“I knew John was a bad boy, but if I or any of my children were sick he would grant me any favor I asked. John had a good heart, I guess it must have slipped out.”

Jennie Richardson’s June 1882 diary describes 16 year old John Trvitiz who lived just north of Perham. Trivitz fancied himself an outlaw who wanted to be like Jesse James. It turned out he got more than he bargained for.

In the spring of 1882 two surveyors working in the Red Eye Valley on the Becker/Otter Tail line, were found shot to death. News of the murders spread quickly. A Perham shopkeeper said that John Trivitz had come in and purchased a new suit and hat with cash.

“Where did you get all that money?” asked the shopkeeper.

Trivitz replied clumsily, “I..uh...I got it from a Dutchman out in the country.”

Suspicion mounted further when Trivitz was seen boarding the train bragging he was going to Montana to be a cowboy.

The evidence was enough for Perham constable Steve Butler to track Trivitz down.

Butler traced Trivitz to Bismarck where the trail grew cold. He almost gave up but decided to take a stage to Glendive. As it reached the Missouri River it had to be driven up an incline to meet the ferry. Butler got out and as he walked around the stage he found himself face to face with Trivitz who was working on the ferry. Butler took him into custody without incident.

When Butler and his prisoner reached Perham, he ushered Trivitz to the city jail. As Butler went home to get some sleep, an armed mob broke into the jail and grabbed Trivitz. As he struggled a noose was put around his neck. Trivitz screamed,

“GIVE ME MY GUN AND I WILL GIVE THEM HELL TO THE FINISH!”

Trivitz was dragged to the railroad tracks, a ladder placed against a telegraph pole. Saloon keeper August Mutschler lit a match under the boy’s nose.

“Smell that you son-of-a-bitch you’ll soon be there!”

The next morning as the train neared Perham passengers witnessed a remarkable site, the hanging body of John Trivitz. The lifeless form was turned toward the cars as passengers rushed to the windows to view the swinging momento of Perham’s frontier justice.