1887 a mansion was built on North Summit Avenue and the house still stands today. This very house would become a crime scene in 1906.  

The owners of the house were Moses Kaufman, a partner in the Sioux Falls Brewery, and his wife Emma. They also had a live-in maid a 16-year-old Hungarian immigrant Agnes Polreis whose family lived in Parkston SD. 

Agnes started work for the Kaufmann’s in February of 1906 and by June 1, she was dead. Agnes’s body was shipped back to Parkston and if they had just buried her that would have been the end of the story, but instead the family opened the casket and when they did, they realized Agnes did not die of natural causes.  

So, who was to blame for the death of the young servant girl? Within days Emma Kaufmann was arrested. After a mob threatened her safety Emma’s trial was moved to Flandreau. 

Several witnesses to Emma’s violent behavior towards Agnes and testimony from prior maids of Emma’s fury helped keep public interest going. And this story is reported in newspapers across the country.  

Emma ends up guilty of battery and only pays a 100 dollar fine. 

The house is now the only witness left of what really happened to Agnes...

Wayne Fanebust’s book, No Justice For Agnes is an amazing resource for the rest of the story.