Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, January 4, 1908, Page 4

memati BOY IS HELD FOR [B0v 1s EATEN By wowves CRIME OF MURDER JAMES O'BRIEN IS ARRESTED FOR THE DEATH OF ARTHUR LE CLAIRE, HAMMER LEADS TO ARREST Neche, N. D., Dec. 31—Following the inquest in Le Claire murder case Sat- urday, in which Mrs. Timothy O’Brien described a hammer owned by the family in terms whith corresponded with those describing the one with which the murder was committed, her son James was arrested on a charge of being the slayer of Arthur Le Claire. In earlier testimony young O’Brien had been called on to describe this same implement, but had done so in entirely different terms than those used by his mother. His father had corroborated his testimony, and both had sworn that the hammer had been lost for more than a month. Stains on Overcoat. The overcoat worn by James O’Brien is said to have blood stains in the lining. O’Brien said on the stand that he never had the nose bleed nor any fight recently. O’Brien, who is only sixteen years old, was a lifelong chum of La Claire, and is the last person known to have seen him alive. Hé has been under police surveillance since the crime was discovered. James C!Brien was born here and has lived in this vicinity all his life. He never has borne 2 bad character. He has shown no signs of weaken- ing since his arrest. Entering a rig to drive to the jail at Pembina, he said: “Wonder why you would not have a brass band out to see me off.” Timo- thy O’Brient, the father, in tears, bade him good-by, saying,’ “My son, your mother and I know you are innocent.” Was a Pallbearer. The father found such a hatchet at home as he and James had described at the inquest, square head and claw gone. The entire family is heart- broxen and there is much sympathy for them. James O’Brien sent to Winnipeg for flowers for Le Claire’s funeral and was pallbearer. He was one of the first o reach the river when the report of the murder spread. He offered to help chop the ice to get the body out. TOY ENGINE BLOWS UP. Christmas Gife Nearly Causes Loss of Boy’s Sight. Appleton, Wis., Dec. 31.—While try- ing to make whistle a small steam en- gine which had been presented to his brother for Christmas, Roland De Land crowded the steam to such an extent that the top of the whistle blew off, scalding the boy’s face and nearly putting out his eyes. His sight was saved by prompt medical attend- ance. GIRL’S BODY FOUND. Miss Kinner, Who Disappeared in In- diana Dec. 11. Michigan City, Ind., Dec. 31. — The body of Miss Emogene Kinner of Penn Yan, N. Y., who disappeared from Michigan City on Dec. 11, was found yesterday afternoon on the bank of a ereek in a wild and unfrequented place. She had started out to take a walk and it is supposed that she lost her way and perished in the cold. ROBBERS BLOW SAFE, General Store at Holding Is Wrecked by Explosion. St. Cloud, Minn., Dec. 31—The safe in Wardain Bros.’s general store at Holding was dynamited during the night, the robbers getting away with $25. The robbers then raided the Winkler hardware store, where they secured some valuable property. They then stole a horse and buggy and made their escape. — t ENDS AGONY BY KNIFE. Woodsman, Pinned Under Tree, Kills Himself by Cutting Throat. Seattle, Wash., Dec, 31.—Jonathan Winters, while chopping wood near this city, was pinned helplessly be neath a big tree. Suffering from twe broken legs, with no immediate hope of rescue, he drew his pocketknife and cut his throat. When found the knife was still clasped in his pulseless hand. Three Saloons Burn. Grand Forks, N. D., Dec. 31.—Fire in East Grand Forks destroyed the sa loons of Thomas Powers, Kittleson & Holt and Hans Gaustad and the res taurant of Paul Hagen. The total loss is $25,000. Larceny Is Charged.’ Bemidji, Minn., Dec. 31. — Sande: Overland has been committed to the Beltrami county sheriff’s custody tc await the action of the justice of the peace at Big Falls, where he will br tried. , FATHER, IN NORTHERN MINNESO. TA, FINDS PACK TEARING SON TO PIECES. Fergus Falls, Minn., Dec. 31—Sher- iff Albertson returned. from Sebeza yesterday, where -he went to serve some papers, and states that reports have reached that village that a boy was eaten by wolves in the sparsely settled country eighteen miles east of there. A number of boys were in the habit of going to school, returning together, and one child, a boy of eight, was kept after school, necessitating his return home alone. He failed to reach homes and as darkness settled down his fa- ther started with a lantern to hunt for him. He heard the growling of wolves not far distant. Going into the brush to where the noise had come from he found his son dead, mangled, torn and nearly half devoured, with two large gray wolves standing over him. The animals retreated on his ap- proach and the remains of the boy were taken to his home for burial. Mr. ‘Albertson had occasion to travel through a considerable section of country there, and states that the howling of wolves could be heard every littie while, and settlers were killing them almost daily. The ani- mals are said to be unusually numer- ous this year. FEET CUT OFF. ( Traveling Man Falls While Trying to Board Moving Train. Blackduck, Minn., Dec, 31. — Frank Jeffers of Crookston, in the employ of the McKenzie-Robbins company of Crookston as commercial traveler, was run over by the north-bound Minneso- ta & International railway here. One foot was entirely severed and the other foot severed so as to leave only the heel. Jeffers was taken to the Mona- hon & Osborne hospital in this village, where one foot was amputated above the ankle and the other foot trimmed from the heel. PAPER MILL CHURCH. Company Gives Site and Mill Hands Provide Building. Appleton, Wis., Dec. 34.—The new Presbyterian church at Kimberly was dedicated yesterday, the services be- ing conducted by Rev. Herbert M. Moore, pastor of the Memorial Presby- terian church of this city, and Rev. John L. Marquis of Neenah. The ground for the building was donated by the Kimberly-Clark Paper company and the church was constructed by subscriptions given largely by the em- ployes of the mill. BLIND MAN IS SLAYER. Fell Victim With Cane and Left Him to Die on Prairie. Butte, Mont., Dec. 31. — William Baker was assaulted and fatally injur- ed by J. J. Fitzmorris, a blind man, last night, while the two, who were beggars, were on their way to the poor farm. Fitzmorris felled Baker by a heavy blow over the head with his cane, and after kicking him until ex- hausted left the helpless man on the prairie all night to freeze. Baker's legs were frozen to his knees. HAND CUT TO BITS. Shocking Accident While Deadly Corn Shredder. Appleton, Wis., Dec. 31. — An arm cut off in three places is the latest corn shredder accident in this vicinity. While Emil Schuchtnecht of Black Creek was feeding a shredder the stalks clogged and he thrust in his hand to draw them out. The first slice of the knives took off his fingers, a second cut severed his hand just below the wrist, and a third and last cut took the arm off above the wrist. Feeding SMOKER IS SMOTHERED. Lays Lighted Pipe on Dresser and Fire Results. Marinette, Wis., Dec. 31.—Leo Ber- man, a woodsman, was smothered to death in a small fire at the Edwin house, a hotel in this city. Firemen carried the body of Berman from the room after being baffled repeatedly by smoke. The man was dead when found. Big Tie Contract. Chippewa Falls, Wis., Dec. 31. — Former Assemblyman Joseph Malo- ney of Chippewa eounty has entered into a contract with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad company to furnish ‘125,000 ties and 150,000 fence posts, the contract price being $65,000. He has a crew of men at work cutting the materia] near Roosevelt, Minn. Snow in Wisconsin. Black River Falls, Wis., Dec, 31. — The first heavy snow storm of the win- ter has been in progress here all day, but it will take a foot of snow to make sleighing. The mercury stands 5 be- low freezing. All Steel Bridges. Faribault, Minn., Dec. 31. — Within two weeks the Rock Island raiiroad will have all new steel bridges be- tween this city and Owatonna, cross- ing Straight river, within seventeen miles, \ i { MURDER FORETOLD, DEATH PUZZLES WOUND OVER LA CROSSE MAN'S TEMPLE 1S NOT EXPLAINED BY POLICE. . BODY 1S FOUND IN CHICAGO La Crosse, Wis., Jan. 1. — Last sum- mer a clairvoyant told Joseph J. Roo- raff, thirty years old, an altar builder, that he would be murdered before the dawn of 1908. Yesterday his corpse was brought home from Chicago. There was a wound over the left tem- ple, indicating how he came to be found dead at North avenue, near Lin- coln Park, opposite the police station. The Chicago police say the body was found in the lake and not on the shoré. Rooraff went to Fort Wayne, Ind., to erect an altar, and returned to Chica- go Friday morning to visit a cousin, August Schowsky, 1038 Rightwood avenue. He left the Schowsky home at noon with $25, intending to buy some holiday gifts for his family in La Crosse. His brother, Frank Roo- raff, who went to Chicago to investi- gate his brother’s disappearance, fol- lowed his movements from noon until 2 o’clock, when he was in the vicinity of the spot where his body was found. Find Wound on Head. Though it is asserted by the Chicago police that the body was found in the lake, his brother asserts that papers in the man’s inside pocket were not even wet. The dead man’s watch stop- ped at 2:10, indicating that he had come to his death at that time, Frank Rooraff declares that nothing was said to him by the Chicago police of the wound on the dead man’s head, and he presumed until he returned -home that Joseph had been drowned accidentally. While the body was be- ing dressed for burial hére the wound was first noticed. It had the appear- ance of being the result of a blow from some blunt instrument. Relatives have hired private de- tectives te attempt to solve the mys- tery, lacking confidence in the Chica- go police. Rooraff’s watch and $16 of the $25 was found in his clothes. Mrs. Rooraff. is now a widow with three children, the recent birth of the third child fulfilling the clairvoyant’s proph- evy. WOULD BLOW UP BANK.’ Finance Reformer Who Threatens Cashier Is Adjudged Insane. Fergus Falls. Minn., Jan. 1. — George Elliott was brought to the in- sane hospital in this city Friday, hav- ing been committed from Todd county. Mr. Elliott’s mental derangement ap- pears to have been brought about by brooding over the recent financial cri- sis. He finally became possessed of the idea that he could settle the na- tion’s difficulties if he had sufficient money, and going to the Bank of Sta- ples he demanded $20,000. Realizing that the cashier might not be willing to turn over such an amount, he in- formed him that unless the money was forthcoming he immediately would blow up the whole institution. The cashier parleyed with him until as- \{sistance arrived, when Elliott was taken into custody and was conveyed to the county seat, where he was ad- }judged insane. CRUSHED BY LOCOMOTIVE. Northern Pacific Engineer Meets In- stant Death in Crash in Yards. St. Paul, Jan, 1—Walter Altier, an engineer in the employ of the North- ern Pacific road, was instantly killed yesterday morning in a collision be- tween his engine and another locomo- tive in the yards of the Northern Pa- cific railroad. He was thrown out of the engine by the shock of the colli- sion, and the engine toppling over fell on him and crushed him. William C, Benton, fireman on the engine, was severely scalded by steam, his legs, arms and back being burned. He was removed to St. Joseph’s hospital for treatment. His injuries, though se- vere, are not of a fatal character. FIRE SWEEPS FOURTEEN MILES. Prairie Flames Destroy. Hay, but Ranchers Save Homes. Hermosa, S. D., Jan. 1—Driven by a high wind, a prairie fire that brought out volunteer firemen from every ranch for miles around swept across a stretch of dry ground over a mile wide and fourteen miles in length before it could be extinguished. The flames de- stroyed a quantity of hay, but the work of the’ ranchers prevented the burning of their homes and buildings. HELD TO GRAND JURY. Murphy Is Chargéd With Attempting to Kill Whittaker. East Grand Forks, Minn., Jan. 1. — Michael Murphy was held without bail to the grand jury here yesterday on a charge of assault with intent to com- mit murder. Murphy stabbed Frank Whittaker, a Great Northern switch- man, in the neck and breast, and for a time it was feared Whittaker would die, as his jugular vein was partially severed. He is now recovering. The grand jury meets the last of January. MANY’ CLUBS TO SEND MEMBERS. Comercial’ Bodies to Form a State League. Reports from the various commer- cial clubs throughout the state indi- cate that the convention to be held Jan, 16 and 17 in the old capitol in St. Paul for the purpose of forming a fed- aration of the state commercial organi- zations will be largely attended. There are about 300 clubs in Minnesota, and some weeks ago letters were address- ed to each asking that two delegates be appointed to attend the approach- ing convention. Already more than fifty favorable replies have been re- ceived, and from the tone of the let- ters considerable interest is being taken in the project. Many commer- cial clubs in the smaller cities hold regular meetings only once a month, and for that reason their replies have been delayed. It is expected, however, that at least a hundred clubs will be represented, One question which seems to attract special notice is that of the catalogue houses, which will come up for dis- cussion. The following program has been an- nounced and will be followed closely: Jan. 16, 10 a, m.—Call to order, Pres- ident Locke, St. Paul Commercial club; address of welcome on behalf of Minnesota, Gov. John A. Johnson; address of welcome in behalf of the Twin Cities, Mayor Haynes of Minne- apolis and Mayor Smith of St. Paul; response, President Magner, Duluth Commercial club; election of tempo- rary chairman and temporary secre- tary; appointment of committee on credentials; appointment of committee on permanent organization; address, “Federating the Commercial Clubs of Minnesota,” B, H. Schriber, St. Paul; open discussion of the address; noon recess, 2 p. m—Report of committee on credentials; election of permanent chairman and permanent secretary; report of committee on municipal ad- vertising; (a) its benefits, (b) meth- ods to be employed; address, “How May We Best Advertise Minnesota,” Commissioner George Welch, state im- migration bureau; address, James J. Hill, Jan. 17, 10 a. m.—Report of commit- tee on pefmanent organization; elec- tion of officers; address, “The Cata- logue House;” address, “The Parcels Post;” (a) arguments for, (b) argu- ments against; open discussion of ad- dresges; noon recess, 2 2 p. m—Address, “A Six-foot Chan- nel for the Upper River;” open dis- cussion; reports of committees and unfinished reperts of committees and unfinished business; new _ business; adjournment. WORLD’S FAIR BOOKS CLOSED. Minnesota Board Meets and Balances Accounts. The accounts of the Minnesota board of the world’s fair managers for the Columbian exposition, held in Chi- cago in 1893, were closed up at a meeting of the board-in the govern- or’s office last week. After paying all outstanding bills there remained in the treasury of the board a balance of $69.33, which the board by resolution directed to be turned into the state treasury. The affairs of the board practically were closed at a meeting on May 26, 1894, when $15,000 was turned back into the state treasury and a balance of $806.88 was left in the hands of the treasurer for the payment of the ex- penses of printing the final report of the board and for any other outstand- ing bills. Since then the board never has met, due in part to the death of D. A. Monfort, the president of the board. This matter was called to the atten- tion of Gov. Johnson a short time ago by A. L. Ward of Fairmont, one of the members of the board, who stated that no accounting ever had been had of the balance left in the hands of the treasurer, John J. Furlong of Austin, at the time of the last meeting of the board. Last week four of the five surviving members of the board got together and closed up the business, It was found that vouchers for $641.51 of the money left with the treasurer had been signed by the auaiting commit- tee, of which Mr. Ward is a member, and had been paid years ago. The financial ,report shows the following payment made out of $806.88: Postage and expenses of the secretary’s office, $27:65; expenses of the treasurer's of- fice, $37.15; publishing and distribut- ing 5,000 copies of the 141-page final report of the superintendent, L. P. Hunt, and the board, $566.71. These bills were all paid years ago, ard after paying the expenses of the meet- ing, amounting to $96.04, there re- mained in the fund $69.33, which will go back into the state treasury.. MORE SMALLPOX AGAIN. Reports to Boar dof Health Show 2,528 Cases in State Last Year. Smallpox statistics for 1907 up to Dec. 23 show that there have been more than four times as many cases in Minnesota in 19097 as in 1906. The.total number of cases reparted for 1906 was 598, while the total num- ber of cases reported last year was 2,528. During December in 1906 159 cases were reported, as compared with 403 reported for the first three weeks of December, 1907. ‘TALKS FROM STOCKMEN. panies Meeting of Live Stock Breeders’ As- sociation in January. ‘The Minnesota Live Stock Breeders’ association will hold its annual meet- ‘ing at the old state capitol, St. Paul, on Jan. 15 and 16, at the same time as the meeting of the State Agricultural society. The 15th will be of the great- est interest to the live stock men, as the program has been arranged to in- clude most of the live stock addresses on that date. On the afternoon of the 16th, sectional meetings will be held, devoted to round-table talks in the in- terest of the various classes and breeds of stock. Asa L. Amee of Buckingham, Iowa, Dr. J. C. Rutherford of Ottawa, Can- ada, and Dr. M. H. Reynolds of the State Live Stock Sanitary board, will be among the speakers. Other ad- dresses will be made by experienced stockmen. So successful was the meeting of the Live Stock Breeders of the Third Congressional District at Faribault on Dec. 17, that the officials of the State Live Stock Breeders’ association have decided to hold a meeting of the same nature in the First district, at Austin, on Jan. 7. A good program will be ar- ranged and live stock as related to other farm interests will be discussed from all sides. It is not the purpose of the associa- tion to argue every one into growing pure bred stock, but’ rather to show them how to take better care of the stock they have and how to get the most out of it, and also to create an interest in co-operation methods of an- imal breeding, with a view to p-omot- ing a plan of communities breeding certain classes of stock. MAY OPEN MINNESOTA. Bar at Mouth of River to Be Moved So Boats May Enter by Next Spring. Negotiations are in progress be- tween Brig. Gen. McKenzie, chief of; engineers, and Maj. Du Shane, in charge of the Mississippi and Minne- sota river improvements, looking to the removal of the sandbars at thei mouth of the Minnesota river. Although the Minnesota is held to be a navigable stream by the war depart- ment, boats cannot enter, owing to. the filling in of the sandbar at the mouth. There is probably enough available money to unlock the bar and open up the river for boats in the early spring. A United States boat yard at South Stillwater for the storing and repair of government property is being con- sidered. The government has been trying to get some convenient place for such a plant during the past two years, and there is nothing available on the up- per Mississippi, so the St. Croix river front is to be utilized. This will be an important addition to the industries of South Stillwater. NO WILD GOOSE CHASES. Drainage Board Will Make Contractors Pay the Bills. A resolution adopted by the state drainage board is designed to put a stop to the practice on the part of con- tractors to report drainage ditches completed and ready for inspection by the board before they are in fact com- pleted. The resolution provides that in the future the contractors will have to agree to pay the expenses of the trips of inspection by the board in such cases, ‘The passage of the resolution is the result of a trip recently made by the board to Itasca county to inspect a ditch which was reported completed, but which proved to be a long ways from completion. The members of the board lost a couple of days’ time and put the state to considerable ex- pense on this trip without accomplish- ing anything. The adoption of the resolution is expected to put a stop to the premature reports of the comple tion of the ditches. TIMBER PRICES GOOD. Treasurer and Auditor Conduct Suc- . cessful Sales. State Treasurer C. C. Dinehart and the state auditor conducted a number of timber sales in the northern part of the state last week, the receipts of which aggregated $35,095. Six sales were held and in a number of cases the prices received were in excess of the appraised value. The sale at Duluth netted $22,475, the one at Two Harbors $55, at Aitkin $3,720, at Grand Rapids $7,645, at Be- midji $205, and at Walker $995. The timber offered for sale at Duluth was appraised at $22,645, and the sales net- ted nearly that amount, although about $10,000 worth of the timber was not sold. One tract appraised at $400 was sold for $2,300; one appraised at $1,100 was sold for $3,700, and another appraised at $900 brought $2,625. Killed at Grade Crossing. Lakeville, Minn., Dec. 28—While re turning to his father’s farm Iva Ives, eighteen years old, was run down and probably fatally injured at a grade crossing of the St, Paul road. His horse was killed. Killed by Train. Houghton, Mich., Dec. 28.—Solomoa Glass, a peddler residing in Hancock, was struck by a street car while walk: ing on the tracks near Arcadian, sus: taining injuries from which he died at STEEL TRUST ASKS ABATEMENT. Assesement on Several Properties to Be Reviewed. .The 1907 assessment of the North- ern Minnesota iron mines, fixed by the state tax commission at $194,000,000, is not a closed incident yet. Thomas F. Cole, president of the Oliver Iron Mining company, and Frank B. Kel- logg of St. Paul called at the office of the tax commission in St. Paul last week to see about the procedure for getting an abatement of the taxes on several of the steel trust properties. They did not submit their request Lor state when they want the properties located, but said the application would cover only a few of the properties. Otherwise, it’ is inferred, they will make no objection to the assessment. They said that there was plain over- valuation in the cases of the properties they will cite, and they expect to show it so conclusively that the abatement will be allowed. Messrs. McVey and Lord of the tax commission told the steel company representatives that they had no pow- er to act on an abatement application in the first instance: It must go to the board of county commissioners, and if approved by them will go to the state tax commission for review, as it used to go to the state auditor. The steel company will take this step, and it is taken for granted that its application will be approved by the county board, and the tax commission will have one more chance to pass on the valuations of several leading Oli- ver properties, PIONEERS WILL MEET. Social to Be Held at the Old Capitol, St. Paul, Jan. 16. The first meeting of the territoriai pioneers of the semi-centennial year will be held in the hall of the house of representatives in the old capitol at St. Paul Thursday evening, Jan. 16, under the auspices of the Woman's club. This will be the closing feature of the three-day meeting of the state agricultural society. The officers of the Pioneer Woman's club, Mrs. Emma Huff, Mrs. F. G. O’Brien, Mrs. Grace Thompson and Miss Carry Stratton, will be assisted by the executive com- mittee of the Minnesota Territorial Pioneer association and a large com mittee appointed by the president Gov. Johnson has granted permission to decorate the walls with pioneer pic tures and the room will be otherwise appropriately decorated by the ladies Mrs. Clapp, mother of the senator, has requested the honor of making the cof fee. A literary and musical program will be given. TO ABANDON STATE. Some Small Life Insurance Companies Cannot Comply With Law. The first of the year may see the withdrawal of many small insurance companies from Minnesota. A num- ber of laws which will go into effect at | that time is held to be responsible. Recently the United States Life In- surance company of New York and the Michigan Mutual of Detroit, with as sets of $10,000.00, Served notice of withdrawal on Insurance Commission- er Hartigan. They will pull out the first of the year. The New York com pany assigned no reason and all the excuse the Detroit made was small business and statutory requirements. Two of the laws which will go into force the first of the year are those providing for the standard policy law and the one calling for an accounting of visible surpluses. The latter com- pels a decided curtailment in the mat- ter of expenses and in the case of small companies struggling for busi- ness this is a serious handicap. MINNEAPOLIS LOSES IT. Calvinistic Endeavorers Prefer Coun- try for Next Meeting Place. The annual Christian Endeavor con- vention fo the Welsh Calvinistic Meth- odist churches of Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota opened at Mankato with an attendance of 100 delegates. Lewis Hughes of Ottawa was elected presi- dent, David E. Evans of Mankato vice president, William O. Hughes of Lake Crystal secretary and Mrs. Robert Hughes of Minneapolis treasurer. It was decided to hold the next con- vention in Salem church, in Cambria township, Blue Earth county, although the Minneapolis delegates wanted it there. The missionary banner was awarded the society of Elim church, Le Sueur county, it having raised the most money the past year for mis- sions. Committees were appointed and other routine business transacted. pea OBR SARIS. yp, Fergus Falls, Minn., Special—Judge Baxter made an order yesterday re- versing the justice court in the case of Emma Hendershot of Frazee, who was ordered committed to the reform school for alleged incorrigibility. The | order for her commitment was secured by her mother and stepfather, and the case aroused intense indignation in the child’s home village, where the general feeling was that she was being unjustly persecuted. An appeal to the district court here and a review of the case resulted in a prompt reversal St. Joseph’s hospital a ‘few hours later, of the order of commitment. a