In 1890, just before Christmas, a triple murder struck the town of Shakopee. On December 17th, 1890, Fred Ahlswede and one of the Griffen sons (James would have been about 13 and Patrick would have been 10), went to do a wellness check on the Spearman family. George Russell, 12-years-old, had missed two Sundays serving at St. Mary’s Church, and had not been in school since December 3rd – he only had missed one-half day of school the previous term. George lived with his grandparents, John and Johanna Spearman, who also had not been seen for several days.
When Fred and the Griffen boy arrived at the Spearman house, roughly at the current area of 8th Ave. between Lewis and Sommerville Streets, they found a nearly famished cow in the barn and five hens dead from starvation. They then moved to the house where Fred peered through an east window and found what appeared to be the deceased body of Mr. Spearman in a chair near the fireplace. Sheriff Weiland was summoned and coroner Alois Hirscher came in from Minneapolis.
Sheriff Weiland entered the home and found Mrs. Spearman upstairs, also deceased, in the southeast corner of the sitting room. Also upstairs in a bedroom, was where they found the grandson, George, deceased. A search of the house revealed a certificate of deposit on the First National Bank of Minneapolis for $2,500 in a pencil box in the bureau drawer and one for Shakopee for $100.
Initial reports noted that whomever murdered this family was likely known to at least Mr. Spearman. Neighbors and friends told the Shakopee papers, “Whoever killed the Spearmans was in the home and there as a friend. When Mr. Spearman lived on his farm in Carver Co., he would not even let his threshing crew sleep in his house.” As such, a theory emerged that Mr. Spearman may have heard a knock at the door and let that person in. He felt comfortable enough to relax near the fireplace. Based on the powder marks found on Mr. Spearman, the coroner determined he was shot at close range by a .38 caliber. Some mending work remained on a table in the sitting room, leaving one theory to be that Mrs. Spearman was working up there when the intruder killed Mr. Spearman. A bullet was also found in the upper part of the door frame to the parlor room, likely being meant for Mrs. Spearman. A bullet grazed Mrs. Spearman’s ear before another ultimately took her life. Finally, it was surmised the suspect needed to ensure no witnesses remained and turned to the bedroom where George was hiding. The final two bullets were found there.
Reports later emerged that C.G. Bowdish, editor of the Shakopee Tribune, heard a gunshot around midnight while returning to his hotel near the bridge downtown from the Wilder house about a block from the Spearman house. He then heard a team/rig going over the bridge at a rapid pace.
Who were the Spearmans
John and Johanna were Irish immigrants who were married in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1846. By the July 1860 census, the Spearmans were in Chanhassen Township farming. They lived on 92 acres right on the western shores of Lake Riley. The census also listed Anne (a 10-year-old daughter), John (8-year-old son), Ellen (5-year-old daughter), Bridget (2-year-old daughter), and 9-month-old twins Mary and Catherine. Ellen was the first child listed as born in Minnesota. The Spearmans were still living on their Chanhassen farm 10 years later. According to that 1870 census, Anne had moved away (although we will talk about her in a moment), and Jennie (born 1864) and William (born 1868).
1880 Plat Map, Chanhassen Township. Spearman property section 24, outlined in blue.
John Spearman Jr. died in 1874 from consumption (tuberculosis). He was 22-years-old. During the 1870 decade, two more children, Peter (1871) and John (1874) are listed with the family. Unfortunately, while they were both on the 1875 census, both were deceased by 1880. A few other names appear in the 1870 and 1875 censuses, however it is unclear whether they were children who were born and did not live long, children whose names were middle names, nieces/nephews, etc. The 1875 census, for example, does not ask for the relationship between people in the household.
John and Johanna Spearman with three of their children - likely Maggie and Peter standing behind them and John Jr. leaning against Johanna. The photo was taken prior to 1880 as Peter and John did not appear in the 1880 census. Photo used with permission by Nathan Slavik.
The family was still living in Chanhassen in 1875 but had moved into Shakopee by the 1880 census and were living at the house nearby Lewis and Spencer Streets and 8th Avenue. Granted, the area looked quite different at this point in time so the exact spot along the block varies from description to description (and the layout of lots in the block as far as legal descriptions go also basically flipped 180-degrees).
Interestingly, they appear in both the Chanhassen Township and the Shakopee City 1880 census, so perhaps they had moved in June of 1880 just as the census was being taken. That census lists John and Johanna, along with twin daughters Catherine and Mary (both working as servants), along with Anna, William, and Margareth (Maggie). This left eight Spearman children at the time of the murders. All but one of the Spearman children lived in Minneapolis, most were married. One daughter, Maggie, was employed as a domestic for the Charles Brooks family and the remaining son, William, was living in Minneapolis - possibly living with his oldest sister Anne. Anne is the mother of George – the Spearman’s grandson. William soon emerged as one of the prime suspects in the case.
1880 Shakopee Census
1880 Chanhassen Census - note the difference in ages, occupations, and names but clearly the same family.
We will continue with the suspects in part 2.