Newspaper Page Text
u* I BOY SLAYS_SETTLER Minneapolis Youth Deliberately Mur- ders Homesteader Near Mora and Rifles His Pockets. Confesses Crime and Coolly Narrates Details of His Atrocious Deed to County Authorities. Eugene Thomas, the 16-year-old Minneapolis boy arrested for the murder on Sunday, March 17, of R. N. Winters, a homesteader, in his cabin near Mora, and who was taken to Grasston and placed in jail last Friday, has confessed to the com mission of the cold-blooded crime. To county Attorney J. C. King and Sheriff Alman of Kanabec county he told the story of the shooting down of the unarmed homesteader he also gave to them the history of his life, in which he related that he had been a reader of dime novels and from such books had received an impulse to be come a bandit, to go west and to murder and rob in order to accumu late wealth It was not until after photographs of the cabin in which the settler was murdered, with the victim lying on the iioor, had been shown him, that he consented to tell the story of the crime He told how the determination to leave home grew upon him and how he finally purchased two re volvers and left Minneapolis. He had visited with his uncle, near Mora, be fore, and decided to stop at his place before proceeding west. The boy told of a quarrel with his uncle and his wanderings until he ar rived at his victim's cabin on March 17. Then he narrated how he de termined to rob the cabin, how tie entered it and ransacked the trunk, how he heard someone approaching and drew his revolvers. He stated that presently the door opened, a man appeared and he fired that he rifled the homesteader's pockets, left the cabin and made his way to Mora. This, and how he went back home to Minneapolis, was told by the boy without even a break in his voice. He showed no sorrow, no remorse. His story was a calm, connected nar rative. Eugene Thomas, who gave himself jp to the Minneapolis police on Thursday, March 21, after he had learned that the authorities were looking for him, acted upon the ad vice of Rev. Johnson, and M. C. Brady, his attorney, both of whom accompanied him to jail. Circum stantial evidence, including assertions that the lad had previously shown a desire to become an outlaw, was responsible for the verdict of the coroner's jury, which was as follows: 'We find that R. N. Winters came to his death from bullet wounds received from a weapon in the hands of a per son believed to be Eugene Thomas." An autopsy revealed that Winters had been shot in the head three times. The boy, according to the Kanabec authorities, arrived in Mora late on Thursday, March 14, armed with two revolvers He remained at the home of relatives that evening and the next morning, when urged to return home by his uncle, flourished his revolvers and threatened to make use of them if interfered with. He then backed out of the house and proceeded north from Mora along a road passing near the Winters' cabin. He reappeared in Mora the following Sunday, much fatigued, and explained that he had spent the time since Friday in an abandoned shack on his uncle's home stead, eight miles from Wahkon. On Monday he agreed to return home, purchased a ticket to Minneapolis and boarded a tram. Winters was last seen about 10 o'clock on the morning of March 17, when he left the home of a neighbor to walk a mile to his cabin. An hour or more later, according to the findings of the Kanabec county investigators, young Thomas appeared at this neighbor's home, ate dinner and en deavored unsuccessfully to hire a rig to drive to the nearest railroad station. It was later learned that a youth answering his description visited other farm houses along the road and tried to hire a rig. As an indirect result of these visits to farm houses, the investigators brought to hgnt probably the strongest link in the chain of circumstantial evidence that was coiling more and more tight ly about the wayward Minneapolis boy. Upon his arrival at Mora, it was said, he missed one of his mittens. He was positive he had left it in one of the farm houses. He was so certain of this that he left a letter to be mailed to one of the housewives asking that the mitten be forwarded. The mittenor one just like it in every waylater was found in the Winters' cabin near the body of the slain homesteader. The tragedy was not discovered until the following Tuesday. Evi dence indicated that Winters had been shot while standing in the doorway of his home, as he was about to enter, by someone inside the cabin. Officers worked on the theory that the mur derer was ransacking the cabin when the homesteader, returning from a neighbor's home, disturbed him. Yesterday, in district court at Mora, Thomas pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and was sentenced to the reformatory on the indetermi nate plan. County Attorney King of Kanabec county is entitled to credit for the able manner in which he handled this case. Murderers and Burglars Abound Murderers and burglars continue their nefarious work in Minneapolis with impunitythe police appear to be unequal to the task of capturing the criminals. A young woman named Alice Matthews was attacked and murdered late on Saturday night on the side walk within a few feet of her home, 3547 Twentieth avenue S., and, not withstanding the fact that people living across the street notified the police by telephone that a struggle was in progress, the officers failed to discover anything amiss. A police man on a bicycle and another on horseback were sent out at different times, in answer to the calls, but their sphere of investigation did not in clude the place where the murder was committed. They kept half a block away, probably for the reason that the street where the unfortunate girl was struggling on the sidewalk in the throes of death was unlightedthe "brave" officers of the law were ap parently afraid to get out from under the electric light on the corner for fear that they, too, might come in contact with the assassin. While a re ward has been offered for the appre hension and conviction of the murder er, that is but small consolation for the parents who lost their daughter in so tragic a way. Another big burglary was added on Monday to the list committed in Minneapolis within the past few weeks and the prepetrators of which have escaped detection Cracksmen en tered the Miles theater, directly across the street from the Radisson hotel, blew the safe doors off and carried away a collection of elk teeth valued at $3,500, besides cash and stamps. No one heard the explosion although the police are supno.sed to be on the beat continually in the downtown dis trict. If reform is needed in one Minne apolis municipal department more than another it is in the police depart ment, where cowardice and neglect of duty seems to be prevalent. A Woman Scbool Superintendent J. B. Johnson has resigned the superintendency of schools of Isanti county, the resignation to take effect September 3, and the county board has appointed Mrs. Minerva B. Hix son to succeed him. Mrs. Hixson's father, the late Hon. H. F. Barker, was at one time superintendent of schools of Mille Lacs county, and her aunt, the late Mrs. Olive R. Barker, was the first woman county superin tendent of schools the state and filled the position acceptably in this county for 16 successive years. Tak ing into consideration her hereditary environments, together with the fact that she is a college graduate, Mrs. Hixson ought to make a capable su perintendent. Don Throw Your Money Away. If you want to save money go to Wm. Neely's harness shop for every thing you need in the horse furnishing line. All goods guaranteed at this well-known establishment. Don't let people cajole you into believing that a factory-made harness is made by hand. I carry both factory and hand-made harness and will show and explain to you the difference. Don't miss the reduction sale which will begin in my store on Saturday next, March 16, and last two weeks. During that time a discount of 10 per cent will be given on all cash pur chases. Wm. Neely, 13-2tc The Harness Man. Fifteen Injured in Wreck A Soo line passenger train, run ning from Portal, N. D., to Minne apolis, was wrecked three miles east of Belgrade, Minn., at 7:45 o'clock on Tuesday morning and, as a result, 15 persons received injuries. Six of the seven cars which made up the train left the track and were either hurled down a 20-foot embankment or left at right angle on the steep grade. The wreck was caused by a broken rail. K. C. DUNN, Publisher. Terms $1.00 Per Year. PRINCETON, MILLE LACS COUNTY, MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1912. MARCH SETTLEMENT Apportionment of Taxes for County of flille Lacs as Computed by the Auditor and Treasurer. Settlement Aggregates $30,112.75, of Which School Districts of the County Get $12,244.10. The tax apportionment of the March settlement aggregates $30,- 112.75. Of this sum $2,197.60 is ap portioned to the state, $7,009.10 to the county, and $4,865.11 to the town funds. To the village of Princeton is apportioned $1,610.68 and to the vil lage of Milaca $2,008.97, while the school district distribution aggregates $12,244.10 and the farm school tax $174.23. The details of the distribu tion are given below. STATE TAXES Revenue $1465 98 Scbool Total Revenue Road and bridge State loan Special Bonds and Interest 731 62 $2197 60 COUNTY TAXES Revenue $2975 77 Revenue, (re-surveys) $ 136 61 Revenue, (X of penalty inter est and cost) Current School (}A of penalty interest and cost) State Loan (countv) State Loan (ditches) County Poor Road and Bridge Ditch No 1 Ditch No 2 Ditch No 3 Ditch No 4 Ditch No Ditch No 6 Ditch No 7 Ditch NO 8 County Poor Farm Total 387 08 387 08 404 58 72 94 739 44 1152 09 25 82 2 45 2 07 123 30 56 97 8 1H 1 69 9 51 533 57 8 7009 10 VILLAGE TAXES PB1HCETON S789 37 325 77 353 66 63 70 78 18 S 1610 68 MILACA Re\enue Road and bridee btate Loan Special Bonds and interest $943 57 211 45 302 40 5 93 645 62 $ 2008 97 ONAMIA Re\ enue $2 46 S 2 46 FOBESTON Revenue $ 50 $ &5 97 17 33 22 22 4 05 16 70 10 04 28 57 29 95 45 33 25 90 09 39 70 8 30 7 82 14 01 19 22 50 63622 61 TOWN TAXES Road and Del Land Road 33 83 46 42 25 22 57 29 135 98 112 96 54 20 23 18 50 54 35 85 131 52 58 64 34 28 State Rev- Loan enue Bridge 232 87 261 23 71 as 311 67 162 72 453 94 84 66 364 80 209 49 67 57 85 13 447 13 104 32 Bogus Brook $169 98 81 19 Borgholm 64 33 East feide 38 75 26 04 Greenbush 46 38 Hayland 29 66 Isle Harbor 82 42 Kathio 68 30 17 19 Milo 11 99 73 67 Milaca 42 10 53 05 Onamia 52 75 51 56 Page 49 70 39 54 Princeton 84 74 South Harbor 41 33 28 $466 67 683 05 2856 86 849 91 Total township taxes $4865 11 This total includes $32 69 for building tax in town of Bogus Brook and $6 08 for special tax in town of Kathio, and 54 cents bonds and in terest in Milaca township SCHOOL DISTRICT TAXES State Loan $630 97 No of Dist 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 57 One mill $166 20 7 17 21 03 14 40 12 18 6 68 11 26 4 25 9 17 10 31 15 19 5 54 68 65 21 64 7 14 12 12 7 30 24 12 2 20 8 82 5 94 10 57 4 78 3 32 13 32 4 87 11 5o 8 65 A 61 8 43 4 50* 4 20 28 84 21 93 6 09 3 71 3 87 4 74 Special $3156 65 81 02 213 33 311 55 156 87 35/54 166 56 44 47 219 02 129 54 205 19 137 59 2440 19 264 35 32 39 177 67 58 62 209 84 28 30 218 Jl 58 37 92 24 94 97 32 02 127 01 87 53 122 80 140 81 67 65 53 32 9b 64 45 88 263 64 480 68 81 55 92 92 71 26 56 51 19 66 17 56 31 55 5 10 4 87 Building $46 95 2 41 18 65 64 96 17 96 2 51 2 22 Totals $997 75 $591 52 $10389 82 $323 44 Total school district taxes $12 244 10 This total includes bonds and interest in dis trict 13 of $32 38, in district 15 of $4 38 and in 38 of $5 01 Farm school tax district 13 Total settlement $174 23 3112 75 Those Who Have Contributed. Some time ago the Union made an appeal to the real estate men and others interested in the upbuilding of Mille Lacs county for funds to assist in maintaining the bureau at 39 South Third Street, Minneapolis, where the products of the counties affiliated with the Northern Minnesota Development association are on display in charge of the energetic W. R. Mackenzie, and where every effort is being put forth to induce newcomers to settle on northern Minnesota lands. Mille Lacs county was assessed $100 for the maintenance of the bureau. That amount has been raised and for warded to Mr. Mackenzie and his re ceipt for the same has been received by the publisher of the Union, A small additional sum is needed to pay V4,^3SiK Mille Lacs county's membership fees in the Northern Minnesota Develop ment association$10.00 contributed by Mr. W. S. Foster of Milaca, and $7.50 turned over by Archie Taylor as treasurer of the Mille Lacs county branch of the association, is on hand for that purpose. Ten dollars more is needed. The following are the names of the contributors and the amount con* tributed by each: First National Bank, Punceton $10 00 Security State Bapk, Princeton 10 00 Princeton State Bank, Princeton 10 00 McMillan &, Stanley, Princeton 10 00 First National Bank, Milaca 10 00 Osterberg Land Co Milaca 10 00 First State Bank, Onamia 10 00 Soo State Hank Wahkon 10 00 Trask & Gilbert, Minneapolis 10 00 A. E Johnson &, Co Minneapolis 10 00 Total $100 00 Good work is being accomplished by the Minneapolis bureau. There are thousands of acres of good farm ing lands in northern and central Mille Lacs county awaiting settlers, and no county offers better induce ments to settlers than Mille Lacs county. A Brutal Crime in Minneapolis. In a few terse sentences the Minne apolis Tribune graphically depicts a beastly brutal crime perpetrated in that city last Saturday night "With people around to hear her despairing cries for help, but no one ready and willing to render assis tance, Alice Matthews, 21 years old, daug ter of Harry Matthews, 3547 Twen ieth avenue south, gave up her life li te Saturday night in a desperate attem 3t to save herx honor. Her dis- figure 3 and mutilated body was found in the street, less than half a block from her home, by a neighbor at 6 o'clock Sunday morning. "Her lips were swollen from a blow in the mouth, her neck and throat were scratched and torn, her clothing was in tatterseverything bore mute testimony of the terrible struggle she had made against her brutal as sailant, to whom she did not succumb until life was nearly or quite extinct." If the perpetrator of the horrible crime is ever brought to justice, some thing highly improbable, the extreme penajjj, that can be indicted upon him is imprisonment for' life! Hanging would be too easy a death for such a brute to die. Isanti a Dry County Our sister county of Isanti is the first in the state to "go dry." Today no toper can legally slake his thirst with a glass of foaming lager or "something stronger" in that county, for there is not a licensed saloon within its borders. This is a distinc tion enjoyed by no other county in the state. At the recent election the village of Isanti went "wet" by two majority, and it was the only "wet" spot left in the county, as Cambridge and Bra ham had voted to remain "dry" by decisive majorities, and the county commissioners of Isanti county have repeatedlv refused to grant license for the sale of intoxicating liquor. The village council of Isanti, although the license people had two majority at the election, refused to grant a license for the sale of "liquid damnation," as they do not want to make their village the Mecca of all the drunks in the county. The receipts of the Great Northern Express company will be materially increaed in the village of Isanti this year. Norman Perkins Dead Norman Perkins, formerly superin tendent of the tenth district railway mail service with headquarters at St. Paul, died in Washington last week. The people along this branch of the Great Northern have reason to re member Mr. Perkins kindly, for it was owing to his efforts that a mail car service was inaugurated on this line when the passenger train ran between Sandstone and St. Paul. For a time, after the completion of the Cambridge cut-off, we had only a pouch service on this linethere was no mail carour congressman and senators were appealed to in vain, but the publisher of the Union took the matter up with Mr. Perkins and a mail car service was established Cemetery Association meeting: The time is at hand for the election of officers and the consideration of other business of the association, therefore on Thursday, April 4, at 3 p. m., at A. Z. Norton's residence, a meeting will be held for that purpose, and all interested are asked to attend. I am thankful for the kind and liberal support given the association during the past year, but am sorry to say I am not in a position to accept the presidency for the next term, and suggest that someone be selected for that office who has a means of con veyance whereby they can visit the cemetery frequently to supervise the work/ Nettie Jaax, President. TWO COUPLES WED Charles W. Gerth and flmnie Kron- strom Married in Saron Swed- ish Church, Greenbush. Chas. Weeks of Wyanett Takes Unto Himself as Wife Pauline flanke of Princeton Township. Charles W., son of August Gerth, and Minnie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. N. Kronstrom, were married yesterday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock in Saron Swedish Lutheran chureh, Greenbush. Rev. August Lundquist, the pastor, performed the ceremony, which was attended by many relatives and friends of the young people. The church was prettily decorated with potted plants and cut flowers. Miss Serena Bjornstad of Minneapolis played the wedding march. A gown of white silk crepe duchene was worn by the bride and she carried a bouquet of white roses, while the bridesmaids, Misses Mabel Kron strom and Ida May Schmidt, were gowned in white silk mulle and car ried pink carnations. Dan Gerth and Sidney Schmidt attended the groom. A reception at the Kronstrom home followed the ceremony, and a bounte ous wedding feast was partaken of by the many invited guests. Numerous presents, including several sets of silverware and articles in cut glass, were bestowed upon the young people by their friends. Mr. and Mrs. Gerth will make their home with the groom's father. The Union wishes them a life of un interrupted happiness. Weeks-Man ke. Yesterday afternoon, at the home of the bride's mother in the town of Princeton, Miss Pauline Manke was united in wedlock to Charles Weeks of Wyanett. Over 50 guests were present at the nuptial ceremony, which was performed by Rev. Eugene Ahl of the Princeton German Lutheran church. John Weeks and Otto Manke attended the groom and the brides maids were Misses Mabel Weeks and Mary Palk^ _-^ The bride's dress was of blue mes saline silk and she carried white roses. The bridesmaids also wore gowns of a blue material, and carried pink carnations. Following the ceremony a wedding supper was partaken of and the even ing passed in pleasant sociality. Many pretty gifts were bestowed upon the bride and groom, who will shortly go to housekeepping on a farmthe old Carmody placewest of the vil lage. The Union extends its congratula tions. An Excellent Lecture Dr. Jordan's lecture last evening at the Methodist church was one of the best we have ever heard on Napoleon and was delivered in oratorical man ner. He described Napoleon as the master genius of the worldthe little general who led an army across a continent and who gave to France law and order. Dr. Jordan is a lecturer of the highest typehe holds his audience with the grip of his person ality, eloquence and logic. With vivid imagination he led his audience over battlefields and plundered cities, and those who did not hear the doctor missed the opportunity of their lives. The subject of Dr. Jordan's lecture was "A Fallen Meteor," and, in synoptic form, he said: Few lives have interested the student of history like that of Napoleon. A man who in fifteen short years raised himself from the low rank of a sub lieutenant of artillery to the throne of an emperor: holding in his hand the power to crown kings and depose monarchs, to overthrow kingdoms and establish empires: who, for a quarter of a century, met upon the plains of Europe the allied forces of a continent, rose \,o the very zenith of human fame and glory, absorbing the gaze of a world, and then sudden ly fell and went out on the darkness of St. Helena. Alas, he was not a permanent sun, but a meteor, brilliant, flaming, but transient. Born into the opportunities of one of the most stirring periods of human history, he seemed the man for the hour. No nation ever suffered more than did France no nation more ter rible in the awful fury and madness that controlled her, without a head, without a government, without stabil ity, without control everything thrown out into wild disorder and confusion every party, from mon archist to anarchist, tried its hand at government and failed. Danton, Robespierre and Marat, those blood hounds of the revolution, throttled the nation and the people. All seemed "*?j-rbt -*& 1 wtaESOTA VOLUME XX&YI. NO. 14 lost, when suddenly Napoleon seized the reins of government, drove chaos from the throne, restored law and order, called back religion to low altars, extended her empire and cov ered France with the greatest splendor since the days of the Roman empire. He was great, but, alas, he was not good his blind ambition drove him from the patriotic mission to which he was called he trampled upon the im mutable laws of God, and then he fell. Another Minneapolis Assassin. A press dispatch from Brainerd says that Wm. Pearson of Minne apolis has confessed to the murder of George C. Douglas, the Pequot farmer who resided on the shores of Pelican lake that he (Pearson) has written out the grewsome story of how he crawled up the ladder to the room where Douglas was seated at a table and slew him. George C. Douglas was a man of culture. He was at one time dean of the pharmacy department of Iowa uni versity, and later taught an Indian school in South Dakota. Illness made it necessary for him to adopt outdoor life, and he went to Crow Wing county and took up a homestead on Pelican lake, adding to his hold ings in later years by purchasing land from the government. His house was originally designed as a barn, and the lower floor was used as a granary. The upper floor was his room. Millinery Opening Millinery opening at Mrs. Belsem's millinery store Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30. I have the most complete stock of millinery ever shown in Princeton, carefully selected from the largest millinery houses of Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Paul. I also have re-engaged Miss Mabel Stoddard as trimmer. She has just finished one month's study of the latest styles in hats at Strong, Warner & Co.'s, St. Paul, and Blum enfeld, Locher & Brown's, Mil waukee. Bring in your hats and have them fixed over in the latest styles. ltc Mrs. M. A. Belsemr. Death of Mrs Andrew Hall Mrs. AndrewLHall, sister of Thos. H. Caley of Princeton, died on Mon day at her residence in Minneapolis from the effects of cancer, and the funeral was held on Tuesday. She is survived by her husband, and also leaves four sisters and a brother. Her sisters are Mrs. Henry Mallette, Princeton Mrs. Wm. Lyons, Mon rovia, Cal. Mrs. Chas. Burch, Du luth: and Mrs. Stewart, Granite Falls. Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Caley attended the funeral from Princeton, as did also Mrs. Henry Mallette. Albert Nagel Dead. Albert Nagel passed away at his home in Bogus Brook township on Friday, March 22, from the effects of a stroke of apoplexy, aged 57 years. Funeral services were held at the family residence by Rev. Ahl of the Princeton German Lutheran church on Tuesday, March 26, and the inter ment was in Oak Knoll cemetery. De ceased is survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters. Mr. Nagel was a man well liked by all who knew him. 1 Motion Pictures This week's moving picture shows at Brands' opera house will be more attractive than ever. Excellent new films have just arrived and the sub jects, including "Mutt and Jeff," are screamers. You can't afford to miss this week's programtomorrow and Saturday evenings. Moving picture shows will also be given at the opera house on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of next week. Bob Atkinson Holds the Record Fergus Falls town in Otter Tail county boasts of a town clerk who has held the office consecutively for 25 years. The town of Milo in Mille Lacs county has an official who can beat that record. R. N. Atkinson has been clerk of that town for 28 years, is clerk today, and can con tinue to be clerk as long as he cares to serve. High School Minstrels. The high school minstrel entertain ment will be repeated on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 in the opera house. Tickets on sale at Avery's, beginning Friday morning. The admission will be as follows: Reserved seats, 25 cents general admission for both adults and children, 15 cents. All are invited. ImproTlngr the Isanti County Court House The court house at Cambridge is to be veneered with brick, more vault room added and a -steam heating plant installed. All the contemplated improvements are badly needed. When the work of renovation is com pleted the court house will look better I than when it was first built. m% *t &*,- rfat^sSFS -*4*&J