HANGING THE CHRISTMAS TREE

I am reflecting today about letters written by Caroline Krueger at Christmas time from her farm home near Withee, Wisc., during the 1920's, to her sons in prison.  She mentioned more than once about how they hung the tree, upside down I presume.  I wondered about this...

Letter from Caroline to Leslie at Waupun, Box C, Wis., Inspected Dec. 31, 1921

... Well we fixed up a xmas tree just a little one and hung it up.  L. [Louis] said if I can only see it even if there isn't very much on it, it shows more like xmas and their is more remembrance of the past too, so he hung it up near the east book case...

I've learned it was a German tradition to do just that, hang the Christmas tree upside down.  Other nationalities may have done so also.  The tree, hung in this way, represented the trinity.  

How many others in the Midwest did the same?  Was Caroline most likely following her own family traditions and not wanting to waiver from them.  That's what I'm guessing, just as her convictions were strong she was most likely strong with keeping up family traditions too.

Merry Christmas to all of you and a great New Year, no matter which way you stand up your tree!  Let's hope 2014 is a wonderful year but also reflect on the great things about the year that has just passed and be thankful for those as well no matter how small they might have been for some.  It's not always about the future, it's also about the past.  Peace to all!

The Krueger Home on Christmas Day 2013

CHRISTMAS LETTER

From Leslie Krueger, at prison in Waupun, Wisc., to Caroline Krueger at Longwood Township, Clark Co, Wisc.

(I've walked back in time one year from my original plan with this letter.  Here Leslie writes in his usual child-like style,  a letter home to his mother.  There is no envelope with this letter, but Leslie did pencil the date on the top left hand corner and in the middle at the top he wrote, "Xmas".  I've added some punctuation to make the words more readable.)

Dec 25, 1922

 Xmas

Dear Mother

Your letter from last week received, am glad to hear that you are well, am well yet.  

It is raining and thawing here.  Have you got another colt to harness up and brake in to work, where did you get him.  

Have a lay off today, next week we will have another .  I guess you can send fruit on that day, it is a hollow day, if you get it here on time.  I bought a dollars worth.   

Well winter will soon be over, about three months yet.   Hope that we will be out by that time.  It has been over nine months ago that he heard the case, have not heard that he has done anything yet.  There are others that have had their cases up after we did and they are out already, sentenced for a long time too.  

Well today we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, he came to save the world and to fullfil the law and the profit, if it was not for him the world would have been lost.  He is the prince of life everlasting, he is today traveling through this world the same as he did when he was seen on earth, only man can not see him now like that time.  Was to church this morning, the chaplain had preaching, they call him chaplin here, not preacher.  

They say a few went out this month, one had a life sentence, he had his sentence cut to 25 years before he was here over thirteen years.  Last week another one of the foremen in the twine plant died awful sudden.  

Well don't know much more to write so will close, maybe think of some more to write before they collect the letters.  Last week one of the motors got hot, it threw a streak of fire of all colors, green, red, blue, it looked like some of the fireworks you see out side.  L. K.  

Have you another colt besides Dixie, where did you get him.  I thought Jensen was killed there by Vaters house on the road.

Gun Deer Season in Wisconsin - 1923

A LETTER FROM 90 YEARS AGO (Letter #3)

This weekend, rural Wisconsin is a busy place.  It is the opening of the gun whitetail deer season.  Highways are filled with hunters commuting to their hunting cabins and deer stands; dashboards are decorated with blaze orange caps.  Along with a recent train trip to visit her boys in prison, Caroline Krueger also mentioned the gun dear season in the following letter I have transcribed.  There have been so many changes for safety's sake since then, and they have paid off.  

Let this be a look back into rural Wisconsin in 1923, a small history lesson, a little spotlight into the past.  Maybe we can learn something from it all...  Maybe not.  

But remember... this is real, not fiction, an actual person's penciled thoughts... a letter from a mother to her son in prison.



To Leslie Krueger, Waupun Wis. Box C

Inspected Nov 22, 1923

From Withee Wis  11/21/23

Dear Leslie, 

Your letter received today but not Frank's    Well I see you have asked me some questions.  No I did not go to Green Bay, I felt as if I shouldn't and I read in the paper that the place I always stop at, Fred's sister, they lost their youngest child 5 years old with Dyptharea so that accounts for me not feeling as if I should go their.   I left their at 12:30 o'clock , got to Fondulac about 1:30, the bus, he took me to the Calumet Hotel and that is only a little ways to the Soo Depot so I got the 2:28 train and was here [home] at 8 in the evening so wasn't gone quite 23 hours.  

Got a letter from the Lawy[er] it wasn't just as I liked it but he said he would know for sure by the end of this week. Something happened that he didn't intend or should have come that way, so I don't know, no doubt he will be here one of these days.

I see the first Wild Geese and ducks fly south today, it is very cold too... Not many deer are killed, only 3 went by here [Caroline watched the highway in front of her house and could see hunter's deer on their vehicles as they passed.] but an offul lot of people were killed , three this hunting season, the day I come home one was killed near Colby and another near Medford, 13 deaths before hunting season opened.  

You can get candy now too I see.  You have a very good warden, I talked with him a few minutes.  Well perhaps next week I can tell you more about this affair, at any rate it is started and it has to go on now if not this time then the next.  

Well hope this finds you well, I remain your Mother, Mrs. Krueger

(I'm not sure what Caroline was referring to when she said there were 13 deaths before the season opened.  I'm hoping those were not from folks siting in their rifles, etc.  We have come a long way in regards to teaching hunter safety.)

Clark County, Wisconsin whitetails - (author's photo)

"The Wisconsin Krueger Family Tragedy - 16 Years of Letters From Prison" 

published by Big Earth Publishing/ Trail Press - author Kay Scholtz  

(Letters posted in my blog are from the Krueger family letter collection.

Some of the transcriptions found here are not in my book, especially if they are not as detailed about the Krueger tragedy itself, but are more of day to day living 

at the Krueger family farm and community.)

A LETTER FROM 90 YEARS AGO (Letter #2)

A LETTER FROM 90 YEARS AGO (Letter #2)

I'm a bit slow at posting but here is a transcription of a second letter.  This one is from Caroline Krueger to her son Leslie from 90 years ago. 

As stated in my last post, let this be a look back into rural Wisconsin in 1923, a small history lesson, a little spotlight into the past.  Maybe we can learn something from it all...  Maybe not.

But remember... this is real, not fiction, an actual person's penciled thoughts... a letter from a mother to her son in prison.

Treat Caroline's words and thoughts with TLC... 



To Leslie Krueger Waupun Wis. Box C

Inspected Nov 2, 1923

Withee Wis  Oc. 31, 1923

Dear Leslie,  
Must write again but do not know what, it has been very cold for Oc.   I do not know when I seen such a cold spell and so long if ever in Oc. but this evening it is warmer.  We had quite a snow storm Sunday morning  the ground was all covered... but it was all gone by 10 oclock.  Well we had to take out our pump and put a new leather in but it was done just before this bad weather set in.   It wouldn't throw any water any more, no L. [Louis] is glad its done.   Our neighbor south on our side helped to take it out and L. and I put it back in again with the tools he got or they let him have out of the hardware store in Withee, and yesterday we ground feed but them burrs are so worn out that it didn't work fast at all.    Our north neighbor had and used it so much and we had an extra set of burr's with the machine and L. asked him where they were.    He answered they must be around here somewhere but that is all we get out of him.  Well there are auctions nearly every day and still everything is run up so high, the people really don't know what they are doing   Cows are run up to $125. a piece and this cold weather is going to make a long winter to feed, it froze the grass too much.  I was in hopes that I would get a letter but didn't but the party was here last week,  its coming good.  Will soon see you, so you don't see each other any more.  You and F. [Frank].  Well will close for this time.  
[more at the top of the letter on the first page]
The teacher sent us an invitation to the Pie social Friday evening, we are well.  Hope you are to.  
From your Mother, Mrs. Krueger

(The "leather" in the pump is a round piece of leather that attaches to a mechanism at the end of the sucker rod.  The leather ring wears out, dries, rots, or cracks with time and needs to be replaced. - Bits of wisdom from my better half-)

The Krueger home, Oct. 26. 2013

A LETTER FROM "THIS WEEK" 90 YEARS AGO (The First Letter)

With support on this idea from friends of my book's Wisconsin Krueger Family Tragedy facebook page I have decided to transcribe a letter written by Caroline Krueger from "this week" 90 years ago.  

I will not alter the text unless necessary to make the words understandable.  Caroline, (those of you who have read my book will know), did not have the best grammar.  Ha, neither do I!  Caroline did speak with feeling and conviction, and "told it like it was".  

At present, my goal is to transcribe two letters a month, from the corresponding month, for one year.  The letters transcribed will not necessarily be letters found in my book.  I'll try to choose those that have historical interest.

Let this be a look back into rural Wisconsin in 1923, a small history lesson, a little spotlight into the past.  Maybe we can learn something from it all...  Maybe not.

But remember... this is real, not a novel, not fiction, an actual person's pen in hand.  Treat Caroline's words and thoughts with TLC... 



To Leslie Krueger Waupun Wis. Box C

Inspected Oct 19, 1923

From Withee Wis  10/17-1923

Dear Leslie,  Well no doubt you think what in the world is the matter with her that she don't write, well I had to go away and did not come back for 3 days so I thought I would write like today.  I went to get the vases home from the cem.[cemetery] and there were 9 new graves, Dr. Williams died 2 weeks ago today  he was in the insane Asy[lum]  then he got better  they got him home and shortly died after that.  Doped him up and sent him home.  Well I would like to tell you many things but think best not to, that is, where I was and what is being done-- but don't be so discouraged you will be out--- you wrote in your letter [I] paid tax 20 years, I paid 41 years and the last 3 years were very heavy tax years... at least to raise it on this place as it now stands with nothing, nothing no where on the place and no money either, you wrote that this had to come up on a certain time, no their is not certain time in this case, yes, what that political outfit wants is the Dollar and so far they got it but it's changing now the other way, what are them steel tanks for that you wrote about.   Well the papers stated that their are new Officers at the prison again, is that so, I do not know what to do about going to see you... I would like to but to make 2 trips I don't like to do that either, costs to[o] much money  3 1/2 cents a mile, but I would like to tell you some things that would make you feel good and happy well hope you are well as this leaves us   I remain your Mother Mrs. Krueger

PRESERVING THE HANDWRITTEN LETTER

Lately my goal is to stress the importance of the disappearing handwritten letter.  If you are lucky to have old handwritten letters from family - save them.  When you have a spare moment take time to write a letter to distant family or friends.

Teach your grandchildren to write letters.  My mother told me when I was young, "The mailman won't bring you a letter if you don't put one in the mailbox." 

The written words we pen preserve a bit of our history, our character, emotions, or sometimes simple thoughts that may later be forgotten.  A letter is a small piece of our heart.  How special is that! 

My life has changed greatly since an ovarian cancer diagnosis one year ago.  I've learned to appreciate - every day, every full moon, every handwritten letter or card I receive, and every dragonfly that swoops my way.   ~ Kay Scholtz

Letters from the Krueger Family

Introducing my book...

The Wisconsin Krueger Family Tragedy begins near the end of World War I in west central Wisconsin when a farm family finds their home surrounded and shot up by a small group of lawmen, and a large group of neighbors "posse".  The Krueger brothers trouble began because they were evading the draft and refusing to fight a war in a foreign country.  They took a stance and ended up with much more punishment than they bargained for.

Two Krueger brothers were given a life sentence in prison for a crime I feel they didn't commit after a posse member was shot and killed on the road fronting the Krueger home that day.  Another brother disappeared...  his fate uncertain.

Frank Krueger, eldest brother, dubbed the whole event a "patriotic frenzy".  His German ancestry in a mostly Danish community, at a time when being German was something to shy away from, along with strong religious convictions, jealousy, and his teetotaling ways, aided the fire's fuel.

Caroline Krueger, matriarch of the Krueger family, stood her ground and "held the fort" with undying efforts to gain freedom for her sons and bring them home to the farm and life they loved and lost.

Letters exchanged between Mrs. Krueger and her sons, Frank and Leslie, in prison and insane asylums for nearly 16 years, give the Krueger family a chance to tell their story nearly 100 years after the day of the horrid encounter on their home farm in Longwood Township, Clark County, Wisconsin.