Senior Connections Senior Connections Mar 2019

DEVIL from Pg 8 The events beyond that are a mystery. Not long after these events, a letter to the editor appeared in the Hutchinson Leader. Mrs. C.L. Bartlett of Bertha, MN was skepti- cal, and was inquiring to the facts concerning the events, wanting to know what kind of evidence was available to prove that this was the Devil himself and not some prankster. A week later, a reply to Mrs. Bartlett’s inquiry appeared in the same publication by, of all peo- ple, a local Methodist pastor. Andrus Richardson was born in Chautauqua, NY in 1869. Pastor Richardson moved around a lot, and in 1921, found himself in Hutchinson, MN. Nov. 16 of that year, he wrote a letter to the editor in regards to Mrs. Bartlett’s questioning of the Devil. Interestingly, the pastor seemed to take offense that anyone would not believe the devil appeared. He claimed that only a certain “class of people” went to these dances, and went on to list the events that made these dances so “rough.” He described the scene that night, how the lights became lurid, how the women screamed, and how people left the pavilion stricken with terror; it was almost as if he was there himself. He ended his letter, stating that the hotel is now deserted, and that “danc- ing among that class of people has ceased.” Lastly, he proclaims that many who witnessed the spectacle were conﬁned to bed with hysteria, and that those who are hardest to convince it was a �� hoax were those who were witness to �� the evil dark prince. At times while reading through his �� letter, one could argue that he is say- ing “job well done.” To this day, the Devil at Lake Mar- ion stands as one of the best-known legends in McLeod County. Nearly a century has passed since the event, yet the story remains strong in the minds of all those who’ve heard the tale. Who was it? Was the Devil merely a man in disguise? Was the entire ep- isode just an overreaction to natural phenomena, or was it indeed a guest appearance from Satan himself? Perhaps, time will tell. For now, however, the mystery behind the leg- �� end remains just that, a mystery. DEVIL Located in the friendly river city of Watertown �� Advancing health specialties from allergies to women’s health through our physicians and partnerships. �� hutchhealth.com �� 24 Senior Connections March 2019 �� Senior Connections HJ.COM

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