The old building's most infamous use was in 1903, as the site of the last legal hanging in the State of Minnesota.  Capital punishment was outlawed in the state in 1911.  Charles E. L. Henderson was hanged in Judge Cant's court room for killing his mistress Ida McCormick on the night of June 21, 1902.  The attending sheriff at the trial and hanging was Sheriff W.W. Butchart.    (also see Sheriff Walter B. Butchart for additional information.)

ST. LOUIS COUNTY JAIL
Date of erection:	1890
Material:	Brick and steel
Cost:	64,250
No. of cells:	39
Prisoners to a cell:	1
Capacity of Jail:	39
L’gst No. one time:	78
Avg’e No. prisoners:	28.8
Cells for women:	2

“The St. Louis county jail is a thoroughly satisfactory building in all respects. The general plan of the jail proper is practically the same as those of Otter Tail, Olmstead and Goodhue counties.  It is in every way a satisfactory jail, admitting of the separation of prisoners and affording separate provision for prisoners of different classes.  A view of this jail will be found in the frontispiece, and the plan of the jail is given in connection with the description of the St. Louis county jail.”    

     Source: excerpt from the Fourth Biennial Report – State Board of Corrections and Charities – dated October 31, 1890

“In 1888, the lowest rate per prisoner was in St. Louis county - $241, and the highest in Faribault county - $1,296.”  (The expense per prisoner included board and washing; fuel; and jailers’ salaries.) 

     Source: excerpt from the Fourth Biennial Report – State Board of Corrections and Charities – dated October 31, 1890 

Cost of Maintaining Prisoners in County Jails of Minnesota for the year 1888,  Excluding Expenditures for Repairs, Interest on Plant and Sheriff’s Fees		Cost of Maintaining Prisoners in County Jails of Minnesota for the year 1889,  Excluding Expenditures for Repairs, Interest on Plant and Sheriff’s Fees
Average No. of Prisoners:	26.6	Average No. of Prisoners:	28.8
Boarding prisoners:	5,545	Boarding prisoners:	6,010
Jailer’s salary:	720	Jailer’s salary:	960
Estimated cost of heating jail:	150	Estimated cost of heating jail:	238
Washing:	0	Washing:	121
Total:	6,415	Total:	7,329
Yearly cost per prisoner:	$241	Yearly cost per prisoner:	$254
Weekly cost per prisoner:	$4.60	Weekly cost per prisoner:	$4.87

    “St. Louis County.- The jail has been a public nuisance.  The jail had only eight cells, while the number of prisoners was sometimes over sixty.  The ventilation was poor and the prisoners’ discomfort amount to hardship and deplorable moral contamination and inevitable under such circumstances.  A large number of city prisoners were kept in the jail.  These prisoners were infested with vermin and it was impossible to keep them clean.  The result was that the county prisoners shared their miseries.

    The new jail has 32 cells for men, each 6 x 7 feet.  The general plan of the jail resembles that of the jails of Otter Tail, Goodhue and Olmsted counties, which have proved thoroughly satisfactory on trial.  The cells are set back to back, with a middle corridor, 6 feet wide.  The front of each cell is composed of open lattice work.

    The cell-fronts, floors and ceilings are of iron and steel.  The first and second floors are entirely separate.  On the second floor above the sheriff’s office are three excellent cells for women, with a bath room, and there is a bath room on each tier of men’s cells.  The sheriff’s residence is convenient and commodious, having on the first floor office, kitchen, dining room and parlor; and on the second floor four chambers and three cells for women.

    The sheriff and the board of commissioners, after consultation with the secretary of this board, concurred in the opinion that the jail should be kept on the separate plan and an excellent code of rules was prepared by the sheriff and adopted by the board of county commissioners.

    St. Louis county is to be congratulated upon the excellent workmanship and the admirable arrangement of this jail.  If the jail is administered in strict accordance with the rules which have been adopted, it will be one of the best jails in the United States.” 

     Source: excerpt from the Fourth Biennial Report – State Board of Corrections and Charities – dated October 31, 1890 

CHAPTER 446.
(H.F. No. 425.)

AN ACT TO FIX THE COMPENSATION OF THE SHERIFF OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY FOR BOARDING PRISONERS CONFINED IN THE COMMON JAIL OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota:

     SECTION 1.   That the sheriff of St. Louis county shall be allowed the sum of three dollars and fifty cents ($3.50) per week for boarding prisoners confined in the common jail of said county, which said sum shall include the washing for said prisoners while so  confined; and said sheriff shall receive no other compensation, directly or indirectly, for boarding prisoners required by law to be received by him in said jail.

     SEC. 2.   All acts or parts of acts conflicting with this act are hereby repealed.

     SEC. 3.   This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
     Approved March 16, 1891.

     Source: Special Laws of the State of Minnesota, Passed During the Twenty-Seventh Session of the State Legislature, Commencing January Eighth, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety-One.

Interior County Jail Photo: Northeast Minnesota Historical Center	Interior County Jail - 1907 Photo: Northeast Minnesota Historical Center	Sheriff Meining Residence and County Jail 1918 Photo: NEMHC S3127b1f4 - Northeast Minnesota Historical Center

 

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