In April of 1904, Wahpeton had four newspapers, each with its own political slant. At the time, J.A. Rickert was a prominent figure in Richland County. He’d served as County Commissioner, County Treasurer, County Sheriff, and President of the Board of Education. Rickert owned a significant amount of property and was known for his success in both farming and business, including a mercantile store in Lidgerwood.
His home in Wahpeton and the other a modern farmhouse near Lidgerwood were featured in county plat maps and land brochures. His wife and children were well-liked, frequently mentioned in church, school, and community news.
As with many public figures, Rickert occasionally came under fire in the press. One such incident was described as a "peculiar case," when a complaint was filed against him for discharging a firearm within city limits. A warrant was issued, but enforcement was relaxed. Wahpeton’s Chief of Police served the warrant in Lidgerwood, then allowed Rickert to finish planting before asking him to return at his convenience.
Nothing more was reported until late May, when Rickert appeared before the county insanity board. After testimony from over twenty witnesses, he was released. No further action followed.
Seven years earlier, Rickert had retired as sheriff. Gunfire in town wasn’t unusual when he first arrived in Dakota Territory in 1879. In 1896, Rickert was sent to arrest a man named Trimble in Walcott, who had shot and killed Mr. Hagen. Trimble was angry that Hagen had committed his wife and children to the county poorhouse.
The Wahpeton Times reported that the entire town, young and old, chased Trimble with rifles, revolvers, and pitchforks. He was shot by the village blacksmith, but Rickert managed to rescue him from the mob and take him to jail.
Trimble told Rickert he would not have run had he known the sheriff was coming. Though he survived his wound, he tried to take his own life the day before his hearing. He was found dead in his cell on January 22, 1897, one day before trial. He was buried at the county poor farm.
J.A. Rickert died in 1919. His farmhouse was moved next to the Wahpeton family home for the funeral. As of today, both homes still stand on lots once owned by Rickert.
Dakota Datebook by Lise Erdrich
Sources:
- A Peculiar Case. The Wahpeton Globe, May 5, 1904, Page 1
- Hagen's Murderer Caught. The Wahpeton Times, November 5, 1896, Page 1
- WALCOTT MURDER. County Commissioner Hagen Killed at Walcott. An Unprovoked Murder of a County Officer Because of the Performance of an Official Duty -- Killed by Henry Trimble -- The Murderer Escapes. The North Dakota Globe, September 3, 1896, Page 5
- MURDERED! K.G. HAGEN THE VICTIM! Walcott the Scene of a Cold-Blooded Crime Last Tuesday. Henry Trimble a Criminal "without Cause or Provocation." The Richland County Gazette, September 4, 1896, Page 4
- CAPTURED. THE MURDERER OF K.G. HAGEN RETURNS. Henry Trimble Returns to Richland County to Surrender -- Frightened by an Imaginary Mob He Flees and is Captured -- Shot in the Neck. The North Dakota Globe, November 5, 1896, Page 5
- TRIMBLE GETS A HEARING. The Date Fixed for November 19 -- he Will Make a Fight for His Life. The North Dakota Globe, November 12, 1896, Page 5
- THE END OF TRIMBLE. The Richland County Gazette, January 22m 1897, Page 4
- Life History of the Late J.A. Rickert. Was Prominent in Public Affairs, Both in Minnesota and North Dakota. The Independent Press, published in Wahpeton, North Dakota, February 6, 1919, Page 1
