The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-28
Interesting Murder Trial in Min.

nesOta.
The trial of George L. Van Solen for the
murder Of DR.. Henry Harcourt, in August
1865, commenced at st. Paul, Mimi, on the
goth instant, a jury having been obtained
after several days delay. The murder is
declared to have been committed at the
date above named in the TOWNSHIP Of
Mclean, Ramsey county, MINI. DR.. Hard.
court was young man, an Englishman. 9
skilful surgeon of good character, who
came to this country, and arriving in ST.
Louis in the spring of 1865, engaged as a
clerk in drug store. There he became
acquainted with Van Solen, also young
man, who soon after went to St. Paul and
entered into correspondence with Har.
court, as is alleged, in relation to an eXhi.
bition he proposed to get up. The result
of the matter was thus stated by tho prose.
cutting officer, Mr.. S. S. NJ. Flint, in his
opening address to the jury:
Van Solen, in letter which he wrote
over the signature Of " Masters" rendered
to DR.. Harcourt the position Of surgeon in
the expedition. In the letter he gave the
post office address of Box No. ,543-the
same as that of Van Solen. He offered
DR.. Harcourt $1,000 for the trip. Core
spondence passed between them, and Har-
court asked Van Solen what he should
bring with him, and Van Solen advised
him as to certain articles, and urged him
to come Immediately. DR.. Harcourt gave
his note in st. Louis for $3.50. Putting
that and other money in his belt, he went
to St. Paul, arriving on the 10th of Au.
gust, 1865. On the next day he sold some
strychnine which he had bought at drug
store, and ABOUT p. M. on Friday the
18th DR.. Harcourt and George l.. Van
Solen went short distance into the cOun.
try-ono having fsh-line, the other q
gun. About 10 o'clock in the evening
Van Solen came back. Harcourt was
never seen alive. The effects of Har-
court were sold or disposed Of by
Van Solen. Van Solen claimed that
they both kept their money in tent where
the money and ran away. Next day
George Van Solen and his brother went tx
hunt for the body, but did not find it. Or
the following day, Sunday, Vans SoleI
wrote to St. Louis, detailing list Of small
articles which Harcourt had brought from
St. Louis, intimating his suspicious of him
and saying that he had run away, carrying
away his Wan Solen's) money. Val
Solen soon after notified the police tina
Harcourt had run away with his money
and telegraphed to points down the river
The tent in which they slept was taker
down, and things thus remained till Angus
a, when resident Of St. Paul discovered
body floating in the river; on trying Il
pull il .ashorc he found that it was fastened
by new rope around the neck to some
thing in the bottom of the river. He GU
the rope, and dragged the body ashore; {
coroner's inquest was held, and the body
buried in Oakland Cemetery. Van Solel
left near the last Of August, saying
that he was going to st. Louis. But
instead, he was in Indiana abou
the 1st Of September, a letter being
mailed September 5, and received by
him in Fort Wayne, Ind. The counse
continuedi That the memory Of Harcourt
disappearance having died away, Val
Solen turned up in St. Louis and put ou
his sign as physician. He suddenly lef
St. Louis, and the next summer turned VI
in St. Paul. Meantime Harcourt's friends
in England became anxious. HARBOUR
had sent to his mother the "MaSters
letter. His friends find out, in some way
his acquaintance with Van Solen, ant
wrote to him making inquiries. On the
25th of August, 1866, Van Solen wrote t.
Alton Hauts, to the mother, and DR.. liar
courts friend, who had written making in
quiries, that Harcourt had run away, &c
Those letters were in the same hand
writing as the "Masters" letters, and gave
the same post-otfice address, Box 1883
Mr.. Flint concluded by saying that tn
prosecution intended to prove beyond
doubt that the body found was that Of DR.
HarcOurt.
On the first day Of the trial the skull ant
skeleton were exhibited in the courtroom
while the testimony of medical men wa
being taken.