At one point, Steinthal had a post office and general store… today, few know where it is…
October 1963, Leo (or Lee) Schweitzer of Steinthal (northeast of Kiel, west of St. Nazianz) shot two coyotes on his property, which were referred to as “brush wolves.” The conservation warden reminded the public that shooting coyotes was okay, but timber wolves were protected.
By 1965, Schweitzer’s barn burned down and he left his farmhouse uncared for. The home became the site of vandalism, teenagers making out and theft – a phonograph, TV, outboard motor, and sausage stuffer were stolen. Windows and front door were broken. That summer, rumors began circulating of a creature in his field that stood 7 feet tall, had long hair and as many as three green eyes. One report said two eyes were in front and one in back. The sheriff had received numerous reports but nothing concrete.
In September 1965, 17-year old Donald Dhein contacted the Manitowoc Herald-Times and related his experience. He said another young man had seen it and was “pretty scared” so he left the area and joined the Navy. Dhein and three friends wanted to see it, so they drove to the Schweitzer farm. Turning around, their car’s headlights caught the creature. Dhein said he was not able to see it very well because it was dark and 60 yards away, but, “It was big and probably some animal. It could have been a wolf or something like that.”
By the end of September 1965, there was discussion in the newspaper if the name should be changed from Steinthal Monster to “the Beast of Steinthal.” A Manitowoc businessman (who wished to remain anonymous) told the press, “I don’t think you could classify it as a monster in the sense that it might frighten or molest people. But I would definitely say there is some strange kind of beast roaming the swamps there. I saw it.”
The businessman continued, explaining he had been bow hunting with his sons. “A small doe deer broke from cover and ran across the meadow and while we were watching her, some kind of animal came from the swamps as if on her trail and crossed the meadow after her. It was bigger than the doe, was running on all fours and had a long coat of shaggy hair. It didn’t run like a deer – it ran more with the easy lope of some kind of dog. We didn’t have the binoculars along so we couldn’t check it closely. But compared to the size of the deer it appeared much too big to be a dog… Strange animal, yes – I believe it is. But monster – decidedly not. I don’t think this animal would attack a man but would try to run and hide like any other wild animal.”
Another day, the reporter went to Adam Franzen’s crossroads tavern at the bottom of the ravine, near the site. Franzen said the bar patrons mostly laugh about it, but sometimes a person will stop in and say they saw it, and they will go out and look. “Then they almost tear the front of the place of trying to get out the front door for a look… Ain’t had a minute’s rest since this thing has started. Don’t even get time to go fishing any more.” One of the bar patrons joked, “If it has eyes in the back of its head, I know who it is – it must be my foreman!”
October 1, 1965: Two teen couples from Kiel were out on a double date which involved both a movie and a trip to Schweitzer farm for a little monster spotting. The couples included John P. Carr (17) and his girlfriend, Vicky Kay Freis (15). Vicky’s brother Jeffrey U. Fries (18) made up the second couple along with his girlfriend, Carol Marie Schneider (15). After seeing the movie, the teens made their way to the farm where they took part in the standard monster “hunting” procedures. They scanned the area, looked for the eye shine, and then made their way back. It is reported that they were only there for around 15 to 20 minutes before leaving. The boys were said to have playfully teased the girls with frightening, albeit made up, stories involving the monster.
During this same time, a man by the name of Gerald J. Krupp (26) was enjoying a beverage at the local tavern mentioned above with his cousin. It is said that Krupp is believed to have had around three to six drinks during the hour-long stay at the tavern, but he was not visibly intoxicated to the bartender upon leaving. Krupp was seen exiting the tavern without his cousin and after getting into his vehicle, was witnessed heading towards the junction of State Highway 32 and County X, the exact same location that the teen couples were heading to after departing from the Schweitzer farm.
As Krupp made his way down the highway around 60 miles per hour, the car driven by Carr was approaching from the opposite direction just as fast. Where Krupp drove alone with nothing but his radio to occupy his time, the teens were enjoying the company of one another and filling the vehicle with laughter and stories about the dreaded monster of Steinthal. Little did they know though, that their fun evening out was about the be the last one that three of them would ever have again.
The vehicle driven by Carr arrived at the junction first and was said to have stopped at the posted stop signs before continuing through. The vehicle driven by Krupp though, it did not come to a stop at the sign but instead hit the vehicle which contained the four teens with enough force that both vehicles ended up flipping over and over again until coming to a rest in a field located to the southwest of the intersection. The very same intersection that was only a short time earlier labeled as hazardous by the county police department and which was being looked into for possible restructuring by the State Highway Commission.
But the inquiry into the intersection was too late, the hazard proved correct and John Carr, Vicky Kay Freis, and Carol Marie Schneider lost their lives at that very spot. Jeffery Fries was critically wounded but ultimately survived. Gerald Krupp was reported to have been in stable condition.
Not long after the crash, which was described as the worst accident in all of Manitowoc County in 1966 which involved the loss of life, nearly all mentions of the Steinthal Monster came to a stop. It was still spoken about quietly among the youth of the surrounding areas, but for the most part, it became associated with the tragedy involving the three teens.
Two other Manitowoc County monsters for readers to look into: the Grey Ghost of Kingsbridge and the Alligator of Clarks Mills
Although I consulted the original Manitowoc newspapers, credit must also be given to “The Pine Barrens Institute” of Janesville, which did a phenomenal write-up on their website.