuber's head with an axe and
then hacked his body beyond recog-
milton was the theory of the prosecu-
ton in which Charles Stuart, then
attorney general and later chief JUS
tlce OF the supreme court, assisted
the Todd county attorney. "Black
John" led the officials to a woods
near the Kolway cabin in which the
bodies of the murdered men were
hidden in the brush and leaves. The
hands and feet of the victims were
tied and pole was found near the
burylng place on which a piece of
wire indicated that the bodies had
been suspended from it by two men
who hid them in the woods.
Michael Miede's case went to the
jury and fresh rumors were current
that a second lynching was being
planned. So insistent were these
reports that the court officials ar
ranged for a secret verdict and the
lime it was to be received and Off
Gals obtained from the supposed
assurances there would
'e no lynching if Meide was found
guilty and given a life sentence. Des-
'lte the secrecy the court room fill
ID the minute the court convened
% receive the verdict and Judge
James M. McKelvy Immediately
passed the life sentence, and Miede
vas hurried through a back door
rom the courthouse into a wagon,
Iriven across country and finally