Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-12-01
USED \ WINCHESTER.
\ Trip.e Tragedy in Becker
Coun y,'Minn., Caused by
jealousy.
j. Nj. NanSickler Shoots His
Wife, Wounds Fargo Man
and Kills HIMSELF.

in the town of Silver Leaf, seven
miles east of Frazce City, Becker
county, between 10 and II O'Clock
night. A young man
named Frank G. Brown, a printer by
trade, who last worked on the Fargo
Forum. has been camping and hunt
ing for the past month near the
house of j. NJ. Van Sicklcr, a farmer
aged forty years. Saturday night
Van Sicklcr, his wife, woman tof
twenty-four. Edward Buel, hired
man, and Brown had keg of beer
and were having a carousal and all
were more or less under the influence
of liquor. What occurred is told in
the testimony of Bucl before the
coroncr's jury. which Brown
corroborated. The house is an
ordinary log house, with bed room on
one side of the sitting room and the
kitchen in the rear.
Van Sicklcr and wife about 10
O'Clock became very abusive to each
otISl anu tlC lDii I'LL w SiIuU up vi
h woull shot her and she said:
.Shoot ahead" He then went into
the bed room brought out revolver
and told his wife if she didn't shut
up lie would shoot her. She again
answered.: Shoot ahead" He fired
and broke her wrist and she ran
through the open door into the
kitchen. but before she could escape
Van Sicklcr picked up Browns Win
chester rife and fired through the
door two shots l.. rapid succession,
both taking effect at once and his
wife dropped dead
| Van Seeker turned and fired at
Brown. who was trying to escape into
| the bed room. and was not ten feet
away. the bullet going through his
right thigh. Then, without word,
| Van Sicklcr turned the muzZlc 20 his
own side and sent Il bullet completely
through himself. Vie turned and
said 10 Bucl: IL shot mY wife, myself
and Brown" Buel seemed to realize
what had happened and ran out and
alarmed the ncighbors. As he ran he
heard another shot. and when the
neighborS arrived they found that
Var >icllier had put the muzllc of
the Winchester To his mouth and
blown the top Of his head of. The
coroner found Brown still alive, but
. l,a at
wound, los: OF blood and the time
that had elapsed before he could
have proper care, there Is on hope
for his recovery.
The house presented fearful
appcarancc Van Sicklcr lay in the
sitting room, his brains scattered
over the floor. his wife dead in the
Kitchen ard poor Brown on the bed,
| a pool Of blood in the bed room show
} ing the place he had fallen. An
| inquest wa., held and the above facts
were obtained from Bucl. Brown was
1 so weak tina, he conld say little, but
D told the iuly that Van Sickler had
I, no cause for jealousy. and on account
= of his low condition was not qucs-
5 toned further. The general opinion
, is that Van >icklcr WAS jealous. as
!! Mrs. Van Seeker had the reputation
l. Of being Il woman Of VIGOROUSLY loose
y character. Mr.. Brown lived in
X Detroit when 4 boy and was well
liked. His flasher. Il. G.. Brown, is in
the Office of the register of deeds at
r Fargo. Mr.. Brown is too low to move
from the place of the tragedy, and he
q is being cared fer as we'll as possible
under the circumstances. The
coroncr's jury returned verdict in
accordance with the facts.