Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, May 27, 1911, Page 1

— SEES BURNED BONES OF FRIEND INDREAM Einer Ersbo’s Vision Causes Search- ers to Locate the Charred Rem- nants of Neste’s Body. WIDOW DENIES POISON REPORTS Declares Carlton’s Were On Good Terms With “0ld Man” But Ad- mits Disappearance. TWO THEORIES CONSIDERED One is That Quarrel Ended in Mur- der and That Confession Will Soon Clear Mystery. Now comes a man who vision had a of the murder of Peter O. Neste—not Nesbit—and it was this supernatural power which caused persons to go to the identical spot Where the bones of the 72-year-old Norwegian, for whose murder his daughter and son-in-law, Lloyd Carlton, are being held, were found. The day prior to the finding of the foot and the bones, Einer Ersbo, an aged friend of Neste, told several people in this vicinity that he had a realistic dream in which Neste had appeared to him and told him Neste had been killed and that the bones would be found in a brush pile a short distance northwest of the Neste home, The finding of the bones and the foot at the exact point described in the dream directions has increased Ersbo’s prior reputation of having a strangé foresight of matters, re- vealed to him in dreams. No sus- picion attaches to Ersbo resulting from the dream, as Ersbo and Neste were close ‘friends of many yemi' standing. 1 Visit to Murder Farm, A visit to the Neste farm and a searching investigation of every part of the clearing, at the northeast end of which was found the bones and the foot, reveals a series of highly interesting incidents. The only occupant of the Neste home is his widow, 58 years old, who, harrassed by fear and worried by the arrest of her daughter is on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Closely questioned, and often ask- ed to repeat many of her answers, so as to make certain that her version of the affair was correctly obtained, Mrs. Neste, through an interpreter, told almost the same story as did Lloyd Carlton, when arrested, with his wife. Widow Tells Her Story. Mrs. Neste asserts that on the day her husband disappeared, she went to Cass Lake, leaving Neste at home with Carlton and his wife, her daughter. She returned home in the evening, according to her story, and the Carltons told FRer that Neste had taken some money which Mrs. Neste had in the house and also a sum from the Carltons and had left the house about noon failing to return, and Mrs. Carlton had had a few cross words with her father, who Mrs. Neste insists was al- ways irritable about the house. Mrs. Neste stoutly denied that she ever said that the Carltons told her, on her return from Cass Lake, that Carlton and Neste had a quar- rel and that her husband had- left the house in a rage after taking what money was there, declaring that he would never come back and for them to take the farm. Breaks Down at Brush Pile. Mrs. Neste, with tear stained face, asserted that Neste and Carlton had always “got along nicely” and that she also liked Carlton, until a rela- tive came to the house, sometime after the disappearance of Neste and stated that folks were saying that “Carlton killed the old man.” Mrs. Neste sobbed violently when she acompanied the party of three yesterday to the spot where the bones were found. She pointed mutely to the small fragments of charred bones that still remained on the ground and located the exact spot where the foot was discovered. Tragic Spot Edsily Seen. . The telltale bones which threaten- ed to send the young Carltons to prison for life had been found strewn about although there were iwo points where the brush had been burned, and where the bones were more numerous. The spots were plainly in view of the house, and so situated that no one could have been VOLUME 9. NUMBER 25. _| schorched, indicating that piling anytMing on the fire without being in sight of anyone in the residence. The small brush adjacent to ‘the eshes of the fires was barely “neither of the brush fires were big blazes fair proof that the bones were burn- ed before being placed in the brush lying under a rotted log. The foot had evidently been hacked off. The bottom was barely scorched and the top had been burned but little, and the dismembered piece of flesh had undoubtedly been poked under the log. “Plant is Indicated.” No portion of the vertebra, the skull or the hip bones could be found in the bones picked up, and a careful search of every portion of the premises failed to reveal any- thing further in the way of por- tions of a human body. A visit to the homes of the neigh- bors revealed the fact that most of the residents adjacent to the Neste home feet that Neste would have liked Carlton better had he been able to talk Norwegian, Neste being unable to converse freely in Eng- lish. Reports that Neste had circulated reports that there was poison in the house and that he was fearful that Carlton would give him poison were denied by all the neighbors, Two Theories of the Crime. One theory of the crime is that Neste was ugly at timés and has been known to use an ax or a gun in his arguments; and that he probab- 1y got angry the day of his disap- pearance, armed himself with an ax or the gun, and that Carlton killed him, in self-défense; and that Mrs. Neste has knowledge of this and will sooner of later break down and con- fess. Others, and they are in the majority, believe Mrs. Neste knows nothing of what happened to her husband; and that he was Kkilled, cremated and the bones scattered in the brush heap. The preliminary hearing of thef Carltons will be held at Park Rapids next Wednesday. Attorney E. E. McDonald of Bemidji will apepar for the Carltons, who are in jail at Park Rapids. County ~ Attorney Wooly, of Park Rapids,: Awlu, have chuge of the prolsuution. _-‘« SUMMER COLONY ACTIVE New Cottages Being Erected, at “Riverside,” Bemidji’s Pictur- esque Settlement. DOCKS PROVIDED FOR BOAT MEN Entranced with the beauties of the Mississippl river, a short dis- tance below the outlet of Lake Be- midji, a summer colony has settled at Riverside, Bemidji’s most pictur- esque suburb. A group of cottages now built or under construction are owned and named as follows: Willard Matthews, “Twin Oaks;” D. D. Miller, “Rellim Lodge;” T. J. Miller, “The Homestead;” Harry Masten, and Archi Orni, “The Devil Sticks.” Mr. and Mrs. Orni are residents of New York City and they purchased from the T. J. Miller Company, this week, three lots and have let the contract for a log cottage at once. They also have given the Miller com- pany a contract to build -two more cottages, all three to be finished this summer. Harry Masten, leader of the Bemidji band, sometime ago, bought the E. N. French lot and has carpenters at work on his cottage which is to be a neat frame struc- ture. Willard Matthews of Martinsville, Indiana, pioneer resident of River- side, has just completed a $300 porch on his cottage which is screened in. Gorman and Bell, who bought at Riverside, last year, will arrive soon and begin the erection of a cottage. Arrangements have been made to clean up and grub out the streets of Riverside, this summer. Charles Carnes, who lives at Riverside per- manently, will furnish ‘supplies to residents there. He has 20 acres under cultivation and is clearing up the fronts of his land. His place is known as “The Farm.” T. J. Miller and family will move into The Homestead, next week, and Mrs. J. P. Ensch and daughter, moth- er and sister of Mrs. D.D. Miller, will arrive to spend a month at “Rellim Lodge.” W. L. Matthews is here and Mrs. Matthews is’expected about the first of June.to spend the summer at “Twin Oaks,” Harry Masten has built a dock and T. J. Miller will construct one between “The Home- stead” and “Rellim Lodge.” Thid will be at the service of all boat owners. - T; rned, a3 were CONEY ISLAND FIRE; & $3,000,000 DAMAGES Dreamland and Four Adjoining Blocks Completely Wiped Out “Early This Morning. LION JUMPS AT SPECTATORS Causes Fright and is Pursued By Mounted Policeman Who Shoots the Beast. 200 BUILDINGS ARE IN RUINS Merry-go-Round, Chutes,” Scenic Railways and Other Amusement Devices Are Destroyed. neer - Special -Wire Service:.)—In"a fire which started at an early hour this morning, Coney Island, “ the world’s greatest amusement ~ park, suffered a loss estimated at 53 000, 000. Dreamland, the largest of the amusement parks, was wiped m_xt. Tinseled Structures Burn. Four Blocks adjoining Dreamland, occupied by booths, residents, res- taurants, hotels, - moving picture theatres and resorts of various types were destroyed. Thousands of employes, actors and actresses swarmed out into the streets of the fairy city. Trained wild animals added to the din with howls and roars and baying. Lion Jumped at Spectators, One of the largest lions broke from its bonds and leaped into a throng of spectators. It was pur- sued and shot by a mounted police~ man. Mpre than 200 buildings - were also elaborately constructéll merry-go-rounds, shoot the chutes, scenic railways, ferris wheels and other amusement de- vices. 2,000 Are Without Homes, Two thousand persons were turn- ed out in the street, their temporary homes being destroyed. The fire was the worst in the his- tory of Coney Island. It is not definitely known how it started, but defective electric wires are blamed. Sunday Services in Bemidji. ” Sunday school will be held at 10 o’clock. There will be no preach- ing as the pastor will be at Black- duck, Morning worship at 11. Bible class and Sunday school 12:15. Young People’s Prayer meeting at 7. ‘We will join in the union service in the city hall at 8. Sabbath school 12:16. Young People’s meeting at 7:00 p. m. Mid- week prayer meeting Thursday even- ing at the church, There will be service in the morn- ing at 10:30; Sunday school at 12. Evening service at 8. Services in the Masonic Temple. At 10:45 Memrial services, sub- ject: “The Enlistment Eternal.” At 8 p. m., baccalaureate service in the City Opera House. In the morning the male quartette will sing, “Under the Flag,” by Adams and “They’ll Never March Again,” by Lorenz. Sunday school 12. Epworth 7. Topic, “The Proof of Faith,” Miss Mae Jones, leader.' 54 ? New York, May 27.— (Daily Pio- | chireh; will deliver* In Two Hours’ Time the Downfall of | - Water and Hail Amounts to, G i Between the hours of 4:30 and 6:30 p. m. yesterdhy Cess Lake and vicinity was delugpd with rain and hail, the precipita lu"n amounting to four and one-half uchu, the down- fall being.a veritable cloudburst. ; Some windows were-broken by the hail and minor damage - done to growing plants, but the total des- truction from the hall_ was not large. S A traveling man who came to Be- midjl today' told of & marrow escape which he ‘and two fompanions and | two boys in charge of ' launch had on Cass Lake. The boat is -the property-of a Cass Lake mill' man, and was in charge.of the owner's HE 2eh% fThe party was og:a fishing trip ‘and-were out in deep water when the storm struck. One of the party was s0 frightened that he:fell to-his knees and began to pray. - The launch rode -out the and all were safely landed. T0 PREACH T0 GRADUATES = Rey. Flesher to Deliver Baccalaureate Sermon to High S{:}aool Class at Union Service Tomorrow. storm SPECIAL MUSIC IS .PROVIDED At the City Hall tomerrow night & union church service will be held at which time Kev. Charles H. Flesh- er, pastor of the First: Methodist (be baccalureate|* sermon to the High “School’ gradu- ating class. Rev. Flesher’s subject will be, “A Man’s Debt to the Future.” A quartet will sing, “The Lord is My Shepherd” and “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me.” The class will attend the services in a body, as will also the members of the Board of Education. The hall will be decoroted for the event. “CROPS FINE,” SAYS S00 MAN Geneml:Manager Huntington, Here In Special Car ,is Optimistic. After an extensive tour -of the Soo’s lines in the Northwest, General Manager G. R. Huntington who was in Bemidji today in his car on his way to Duluth, declares the crop conditions in this' part of the state are ideal, although toward St. Paul a little. more rain is needed. “The fields are showing up in shape,’”. said Mr. Huntington “and it looks to e like a bumper.” Aside from admitting that all roads in Minnesota were to restore the three cent rate after July 1, Mr. Hunting- ton had nothing to say as to the in- creased cost of traveling. Fall Kills Mrs. Miller’s Father. As the result of a fall at 8 o’clock last evening, J. J. Ensch, father of Mrs. D. D. Miller of Bemidji, died at midnight in Chicago. Mrs. Miller leaves tonight for Chicago. FRIDAY NIGHT. RECECATIVA/IE DA™ Viggo Peter‘son, Chairman County Board, in Petition to Governor, Accuses Beltrami Official of Systematic Swindle and Disgraceful Conduct in Office. INSTANT - SUSPENSION, PENI)ING PUBLIC INVESTIGATION, ALSO DEMANDED Charging a willful attempt to swindle the county and with & “uni- formly disgraceful and bad” management of the Beltrami jail, .Viggo Peterson, chairman of . the]|. Board or County Commissioners, has petitioned Governor Eberhart to re-| move .Alvin B. Hazen from the of- fice of sheriff, Following the recital- of a long list of charges sworn to and sub- stantiated by at least five affida- -vits, Mr. iBeterson, after demanding the Investigation necessary to legal~ ly and permanently remove the splendid sheriff, makes the additional re- quest that, pending such investi- gation, Mr.. Hazen be at once sus- - pended. Charges Practice of Corruption. Mr. Peterson charges that during his entire tenure of office Sheriff Hazen has continuously, systemat- cally, willfully and corruptly prac- ticed methods constituting gross malfeasance and nonfeasance in of- fice and that he has corruptly ob- tained large sums of money from the connty for which no services have been rendered. That Sheriff Hazen “willfully, knowingly and corruptly” made and verified claims and presented the same to the Board of Commissioners which claims were not ‘true and that the management of the jall has been illegal and that lax and insecure manner of handling prisoners has been a menace to the law and ordep of the community. i Hazen has repeatedly falled and neglected to make personal service of subpoenas upon grand and petit jurors but that instead has mailed such subpoenas to jurymen, directly contrary to law, and has thereafter presented duly verified claims for al- lowance in which full mileage has been charged as if a personal ser- vice had been made. Accompanying the petition were included Exhibits A, B, C, D and E, each ‘exhibit being an afidavit from men receiving the mailed subpoenas. These men reside at Puposky and Tenstrike, three are from the last term of court, one for the September term of 1910 and one, the Febru ary term of 1910. Habitally Careless and Negligent, Continuing its merciless arraingn- ment, the petition charges -that Sheriff Hazen has been. habitually careless and negligent in keeping prisoners and has granted them pri- vileges unwarranted by law: that Le has permited prisoners, some charged with felony, others sei:ing scntences, to leave the jail at their Pleasure and that on numerous oc- cagions prisoners have escaped. Specific escapes are cited. 1t is further charged that prison- ers in the custody of Sheriff Hazen have been permitted to lounge about town, to act as the private servant of the sheriff, to enter down town saloons and drink intoxicants. Tail System a Farce. “Your petitioner further alleges,” Speeme charges ltuté that- Sherift ALVIN B. HAZEN. s Not True,” Says Hazen. : ‘While I have not seen the : O 3 Detmon and therefore am not in : & position to deny specific : : charges,” said Sherifft Hazen : ¢ late this -afternoon, “I do deny : : that 1 am gulilty of any wrong : : doing in merving subpoenas or : in the care of the jail. There : has been but one prisoner escape : from me in the last two years : and that fellow s now in Still- : water. -After I have read the : petition I may have more to : says the document, “that it 18 a mat- ter of common knowledge to the resi- dents of sald county and especially to the ‘inhabitants of Bemidji, that ordinary imprisonment is no risonment at all.” Mr. Peterson, whose home is at Puposky, was in Bemidji yesterday. He took his petition to Attorney Graham;, M. Torrance, a notary public, where he swore to and signed the document, and then sent it by regisfere®# mail to Governor Eber- hart at the state capital in St. Paul. Briefly commenting upon his action, Mr. Peterson said to The Daily Pioneer: Viggo Talks of Petition. “I have known for a.long time that Mr. Hazen has not been properly conducting the duties of his of- fice, but until recently I did not feel th&t I had the proof to sub- stantiate my charges. I now am confident that I have in hand enough facts to prove beyond any question of doubt Mr. Hazen’s incompetent and improper conduct and the facts I cite In my petition to the govern- or are by no means all that I have, and the investigation, if authorized by the governor, as I feel sure it must be, will show that I am not exaggerating. No Personal Biterness. “One thing I wish you would em- phasize’ and that is that I have no personal feelings in this matter and am actuated by no bitterness or malice towards Mr. Hazen, I have done this because I feel that, as ehairman of the county board, it is my duty and that if I did not do so I should, myself, be placed in an em- barrassing position.” How It Is Done. The legal process for the removal of ‘a sheriff is started by the filing of a petition with the governor, such as has been sent in by Mr. Peterson. If the governor believes the petition to be founded on fact, he appoints an investigating = com- mittee and the attorney general or an assistant represents- the. state. Should Mr. Hazen be temporarily re- moved, pending an investigation, the coroner, M. E. Ibertson assumes the duties of the sheriff. Should Mr. Hazen eventually be removed, the board of county -commissioners will name his successor. Accompanying his :petition, Mr. Peterson enclosed the following per- sonal letter to Governor Eberhart: Writes The Governor a Letter. im- Minnesota., “St. Paul, Minn.,~ “Dear | Sir: "“I deem it'my duty as chairman of the Board 6f Commissioners of this county to prefer charges of mal- against: the ‘Sheriff of this nd T herewith: submit a “Hon A. 0. Eberhart, Governor of |- petition setting forth such charges and praying the removal of that of- ficer. “The laxity in the matter of handling prisoners has been a sub- Ject of common talk for some time but the matter of collecting mileage from the County where no mileage has been earned has come to my at- tention recently, and I have refused to sign warrants for claims that have been allowed for such mileage. “I belleve that the interests of this County demand that prompt action be taken in the premises and I trust that the enclosed petition will re- celve early and earnest consideration at your hands. 5 “Yours Respectfully, “Viggo Peterson, Chair- man Board of County Commission- ers.” The Peterson petition in full as now before the Governor is as fol- lows: Here It I In Full. “To His Excellenicy, A. 0. Eber- hart, Governor of Minnesota, “Your petitioner, Viggo Peterson, respectfully shows and alleges: “I. That your petitioner is the chalrman of the Board of County Commissioners of the County of- Beltrami, State of Minnesota, and that Alvin B. Hazen now is and dur- ing all the times mentioned herein has been the Sheriff of sald Beltnml County. _“IL, . That the sald Alvin B. Hazen ‘hn, during. entire mm'q_o his [sald " office-'as” Sherlff, continuously,” systematically, willfully and corrupt- ly practiced methods in-the perfor- mance of his duties as-Sheriff which constitute gross malfeasance and nonfeasance in office, and has dur- ing sald time corruptly obtained large sums of money from said County for which no services have been rendered, and has willfully, knowingly, corruptly and systematically made and veri- fied claims and presented the same to the Board of Commissioners of said County for allowance, which said claims are not true and which have been allowed by said Board in ignorance.of the fact that they were untrue; that during both the pre- sent and the preceding term of said Sheriff, the management of the jail of said County has been uniformally disgracefdl and bad, and the lax and insecure manner of handling prison- ers committed to custody of -sald Sheriff, a menance to the law and order of the community. Specifi- cally, your petitioner -alleges: Makes Service by Mail, “First, that the said Alvin B. Haz- en as Sheriff of said County and during ‘the period aforesaid, has systematically and repeatedly fail- ed and neglected to make personal service of subpoenas upon grand and Petit Jurors drawn to serve at the term of the District Court in said County, which said subpoenas he: was by virtue of his said office in duty bound to serve: that instead of making personal service of such subpoenas, has mailed the same to said jurymen and thereafter present- ed duly verified claims to said-Board of Commissioners for allowance, in which said claims full milage has been charged for making personal service, whereas in truth and in fact no mileage had been earned; that your petitioner is unable to state the number of instances in which subpoenas have been mailed and mileage charged therefor, as aforesaid, but your petitioner verily believes that said practice has been general and covers not only the-pre- sent term of office of said Sheriff but alsc the greater part of his preced- ing term; that Exhibits “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” and “E” hereto attached and made a part of this petition are affidavits of jurors who were served by said Sheriff by mail, for which said service said Sheriff made and presented to sald Board of Commis- sioners duly verified claims for mileage allowed by law for personal service of jurors. Has Been Notoriously Careless. “Second, that .as your petitioner i8 Informed and verily believes, the said Alyin B. Hazen, has, during his entire tenure of office, beén habitu- - elly careless and megligent in his duty of keeping prisioners . com- S ‘(Continued on Last Page.)