The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-02-18
ENDED LIFE WITH BOMB
Shocking Manner Suicide
Last Evening
WOMAN is THE CAUSE
he Placed Piece of Explosive
Next to Breast; Then
Touched Match

60 70 tne Undertaking parlors of
Harres, kopke & Gordon by w. c.
Gordon: The letter was address
ed to The Free Press:
have killed myself on account
OF woman, who has drove me to
DO this. She wanted me for a hus-
nand last year, but ! couldn't see
1t that way. But when have to
make her become, my wife she
backed out and made a monkey
out Of me. She had me under her
power for a long time, but she
wouldn't be mine. had asked her
twice and she had refused, and !
knew she did like me, but she
would not give in. wish she
said then. | have an awful head
and it is hard and just as good as
it is hard. belong to the Eagles
Aerie No. 269 r. o. e.
Goodbye to ALL"
The envelope containing the let
ter was blood stained, and Mad
been torn nearly in two by the
force of the explosion.
One of Ziesler's hands which
had been missing since last night
was found about ten o'clock this
distance from where the explosion
took place.
Bidding his friends a last farewell,
and stating that yesterday was his
last day on earth, Richard A. Xieglcr.
known as Spot Ziegler'' at six
o'clock last evening committed sui
eide in a most horrible manner by
blowing his body to atoms with a
stick Of dynamite. People hurrying
home to their supper at that hour
h,NE hu u
at the corner of North Front and
Rock streets, near the Enfield store.
Housewives who had set their sup
per tables were frightere" beyond
measure when the dishes on the ia
bles in the nearby houses ratified
from the force of the explosion and
windows shook. People soon rushed
out into the street to ascertain the
cause, and were met by a gruesome
sight of mangled clothing and hu-
man flesh, which was scattered
about in the snow for radius of
over 100 feet. f.. 49,.
Louis Kuebler. one of the North
Front street BARRIERS, it would appear
was the only eye witness to the
shocking deed Mr. Kuebler in a
statement TO The Free Press few
moments later said that he was stand
Ing diaenaily across Front street
AIOAl inc E<uuClu olOIc
a street car, when he saw Mr.. Zieg-
Ter pass the Enfield store coming
from the south and turn into Rock
street in the shadow of the Enfield
store. The man got up close to the
building and leaning his back against
the wall seemed to unbutton his coat
and light what Mr.. Kuebler took to
be a cigar. He saw a sputtering
light and the next instant came the
pieces of the body were thrown into
the air for a great distance and
showered down into the snow &C
companied by pieces of the mans
clothing. The sight Mr.. Kuebler
says, is one that he does not care to
witness again. ...
Acted Queer!y For Some Time.
That the man had been acting
queerly for some time past is evil
denced by the fact that he had made
statements to several of his friends
that he was going to blow himself
to pieces"
Immediately following the suicide,
Mrs. Fred Hanisch living across the
stated to The Free Press that Zieg
Ter had met her on the sidewalk
Wednesday evening and said: II
will shake hands with you, Mrs.
Hanisch. for this is my last day on
earth. I am going to blow myself up.
Goodbye forever
Mrs. Hanisch thought that the man
was joking and paid little attention
to it, s..
Perhaps a half hour before the deed
was committed Ziegler ate his sup
per at the Oleander Cafe, and while
In there spoke in threatening man
ner to Joseph Prosser, a North Front
street barber. who was also sitting
at the lunch counter at the time. Mr..
Prosser says that Ziegelr glared at
him, and said: Il am going to set off
a time bomb" Mr.. Prosser said that
he replied: II guess you won't scare
anybody" +. the time be was eating
his supper he was sober but his eyes
had very wild expression. He left
the Oleander and went toward the
Enfield store, where he had a dispute
with Irving Mahowald and Roy Reed,
with whom he tried to pick fight.
They laughed at him, and said that
they did not want any trouble. Then
Ziegler walked around the corner
mumbling that he was going to blow
himself to pieces. 1t was an instant
later that he put the threat into exc
cution. n -
Would Blow Self to Pieces.
Rudolph Ario, who lives but a Few
doors north of the scene of the sui
eide, met Ziegler on Front street
while on his way home to supper.
He stated to The Free Press that he
was at a loss to understand Ziegler's
actions and language. The man grab
bed Mr.. Ario by the sleeve and said:
81 am every inch a man, and before !
would do anyone any harm would
blow myself to pieces. Goodbye, this
is the last time you will see me-" ~ 2
Ario had scarcely gotten inside the
door at home when he heard the ex-
plosion, which made the house trem-
Bile and the dishes rattle on the sup
per table. El.
Coroner Roy N. Andrews was call
ed and upon his arrival at the scene
of the suicide he ordered the remains
gathered up and taken to the under
taking rooms of Harres, Kopke &
Gordon to be prepared for burial.
Acuuaintances of the deceased
stated last night that the man had
been working at Benson, Mimi, all
summer, where he received some
thing like So per day. They say that
he had plenty Of money, and can as