What Became of Mister Mandt?
Recently a visitor to the Society's website sent us this article that appeared in The Richland Center Rustic, Feb. 9, 1889. The article is in response to the shooting of the editor of the Dane County Sun newspaper published out of the Mt. Horeb home and print shop of G.G. Mandt, which was located at the present site of the former Schubert's Restaurant in 1887. Mr. Mandt was a strong supporter of the Temperance movement and at least one of his readers was adamantly opposed to his beliefs. At this time we are not sure what happened to Mr. Mandt, but believe he made a recovery as our records indicate the Sun was incorporated with the Mt. Horeb Progress in 1895 and then became known as the Mt. Horeb Times.
Dane County Tragedy
G.G. Mandt, editor of the Mt. Horeb Sun, who had been waging war against the saloon keepers through the columns of his paper, in consequence of which an attempt was made to assassinate him last night on Wednesday night. He had worked late in the office and about midnight went to his bedroom situated in the rear of the printing office, to retire. When ready to go to bed he heard a knock at the kitchen door. When he opened the door an unknown person shot him, the bullet entering his right side between the fifth and sixth ribs and lodging in the tissues of the right lung. He is alive yet, but the chances of his recovery are slight. Two weeks ago Mr. Mandt received the following threatening letter, and this reply to it is supposed to have been the cause of the brutal attempt on his life:
Mr. Mandt you hev preeched temperance long nough in your damned dirty papers stop it or it may cost your sole look out we meen bizues Jack the Ripper
Space Here
In the next issue of his paper, Mr. Mandt made the following answer:
The liquor element we are glad to note, does not like our temperance “biznes” as one of our anonymous contributors chose to put it. We received, last week, a letter of this kind which is verily worthy of notice. The writer goes on to say we have preached temperance long enough in our “dirty” papers, and we may have to stop it or it may cost our “soul.” We have always tried to send out clean papers but sometimes they are soiled in going through the mails. This man must have been a non-subscriber and found our paper on the saloon table, in which case it would have of course been dirty; it could not be helped. If he would go into a respectable place and pick up our paper, he will, in most cases, find that it is clean. What is most remarkable about this man is his ignorance as to the true nature of temperance work. He says it may cost your “soul.” If we had not seen the oaths in the beginning of his letter, we might have taken him for a man of religion as he seemed concerned about our soul. We can inform a temperance editor stands a greater chance of getting there than
does a drinking sneak and a coward. This appears, that we might get hurt. Well, well! that shows what we can expect from the saloon element. That shows what the licensing of saloons leads to. That shows that it robs men of their manhood and makes sneaks and cowards of ‘em. That shows the true nature of the saloon element. In the name of everything that is good and pure, in the name of justice , and clean out the stink holes we have among us to foster sneaks, cowards, criminals and everything else! Wake up once and take a look at yourselves and behold the mark of inconsistency branded on you.?
Inconsistent as true men and true citizens! Inconsistent as Christians and do-ers of justice! How long shall this be tolerated? How long shall we sit like bumps on a log and do look at this disgraceful method of curse of this description. Let s be men for once in our lives and do our simple duty . We assure you there is no danger of losing your souls. The meanest sons of liquor and all the cowards combined can not touch your soul.
Richland Center Rustic
Feb. 9, 1889