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List of people executed in Minnesota

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This is a list of people executed in Minnesota as both a territory and a state. Between Minnesota's first recorded execution in 1854 (which occurred while it was a territory) and the state's final recorded execution in 1906, there were at least 70 legal executions in Minnesota. All executions in Minnesota were carried out by hanging.

Notably, on December 26, 1862, Minnesota was the site of the largest mass execution in United States history when 38 men, all Dakota men involved in the Dakota War of 1862, were simultaneously executed by hanging on the same gallows in Mankato, Minnesota, after being convicted of various capital crimes including murder, being an accessory to murder, and kidnapping. The hangings were ordered by a military commission and technically overseen by the federal government.{{cite news |date=January 7, 2020 |title=Governor Walz makes historic apology for 1862 mass hanging in Mankato |url=https://ictnews.org/the-press-pool/governor-walz-makes-historic-apology-for-1862-mass-hanging-in-mankato |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108214154/https://ictnews.org/the-press-pool/governor-walz-makes-historic-apology-for-1862-mass-hanging-in-mankato |archive-date=2025-01-08 |access-date=2025-01-08 |work=ICT News |publisher=Indian Country Today}}{{Cite journal |last=Bessler |first=John |date=March 2004 |title=The Botched Hanging of William Williams: How Too Much Rope and Minnesota's Newspapers Brought an End to the Death Penalty in Minnesota |url=https://scholarworks.law.ubalt.edu/all_fac/88/ |journal=University of Baltimore School of Law Journal |via=ScholarWorks}}

Minnesota experienced a 17-year moratorium on executions between 1868 and 1885 due to the passage of a law limiting the application of the death penalty in the state; the law was passed in 1868 and repealed in 1883.

Capital punishment in Minnesota was officially abolished on {{Date|April 22, 1911|MDY}}. No executions have taken place in Minnesota since 1906.{{Cite web |title=Minnesota: History of the Death Penalty |url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/minnesota |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108215825/https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/minnesota |archive-date=2025-01-08 |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=Death Penalty Information Center}}{{Cite web |last=Cartwright |first=R. L. |date=2023-01-30 |title=Execution of William Williams |url=https://www.mnopedia.org/event/execution-william-williams |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108235854/https://www.mnopedia.org/event/execution-william-williams |archive-date=2025-01-08 |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=MNopedia}}

Information is sourced from the Espy Files unless otherwise specified.{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Executions |url=http://users.bestweb.net/~rg/execution/MINNESOTA.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801002222/http://users.bestweb.net/~rg/execution/MINNESOTA.htm |archive-date=2009-08-01 |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=Before the Needles}}

The list does not contain extrajudicial executions, murders, or lynchings.

{{Dynamic list|multiple=no}}

All executions in Minnesota, 1854–1906

class="wikitable sortable"

! scope="col" |{{Abbr|No.|Number}}

! scope="col" |Name

! scope="col" |Race

! scope="col" |Age

! scope="col" |Sex

! data-sort-type="date" scope="col" |Date of Execution

! scope="col" |County

! scope="col" |Crime(s)

!{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

scope="row" |1

|Uhazy (or Yuhagu)

|Native American

| -

|M

|{{Date|December 29, 1854|MDY}}

|Morrison

|Murder

|

2

|{{sortname|Ann|Bilansky|nolink=|link=Peter Alston}}

|White

|34

|F

|{{Date|March 23, 1860|MDY}}

|Waseca

|Murder of her husband

|

3

|{{sortname|Henry|Kriegler|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|March 1, 1861|MDY}}

|Ramsey

|Murder

|

4

|Ti hdo' ni ca

|Native American

| -

|M

| rowspan="39" |{{Date|December 26, 1862|MDY}}

| rowspan="39" |Blue Earth

| rowspan="39" |Murder, accessory to murder, or kidnapping related to involvement in the Dakota War of 1862

| rowspan="39" |{{Cite web |title=The Trials & Hanging |url=https://www.usdakotawar.org/history/aftermath/trials-hanging |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109092845/https://www.usdakotawar.org/history/aftermath/trials-hanging |archive-date=2025-01-09 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The US-Dakota War of 1862}}

scope="row" |5

|Hda Inyan Ka

|Native American

| -

|M

6

|Ptan Du ta

|Native American

| -

|M

7

|Mahpi'ya A i'na zin

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |8

|Hin han'sunko yag mani

|Native American

| -

|M

9

|Maza Bo mdu

|Native American

| -

|M

10

|Wa hpe Duta

|Native American

| -

|M

11

|Wa hi' hna

|Native American

| -

|M

12

|Sna Mani

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |13

|Oyate' A ku

|Native American

| -

|M

14

|{{sortname|Do|wan' s'a|nolink=1}}

|Native American

|

|M

15

|He pan

|Native American

| -

|M

16

|Sun'ka ska

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |17

|{{sortname|Am-da-cha||nolink=1}}

|Native American

| -

|M

18

|Tunkan' I ca'hda mani

|Native American

| -

|M

19

|I te' Duta

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |20

|He pi'da

|Native American

| -

|M

21

|{{sortname|Maȟpiya Akan|Nažiŋ|nolink=1}}

|Native American

| -

|M

22

|{{sortname|Henry|Milford|nolink=1}}

|Native American

| -

|M

23

|Chaska (Dakota: Wičháhpi Waštédaŋpi)

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |24

|{{sortname|Baptiste|Campbell|nolink=1}}

|Native American

| -

|M

25

|Tate' Kaga

|Native American

| -

|M

26

|He In'Kpa

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |27

|{{sortname|Hypolite|Ange|nolink=1}}

|Native American

| -

|M

28

|Na pe'sni

|Native American

| -

|M

29

|Wakan Tanka

|Native American

| -

|M

30

|Tunkan' Ko yag Ina'zin

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |31

|Maka'ta I na'zin

|Native American

| -

|M

32

|Maza Kute' mani

|Native American

| -

|M

33

|Tate' Hdi da

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |34

|Wasicuƞ

|Native American

| -

|M

35

|A i caga

|Native American

| -

|M

36

|Ho i'tan in ku

|Native American

| -

|M

37

|Ce tan' Hunka'

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |38

|Can Ka hda

|Native American

| -

|M

39

|Hda' hin hde

|Native American

| -

|M

40

|Oyate Ta Wa

|Native American

| -

|M

scope="row" |41

|Mahu we hi

|Native American

| -

|M

42

|Wa Kin' yan na

|Native American

| -

|M

43

|John Campbell

|Multiracial

| -

|

|{{Date|May 3, 1865|MDY}}

|Blue Earth

|Murder of Andrew Jewitt

|{{Cite journal |last=Bessler |first=John D. |date=1996 |title=The "Midnight Assassination Law" and Minnesota's Anti-Death Penalty Movement, 1849–1911 |url=http://open.mitchellhamline.edu/wmlr/vol22/iss2/15 |journal=William Mitchell Law Review |volume=22 |issue=2 |pages=577–730}}

44

|{{sortname|Medicine|Bottle|nolink=1}}

|Native American

| -

|M

| rowspan="2" |{{Date|November 11, 1865|MDY}}

| rowspan="2" |Hennepin

| rowspan="2" |Murder, accessory to murder, or kidnapping related to involvement in the Dakota War of 1862

| rowspan="2" |

45

|{{sortname|Shakopee|III|nolink=}}

|Native American

|54

|M

scope="row" |46

|{{sortname|Andreas|Roesch|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Mar 6, 1868|MDY}}

|Nicollet

|Murder

|

47

|{{sortname|John|Waisenen|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Aug 28, 1885|MDY}}

|St. Louis

|Robbery and murder

|

48

|{{sortname|Nels Olsom|Holong|nolink=1}}

|White

|30

|M

|{{Date|Apr 13, 1888|MDY}}

|Otter Tail

|Rape, murder, and mutilation of a young woman

|

scope="row" |49

|{{sortname|John|Lee|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Feb 15, 1889|MDY}}

|Douglas

|Murder

|

50

|{{sortname|Timothy|Barrett|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

| rowspan="2" |{{Date|Mar 22, 1889|MDY}}

| rowspan="2" |Hennepin

| rowspan="2" |Robbery and murder

| rowspan="2" |

51

|{{sortname|Peter|Barrett|nolink=1}}

|White

|17

|M

52

|{{sortname|Albert|Bulow|nolink=1}}

|White

|28

|M

|{{Date|Jul 19, 1889|MDY}}

|Morrison

|Robbery and murder

|

scope="row" |53

|{{sortname|Thomas|Brown|nolink=1}}

|White

|24

|M

|{{Date|Sep 20, 1889|MDY}}

|Clay

|Murder

|

54

|{{sortname|William|Brooker|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Jun 27, 1890|MDY}}

|Pine

|Murder

|

55

|{{sortname|William|Rose|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Jan 17, 1891|MDY}}

|Redwood

|Murder

|

scope="row" |56

|{{sortname|Adelbert|Goheen|nolink=1}}

|White

|20

|M

|{{Date|Jan 23, 1891|MDY}}

|Otter Tail

|Murder

|

57

|{{sortname|Charles|Ermisch|nolink=1}}

|White

|19

|M

|{{Date|Jan 19, 1894|MDY}}

|Ramsey

|Robbery and murder

|

58

|{{sortname|Otto|Wonigkeit|nolink=1}}

|White

|19

|M

|{{Date|Jan 19, 1894|MDY}}

|Ramsey

|Robbery and murder

|

59

|{{sortname|Harry T.|Hayward|nolink=}}

|White

|29

|M

|{{Date|Dec 11, 1895|MDY}}

|Chisago

|Murder of Katherine "Kitty" Ging

|

scope="row" |60

|{{sortname|John|Pryde|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Jul 23, 1896|MDY}}

|Hennepin

|Robbery and murder

|

61

|{{sortname|George|Kelly|nolink=1}}

|White

|32

|M

|{{Date|March 23, 1897|MDY}}

|Crow Wing

|Murder of Dr. Foster{{Efn|Kelly also confessed to the murders of Edward Paul and Jacob Hayes, which took place in Wyoming. He was executed for the Minnesota-based murder of Dr. Foster.}}

|{{Cite news |date=1897-03-23 |title=Stern Justice Dealt Out to Murderer George Kelly. Hanged at Center City Shortly After Midnight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saint-paul-globe-news-23-mar-1897-ge/26735630/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108224223/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saint-paul-globe-news-23-mar-1897-ge/26735630/ |archive-date=2025-01-08 |access-date=2025-01-08 |work=The Saint Paul Globe |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}

62

|{{sortname|John|Moshik|nolink=1}}

|White

|25

|M

|{{Date|Mar 18, 1898|MDY}}

|Hennepin

|Robbery and murder

|

63

|{{sortname|Joseph|Ott|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Oct 20, 1898|MDY}}

|Yellow Medicine

|Murder

|

scope="row" |64

|{{sortname|Franz|Wallert|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Mar 29, 1901|MDY}}

|Sibley

|Murder

|

65

|{{sortname|Andrew|Tapper|nolink=1}}

|White

|35

|M

|{{Date|Feb 18, 1902|MDY}}

|Carver

|Murder

|

66

|{{sortname|Charles|Henderson|nolink=1}}

|Black

| -

|M

|{{Date|Mar 6, 1903|MDY}}

|St. Louis

|Murder

|

67

|{{sortname|Ole|Oleson|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Mar 20, 1903|MDY}}

|Aitkin

|Murder

|

scope="row" |68

|{{sortname|William|Chounard|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Aug 30, 1904|MDY}}

|St. Louis

|Murder

|

69

|{{sortname|Claud|Crawford|nolink=1}}

|White

| -

|M

|{{Date|Dec 5, 1905|MDY}}

|Aitkin

|Robbery and murder

|

70

|{{sortname|William|Williams|nolink=|link=William Williams (murderer)}}

|White

|27

|M

|{{Date|Feb 13, 1906|MDY}}

|Ramsey

|Murder of John Keller and Keller's mother Mary

|

See also

Notes

References

{{Reflist}}

Minnesota

*

Executed

Executed