St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-30
COST HIM HIS LIFE.
HEDLAND BURNED HIS HOUSE FOR M
SURAACE.
THE WIFE ooNEEssEs ALL.
She Is in a Deplorable State of
Mind, Being Impressed With
the Belief That the Authorities
Will Throw Her Into Prison
and Take Her Children-A
Mental and Physical Wreck.


Will Throw Her Into Prison
and Take Her Children-A
Mental and Physical Wreck.
The mystery of the Hedland house
excursion and confiagratiOn, which re-
suited in Hedland'S death, is at last
solved, and the facts of the case are
startling, to say the least. After the in
vestigation, Coroner Spring yesterday
morning confirmed the SUSPECT OIL that
Hedland set fire to the house to secure
the insurance on the building.
Since Friday afternoon Mrs. Hedland
has been stopping with Mrs. A Augusta
Larson, to whom she made confession
embodying the facts above stated.
Coroner Spring went to the home of
Mrs. Larson this morning, nut found
that Mrs. Hedland had gone to the res
idence of Rev. E. A. Skogsbergh; to
complete the confession, it is said.
To the corouer Mrs. Larson stated
that Mrs. Hedland late last night told
her that her husband had Intended to
burn the building for the purpose of
securing the insurance money. He had
informed her of the project, stating that
he would pretend to go to St. Paul,
while she was to save the children and
box of papers. He also informed the
people of the neighborhood aud the
bridge Waterman that he was going to
st. Paul Wednesday afternoon, but he
was seen by them later in the day.
These same neighbOrS aver that He'd
land wheeled away his trunk on a bar
row, also on Tuesday, and last week
had load OF straw taken into the build
ing. The theory of Coroner Spring is
that Hedland, not understanding per-
fectly the uses and effects of gasoline,
poured can of the substance over the
straw and did not wait until the gas had
evaporated, and when he applied the
match the explosion instantly followed,
aud he was overcome and unable to rise
in time to escape from the flames.
Hedland, investigation shows, was of
very peculiar temperament He fire.
quently beat his wife, who is an invalid,
most brutallY, and she always stood in
| great fear of him. 1t is claimed that it
was his conduct that wrecked his wife'S
| physical and mental health. At any
rate, she feared him, and when he
| proposed his desperate act and de-
manded her silence, she readily prom
ised. When she left the house at 3
| O'Clock Thursday morning she saw her
husband for the last time, and was posi-
tive that he had made his escape in the
darkness. So positive was she that she
did not believe the body was that of her
~ eraI
| before. She kept her silence for fear he
would return and wreaK vengeance on
her.
| The Door woman is in most deplora-
BILE state of mind. She believes that the
authorities will throw her i'll prison and
take her children away, and i'll conse-
quence has lost her self control. Life
has been a burden to her for years, but
| her last experience has completely I'M
nerved her. Mrs Hedland is said by
her neighbors to be very pous woman.
| Her husband was quite the contrary,
and sought to train his two children
| according to his ideas.
Coroner Spring received from Mrs.
Hedland the policy of insurance which
was the great tempter to the crime and
tragedy. 1t is the Minnesota standard
policy, written in the name of Ii. j..
| Hedland, for 81, 100, in the Fire Associa-
ton of Philadelphia, dated April 80,
1892, as follows: Two hundred dollars
on dwelling, described as q one-Story
frame house with shingie roof, situated
in Southeast Minneapolis, i'll the usual
terms of description; 5000 on household
furniture, in the usual form of descrip-
ton. Below this is the following
stipulation: sit is understood that the
house stands on ground leased for a
term of five years from Nov. l, 1891.
E. B. Ames, agent"
At the Ames agency it was learned
that they issued the policy at the time
it was dated, in April, 1892. The clerk
remembered tine case. and recalled tie
insured as man of peculiar personal
appearance, described to be large man
of strong and bony frame, who wore q
mustache, and who Impressed one as g
fierce appearing man. Asked on what
representations the insurance was OBJ
tanned, the clerk SAID that the policy
WAS issued on the mans representations
! as to his property, and from the pre-
, sentation of an expiring policy which
, he had been carrying. The old policy
the clerk said, was in the Home OF New
York, issued by the Gale agency, anC
that in making the new policy they fol
? lowed all of the descriptions in the OLE
: one, and for the same amounts. 1t wa
! cash policy; they held it for
: few days, and the man came in ant
paid the premiums and took the polio.
away. The premium paid was S11. On
of the clerks remembered that when HI
called for the policy he informed then
, that he had purchased a new piano ant
put it in the house since he took out hi
policy. and that the piano cost 5000.
At Gale & Co.'s office they said the,
had had no record of the issue of til
2 Home policy or any other to the mai
+, named. They thought that it NIGH
+ have been issued by MILAN 81 Tasting
OH the East side. On Inquiry there
was found they knew nothing of an
= such policy or Snch man.
Il Mrs. Hedland, in conversation
. with the GLOBE reporter last evening
confirmed the story of her confession
! She said that she pleaded with her hus
d band not to fire the house, as she di
II not wish to have the guilt of il on he
{ SOUL" but he told her to keep quie
y telling her he knew what he was doing
. He threatened her with harm If she oil
{ not do as he wished. He also con
IldIueu DtE ~ Help MIN vi tIlI HiS III I
8 the fire, but that she fatty refused, say
l ing he might do with her what h
!, wished, but that sin she would not haV
. on her conscience.
d In recounting the story of the burn
ing, Mrs. Hedland said they all dresse
themselves, her husband putting OH h
best suit. She and the children ha
just passed outside of the door whe
: the flames shot up so rapidly that he
face was burned. As they moved ia
ther away the walls seemed to be fal
r ing over them. and they had to run fl
V their lives. She was so excited all tn
r. time that she does not remember hay
:, ing heard the explosion.
, While the wife and children wei
% passing out the husband remained b
)r hind to fire the building. He W;
II caught in the flames ami persisted, bl
J. of this she knew nothing, thinking
10 had gone to ST. Paul. She reterate