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SCOUTING YESTERDAY: Children led authorities to fugitive who killed man and blew up powderhouse

This week in South Dakota history: March 14-20

Dan Gehlsen's avatar
Dan Gehlsen
Mar 18, 2025
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William Raymond Nesbit. Photo: Pioneer Press

Schoolchildren James Lewis, 14, and James Radeck, 12, played detective and tipped off St. Paul authorities to the whereabouts of fugitive William Nesbit, 75 years ago this week. An escapee of the South Dakota State Penitentiary at the time, Nesbit was No. 3 on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list.

He was convicted of the 1936 New Year’s Eve powderhouse murder of fellow gangster Floyd Parker and escaped from incarceration in 1946, according to the March 19, 1950, edition of the Argus Leader.

SCOUTING YESTERDAY: Explosives helped stop destructive Lead fire in 1900

SCOUTING YESTERDAY: Explosives helped stop destructive Lead fire in 1900

Dan Gehlsen
·
March 10, 2025
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