The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, May 13, 1920, Page 1

"BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA. TH SDAY, MAY 13, 1920. i PRICE FIVE : CENTS s FOR GOVERNOR 5 FARMER | CONFESSES TURTLE LAKE MURDERS “ATTORNEY- GENERAL AL UNANIMOUS CHOICE OF THE REPUBLICANS TO LEAD ANTI-TOWNLEY CAMPAIGN 3 “ demand that Layer leave the HENRY LAYER TELLS OFFICERS THAT QUARREL OVER COW CAUSED HIM TO SLAY Signed ‘Confession Made aL Murderer in Early Morning Hours; Describes Horrible De: | tails of Crime (By Staff Correspondent) (Bulletin) Sentenced to imprisonment at hard labor for life; Henry Layer, self-confessed slayer of steht persons at Turtle Lake, N. D., April 22, started serving. his prison term, at 4 o’clock this aft- ernoon, less than 48 hours after he was arrested. Layer was brought from Washburn, where he: pleaded guilty before Judge \ W._L. Nuessle in district court. to Bismarck by ‘automobile and committed to the state peniten- tiary here. - At no time during the brief trial or the trip to Bismarck did the slayer express the slightest concern over the eight person: he murdered exactly three weeks ago. Given every opportunity to change his plea or repudiate His confession, and warned by Judge Nyissle of the seriousness of the ‘ge to which he confessed ra@ later plead guilty, “Layer |; staically refused the services of a lawyer and only asked that “Jet it be over with as fast as possible.” Washburn, N. D.,-May 13.— Henry Layer early this morning confessed to the killing of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Wolf, their five small daughters and the chore boy, Jake Hofer, on ‘the Wolf farm three miles from Turtle Lake, N. D., on April 2. Ill feeling of iong- standing culminated in a quarrel over in- juries administered one of Lay- er’s cows by Wolf’s dog. Layer went. to Wolf’s farm home shortly before noon, and heated words, followed by Wolf’s place immediately, were the events leading up to the murder of the eight people, according te Layer’s confession to the au- thorities. Used Shot Gun When Layer refused to leave the place Wolf went into the sitting room. got his double barreled shot gun and loaded two shells into the breech. Layer grasped the gun and attempted to wrest it away from Wolf. The struggle took place in the entrance to the kitchen during which the gun was discharged twice. EIGHT NEIGHBORS} ‘CONFERS KNIGHTHOOD | TO. FRIENDS AS JOKE London, May 13.—Official no- { | tice -has been published that /| | large’ numbers of honors, includ- | ing at least one knighthood, | “awarded” through the mails to | numerous merchants and farm-’ | ers In the district of Spalding are false, the product of some |! Practical joker’s idea of fmer. ee * MORETHAN SIXTY FIRMS SIGN FOR GOOD ROADS TOUR Others Invited to Trip Next Tuesday and Wed- ( nesday — COMMITTEE HAS SUCCESS| ‘More than sixty Bismarck business firms, and professional men have igreed to have representatives in the ‘good roads—ship by truck” tour on ‘ext Tuesday and Weduesday. Many others are expécted to noti- iy George N. Keniston, secretary of -he Commercial club, that they’ wi!l be in on the good time planned for che two. days, Ample. funds to make the tour.a success: have--been~ subscribed. Mem- ‘ers of the-committes, who™are list- ‘ng names of firms for the tour, found today that business men were grow- ing more and more enthusiastic over «ie prospects of making the affair a big success. Names of Firms Those who have “signed up” the tour are as follows: Finney’s Drug store, Burt Finney; Sreglow Drug company. Joe ‘Bres- low; Rosen's Clothing Shop, Al Ro- sen; S. ‘EK. ‘Betgeson & Son, R. M. Bergeson; Folsom’s Jewelry Store, Ray W Folsom; Kichmond & Whit- ney, J. C. Whitney; Bismarck’ Trib- une; City ‘National Bank, C .D. Owen; irst ‘National Bank, A. S. Bolster; Johnson's, Otto Johnson; A. 'W. Lucas for Company, L, S. Andrews; ‘Webb Brothers. P. M. Webb, R. B. Webb; John Bortell, John Bortell; E. A. A, Brown; Golden Rule Grocery, G. W. Little; Wachter Transfer Company, Paul Wachter; Finch Lumber Company, E. H. How- ell; Carpenter Lumber Company, John L. Larson; Gamble Robinson Company, A. B. Olson; Kleins, E. B. Klein; Solomon Nicola, Solomon Nic- ola; Bismarck Bottling Works. H. F. Kellar; Hoskin’s, ‘Phil Meyers; ‘Lo gan’s, R, P. Logan; The Chocolate Shop, H. V. Semling; Bismarck Gro- cery Company, H. J. Duemland; Bis- Brown Grocery E. Two Deaths Accidental Layer claims in his confession that one of these shots killed Mrs. Wolf and the other the thirteen-year-old chore boy. By this time Layer had succeeded in wresting the gun away from Wolf the murderer darted into the sitting room, got a handful of shells from the bureau and hurried back to thé} kitchen entrance. Wolf was running towards the barn and, Layer fired the shots striking Wolf in the back. Wolf fell to the ground and Layer ran up to him and placed the muzzle of the gun against | the wounded man’s side and _ fired again, tearing a huge hole in Wolf's body. - Frightened Girls Run Two of the smaller daughters, frightened at the- fighting and seeing their mother and the boy fall dead in the kitchen, ran into the adjoining bedroom and escaped from the house, running to the nearby cow shed. Ar- rested by the screams of two girls, Layer rusked into the barn, firing one shot which cut a furrow in one of the girls head. The shot_splintered the wall. Layer: jammed the muzzle of the shotgun against the head of the other girl, who also was screaming and pleading for mercy, and pressed the trigger. He then placed another shell into the gun, put the muzzle against the head of the first child shof, who was now dead, and fired again. Deliberately Kills Three The three little girls in the house | were screaming. Layer returned to the kitchen and deliberately killed the children, two of them with the shot- gun. placing the muzzle against the curly heads, and the third with a smashing blow of a hatchet, 1 After seven members of the family | and the chore boy had been killed, Layer went to the cowshed. covered | the two bodiés of the girls with hay, | dragged Wolf’s body into the cow- shed and cqyered it with hay. He then went to the kitchen, opened | the trap door leading into the cellar} (Continued on Page Tnree) marck Music Company,. J. H. Aller- dings; Dakota Motor Company, F. A. Copelin; M. B. Gillman Company, M. B. Gillman; Carl Pederson, Car! Pederson; Bismarck Motor Company: C. Bertsch; N. W. Auto Company; Corwin ‘Motor Company, A. H. Hum- phreys; R. B. Loubek, R. B. Loubek, George Finnegan; Baker Toppins Gompany, Frayne “Baker; Lahr Mo- | tor Sales Company, J. C. “Anderson, ‘J. H. Healow; International Harvest- er, P. R. Fields; Motor Car Supply Company, W. J. Reibold; Maynard Tire & Auto Company. Axel Langly, John Hendrix, Hanson; Fisk Tire Company, R. A. Flynn; Dunham Lum- ber Company, H. Dobler; First Guaranty Bank, E. V. Lahr; F. E, Young Real Estate, F. E. Hedden, Northern Produce, Carl Nelson; Rus- sell Miller. Milling Company, C. A. 3aker, Albert Mayer; Bonham Broth- ers, C. A. Bonham; surance Company; Bismarck Water Supply Company, A. J. Ostrander; Beulah Coal Campany, W. T. Kraft; State Treasurer, Obert Olson; Wash- burn Lignite Coal, Frank McCormick ‘Bismarck Radiator Works, William J. Riggs. The Elks’ city band will accompany the boosters. Members of the band} who will go as representatives of firms | are Donald D. King, Hoskins; Martin) Meisner, Armour & Company. { Mr. Erickson, Bank of ‘North Dako-| ta; ‘William Robinson, Singer Sewing | ; Machine; Len Sather, Best andj | Huyck; John Peterson, Grand Pacific hotel, H. J. Woodmansee, Harris & ;Company: Curtiss Upright, Dirlam's repair shop; George Upright, Grand |'Pacific hotel; E. H, Webber, The Wellworth store; Ardin Bacon, Wach- | ters. Other members of the band who will go are Archie Olson, J. F. Phil- George Smith, Frank Hurley, ; Boise, Phil) Adolph | brick, George Munger, Spencer |Boise. William Mitchell, Scharnowski, (Mr. Bruce. Diamonds can only be vurned in oxygen under a scientifically produc- led heat of 4000 degrees abreanelt | Provident In- |. | AMERIGANISM VS. ‘DRAWN IN ‘REDEMPTION PLATFORM STATE EXTRAVAGANCE CONDEMNED disnewaliy Convention Says (By Staff Correspondent) “Minot, May 13.—North Dakota’s redemption. filatform . was written today and submitted to the two major candidates for gov- ernor, William Langer and R. A. It is a terrific indictment of the Townley administration and makes the straight issue of the {against socialism. The committee has worked almost continu- ously since adjournment Wednesday upon the document.so that the boards could be cleared late dates. The platform states in part: “The extravagance of the state government unjler this socialist A riot of profligacy exists in nearly Unnecessary offices, bureaus and commissions have been created with excessive salaries to furnish places for regime is conceded by all. all departments. loud-mouthed and persistent foes been opened to an invasion of our state by the shiftless and the SAIL GOVERNOR FRAZIER criminal. AS -Governor Insulted Mothers of / State—Demands Politicians at Heads of. State é Bureaus Be Ousted SOCIALISM ISSUE)" Nestos, and approved by them. campaign one of Americanism today for balloting upon candi- of Ameriéanism. The door has BURGLARS PIERCE BIG DISTILLERY WALL TO GET WHISKEY SUPPLY ‘Peoria, Ill, —Burglars tun- neled through -inch wall of a distillery here and took bottled in bond whiskey estimated to be worth several hundred dollars. NEW OUTBREAKS IN IRELAND STIR; Police Barracks. Attacked and Tax Documents Are De- stroyed By PLAN MILITARY MEASURES Bonar Law, Government Lead- , Takes Up Plans With Irish Commander | London, May 13.1 —Report s of an un- “The governor of this fair state insulted every mother, every ex-service man and all loyal citizens by attempting to interfere ‘in the due administration of justice in the case of at léast one notori- | TMC "Ports began to come in early to- ous criminal and enemy to all our institutions. “The real issue in the campaign in this state Americanism and socialism.” lies between Then follows. a statement of‘ the various laws enacted by the’ league to strangle a free press, the unfair diversion of the various funds of pyblic.money, the insults heaped upon Minnie Nielsen, and other flagrant acts of justice, after setting forth the general bill of complaint there is this in- dictment. “We charge that such a program, is unrepublican and that its proponents and advocates are not republicans, and are not‘entitled | tinued their resistance. to participate in the deliberations of the republican party.” Bank is Menace The concrete recommendations- fol- | low: | “We advocate the placing of the | management and control of the stat2 | elevators and mills already establish-! ed by law in the hands of ‘non-poli-} tical experts of the state, who have some knowledge of the grain and mill- ing business, and under such a system of auditing and accounting as shall enable the people to know at all times the exact status of the business, and as long as such business remains in the experimental stage, we: favor limiting of the use of state funds to the sum of two million dollars. “The bank of North Dakota as or- ganized and managed is a menace to ‘the welfare of the state. Past exper- ience has proven that banks organ ized upon such principles have invari- ably been failures. We_ therefore favor the amendment of the law so that the bank may become a farm loan bank and furnish loans at a mini- mum interest rate to the farmers, and that the same be placed under strict regulations and examinations by at least two elective departments of the state and the school districts, town- ships, municipalities cities and coun- ties shall be restored to the right of handling their own funds. Public Audit Refused “The governor, industrial commis- sion, a majority of the supreme court and the leadership of the non-partisan league having repeatedly refused to the tax payers of the state any puNlic audit and report by elective officers or boards of the bank of ‘North Dako- ta the Workmen's Compensation bur- eau and the state mill and elevator at Drake and whereas the state has a Board of audits whose duties are comprehensive enough, and. its mem- bers qualified to make such audits and reports, we demand on behalf o7 the tax payers as an inherent right that such audits be at once permitted by and through the hoard of audits, and that sworn itemized reports of sueh audits be forthwith published to the end that there may be no ques- tion or doubt as to the uge of public funds.” Minot, N. D.. May 13.— William Langer, R. A. Nestos, or any candi- date nominated by the anti-Townley convention, must stand on the plat- form written by men not committed | in any way to socialism. Some en- | thusiasts attempted to secure a bat-j {lot Wednesday evening, but the proce- | dure was properly sidetracked until} there can be a formation .of princi-| ples. J. D. Bacon, By F. Spalding, and others took the position that the de- legates had not gathered in Minotj primarily for candidates, but for prin- ciples. They took the position that the paramount issue was the plat- form and then the selection of can- didates, who should stand ‘‘square- (Continnea on Page Seven) SOLD SNUFF ‘La Moure, N. D., May 13.—D. F. Brussau of Grand Rapids, charged! with keeping snuff and cigarettes for sale and for maintaining a gambling apparatus in violation of state laws. was fined $521.50 and was senténced ‘SEAPORT TAKEN | fighting around Betchitsa. the Kiev bridgehead. to serve eight days in jail. Canada bought from the United States last year more than 21,000,000 tons of coal valued at $70,000,000. SOR BY UKRAINIANS; SOVIETS BEATEN Bolshevik Forces About Kiev Falling Back Followed by Polish Troops Paris, May 12.——Confirmation of the, report that Odessa, Russia’s most im- portant outlet on the Black Sea, had | been occupied by Ukrainian troops has been received by the Ukrainian ‘bureau been received by the Ukranian bureau here, BOLSHEVIKI WHIPPED Warsaw. Tuesday, May 11—(By the Associated Press.) — Polish and Ukrainian forces have struck a mighty blow at the Russian Bolshevik front far north of Kiev and have driven the enemy back along the ‘Heresina river, | Betchitsa, an important Dneiper river crossing. has heen captured and seri- ous losses have been inflicted on the soviet army. Fighting is now going on over a front of approximately 420 miles. Polish forces have crossed the Beresina river at several points and have taken Wielatisch after heavy | fighting. | FORCED ACROSS DNEIPER Northeast of Mozir, the Bolsheviki have been forced across the Dneiper. Announcement is made that two soviet regiments were annihilated in the From Kiev northward to the mouth of Pripet river, a distance of about 50 miles, the Bolsheviki on the west side of the Dneiper are slowly falling back. OUT OF BRIDGEHEAD Latest advices indicate that the Bol- sheviki have been driven back out of Capture of Odessa. the important Russian port on the Black sea, is re- ported. but is not confirmed by official advices. AGREE TO BE CIVILIZED London, May 12.—Russian Bolshevik authorities have agreed to spare the lives of soldiers captured from Gen- eral Denekine’s army in southern Rus- sia and. those of other anti-soviet troops. who may in the future be tak- en prisoners. A note to this* effect | was received today by British officials ‘in answer to appeals sent to Moscow by this country during the past fort- night. i HINES NAMED TO SETTLE DISPUTE Washington, “May May 12. — Walker D.| Hines. the retired director-general of | railroads, will leave this month for} Europe to arbitrate in the ownership of vessels under the German flag, oper- ating on the Danube, Elbe, Rhine and Oder rivers. Mr. Hines was appointed by Presi-} dent Wilson, who was asked by the! interested nations, including Belgium, : Slovakia and Roumania to name an| arbiter. usual number of actions by armed and massed men in various sections of Ire- land were received in London today. day and by noon had reached the pro- portion of an avalanche. As at Easter time many police sta- tions were attacked. Two hundred men besieged the Hollyford police bar- racks in the county of Tipperary for four hours early Wednesday morning, using rifles and bombs. A part of the building was’ set afire. but the ten of- ficers defending the place withdrew to another section of the sector, and con- The attack- ers eventually retired. No casualties were reported. Assault Tax Officers ia not occupied by the .regular police force, which had been sent to large centers. Income tax pfficers also were again attacked, and: many documents were destroyed. A notable instance was a raid upon an income tax office in Belfast. At the Irish headquarters it was said that’ no advices confirming the event mentioned in the report had been received. Leaders Confer | Meanwhile Andrew Bonar Law, gov- ernment’ leader in the house of com- mons, conferred with the Irish viceroy in London regarding a policy to be pur | sued with a view of the restoration of ‘ order, Reports of the demonstration fol- | lowed closely the: announcement by Mr. Bonar Law in the house of com- {mons that General MacReady, the | military commander of Ireland, had ' inaugurated new plans which ‘it was expected would better conditions, Tax Papers Burned Dublin, May 13.—At least nineteen police barracks in various parts of Ireland were wiped out in widespread defection by bands of armed and massed men last night. Income tax and customs papers which were taken were burned. TURKISH FORCES ARE IN REVOLT Constantinople, Tuesday, May 11.— {By the Associated Press.)—Turkish nationalist troops have repulsed forces loyal to the Sultan near Ismid and are advancing toward the Daranelles. They have released all prisoners re- cently taken at Brussa and Adabazar, who would agree to join Mustapha Kemal's army. Commanders of the Sultan’s forces arrived here today from Anatolia-and conferred as to their defensive cam- paign. Desertions to the nationalist army threatened the Sultan's forces with collapse. Eugene V. Debs, Now Federal Convict, is’ Named for President New York, May 1 Debs, federal convict. 3 - day was nominated by acclamation as the socialist party's candidate for the presidency, at the national conven- tion here today. Debs began serving a ten-year term in prison for violating the wartime espionage law on Apri! 13, 1919, when he entered the Moundsville, W. Va., federal penitentiary after appeals in his behalf had failed. Debs is 65 years old and this is the fifth time his party has named him! as a candidate for president. i His present imprisonment resulted | from a government investigation of a | speech he made in Canton, Ohio, in! 1918 in which he was alleged to have urged workers to cease their labors. Debs was named by the Moscow, Russia, soviet congress last year to! be “president of the soviet of the} world.” BRITISH LEADERS - Most of the barracks attacked were a Harmony Follows Spirited Effort to Head off Nomination in Which Chairman Steele is Placed Before Convention . (By Staff Corr Minot, N. D., May 13.—Willi North Dakota, vention to lead the anti-Townley ‘espondent) iam Langer, attorney-general of this afternoon was named by the republican con- forces as candidate for governor: On the first informal ballot Langer received 1681, votes to 78, votes for R. A. Nestos. acclamation. The oppo: ion to Langer fail The nomination then was made by ed to stampede the convention in tavor of Alfred Steele, of Jamestown, a former state senator and chairman of the convention. Following a most dramatic an impressive session at which the platform was greeted and*endorsed by cheers and the singing of America, this coup was swung to open the way for a compromise candidate. DANTELS CLAIMS HIS NAME FORGED TO: INJURE NAVY Calls Upon Admiral Sims to Pro- duce Man Who Signed Mes- sage on Method of Convoy “NAVY PROTECTED SHIPS” Washington, May 13.—Charges that cablegram produced before the sen ate. naval . investigating committee during the testimony of Reqr Admiral Sims bore a forged signature, were made. by Secretary Daniels, today. He referred to a message Admira! Sims had presented as a part of this criticism of the navy department and which purported to have been signed by the secretary. “Somewhere somebody was guilty of-signing my name to an official dis patch which’ the original here pro duced shows I never signed,” said Mr. Daniels to the committee, “or of altering a dispatch by erasing the real signature and substituting “Josephus Danielg.” ‘The concluding paragraph of the cablegram read: “In regard to con- voys I consider American vessels hav- ing armed guards are safer when sail- ing independently.” Mr. Daniels testified that-immedi- ately upon reading the admiral'’s testi- mony he knew he never sent such a cablegram and that he started an in- vestigation. The secretary said he finally found the original dispatch. “The statement that it was signed ‘Daniels’ was untrue.” said the secre tary. ‘No such telegram signed Dan. iels was ever sent to Admiral Sim: He demanded that Admiral Sims produce the man who signed the sig- nature and adding that the admiral “owed an apology to me and to the country for the impression undertaken to be made by his testimony based an a false signature.” Much of the secretary’s testimony today was devoted to the controversy over convoying food ships. He insist- ed that Admiral Sims had not agreed with the department's view as to the necessity for protecting transports and told the committee he had found it necessary to remind Admiral Sims several times during the war that the first duty of American destroyers was to protect these vessels. Mr. Daniels prese d various docu- ments to support his contention that the convoy system was_ originally sponsored by the American navy and that it was not adopted fully until sev- eral months after the United States entered the war. Mexican President Being Hemmed in by Revolutionists (By Associated Press.) Mexican rebel forces seemed today to be rapidly closing in on President Carranza and all that remained of his army in the hilly country between San Marco and Apizaco, 150 miles north- west of Vera Cruz. i The stage for the final act of the! revolution is apparently being set and | rebel chieftains are evidently deter-| mined to capture the president, who! fled from the capital city last Friday. General Trevino, a leading figure in the revolution, has gone forward to| | protect the life of Carranza in the | event he is made a prisoner. ly Governor Huerta. of Sonora, who; has been named supreme leader of the| revolution, is preparing to go to Mex- ico City to take over control. Dis-! revolutionists are hoping it will be possible to hold presidential election | in July, according to provisions of Mevican law. I patches from Vera Cruz state that *be|| | i tion. e, Shafer Names Langer ‘Langer was nominated by M. Shaf- er, of McKenzie county. Victor An- derson, of Burleigh, and many others seconded the nomination, R. A. 'Nestos was placed before the convention by ‘Francis ‘Murphy. Nes- tos was seconded by P. O. Thorson, editor of Grand Forks Normanden. A motion to close the nominations to these two started a contest, J. D. Bacon strenuously opposing the clos- ing of the nominations. Chairman Steele refused to allow his name to | be balloted upon, The motion to close nominations made by L. L. Twitchell, of Cass, was withdrawn vy him after debate. Candidates Before Election Following withdrawal of the motion, 4. W. Fowler, of Fargo, and Francis Murphy, of ‘Minot, were selected: as a committee to bring the candidates defore. the convention: Minot delegation to recess was lost. The ajipearance of the Attorney jeneral and Nestos on the platform was cheered. Mr. Nestos addressed he convention first and proceeded to accept the platform. He was fdllow- ad by Mr. Langer who also endorsed he platform. Both candidates discussed the eco- 1omic phases of the situation. and de- nlorea the class hatted stirred up by he nonpartisan league leaders. - Mr. Nestos pledged himself to stand by he nominée of the convention and irged absolute harmony whatever the result. Delegates Cheer Langer Mr. Langer was received with great ¢nthusiasm when he arose to speak. He unqualifiedly endorsed the plat- ‘orm by stating that the wishes of the *"-onvention was a sufficient guarantee o him. Convention Ready to Ballot Following the adoption of the plat- ‘orm which is outlined elsewhere in he Tribune the convention prepared © proceed with an informal ballot for sovernor. Senator Walter Bond, of Minot, and Judge Palda, of Minot, both »pposed to Langers aspirations, urged ‘hat before any ballot were taken. the andidates should be brought before the convention and placed on record 1s to their acceptance of the plat- form. In his remarks, without ‘Ynentioning lames, Judge Palda became quite per- sonal and his remarks were, greeted s from*the Langer side, es- hen he referred to “the leo- pard changing its spots” and to the ‘kiss of Judas Iscariot.” There was 1 volume of hisses from all parts of the hor and cries of “sit down.” The ‘situation was composed, how- ever, when A. J, Fowler, of Cass coun- ty, floor manager for the Langer force: es, seconded the motion of Bond and Palda that the candidates should pass in review before the delegates and be given an acid test on the program, Steele is Nominated O. T. Peterson of Hettinger Adams county, in a ringing adress, placed in nomination. Chairman Steele. , At the conclusion of the address, John ‘Paul- son, of Hillsboro, seconded the nomi- nation. Mr. Steele, quite overcome and tak en off his feet bf surprise, stepped forward and declared that he could ‘not accept, as sense of loyalty to his constituents pledged him to a certain candidate. All Stutsman, is instruct- ed for ‘Langer. The delegates refused to listen and here and there former men who had served with Steele in the state sen- te jumped up to second the nomina- Few conventions have listened so intently to the reading of a plat- form which voices well the opposition sentiment to the political highbinders who have the state in their grip. if "FOREIGN MISSIONARY | SUBJECT TO SICKNESS Pekin, May 13.—A resolution has been induced in the medical conference urging that all mis- sionariés and members of their households be examined twice a year. It is said that typhoid, | dysentery and smallpox are ram- | pant among foreign teachers. es rae A motion by...