Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-09-14

came to him and told him to hitch up a
horse and buggy as he wanted to see
him on important business. 1t was
dusk and the two drove along a lonely
highway near Mandan. Kent began the
conversation by asking his hired man it
he wanted to earn q big pile Of money.
Il will make you rich if you want to
and il you will do as I tell you" said
Kent.
He then offered Swidinsky $500 il
he would kill Mrs. Kent. The Bohe-
milan at first declined, but at last ac-
cepted the offer. Everything was ar
ranged by Kent and it was agreed to
make the killing appear an accident.
For this purpose Kent drew up a written
statement to be memorized by Swidinsky
and told to the %ooroner's jury. This
statement it was agreed, should be writ
ten by Swidinsky at the dictation of his
employer. It is now in the possession
Of Detective Ehrlichman. There are
numerous interlineation upon the state
ment. These int%erlineation are in the
handwriting OF Kent.
The day before the murder Kent left
his home saying that he was going to
England to look after his estate. He
went across the river to Bismarck, how
ever, and remained there until he heard
that the bloody work was we'll done.
Swidinsky in the meantime prepared
for the terrible deed. On the night of
March 10, when Mrs. Kent and her son
Earl were asleep, Swidinsky arose from
his bed and awoke them, telling the wo-
man that there were burglars about the
house. He picked up a double-barreled
shotgun and when the woman's back
was turned he fred at her. the charge
tearing off the top OF ner head and scat
tering her blood and brains upon the
wall. The murderer then ran to the
house of a neighbor named Haucke and
told him that Mrs. Kent had been killed
by accident. At the coroner's inquest
a few days later Swidinsky repeated the
story he had memorlzed from his written
statement. It was believed by all who
heard it. Earl Kent's testimony was OF
little value as he could not give a tan.
gible account Of the occurrence.
RUNNING DOWN KENT.
To locate Kent was the next question.
The detective found that Attorney j. G
Pope of Mora, Mimi, was a personal
friend of Kent. He visited Mr.. Pope
and engaged that gentleman to obtain
evidence regarding S%widinsky's crime
paying him a retaining fee. Pope &C.
copied and incidentally Ehrlichmar
found that Pope held a correspondence
with Kent. One day the detective picked
up a letter which Pope had just re
ce,ved and saw that it was written by
one u. G. Pope, Arlington, Colo" The
handwriting was that of Kent. This
was all that Ehrlichman wanted, and he
packed his grip and started west, ar
irving at Arlington last Friday night al
$50 o'clock. He visited Postmaster Pat
ton the following morning. The de
~tective was under q new mask. He wal
an agent for 500 Russian Mennonites
who desired to leave the old country anc
start a colony in the vicinity Of Airing
ton. During the previous night, how
ever, he lost little time. He discovered
that a MI. Pope occupied a room in the
hotel adjoining his. About 2 o'clock il
the morning the detective arose, took {
dark lantern from his gripsack, stealth
lily entered Pope's room, the door O
which was open, and threw the ligh,
upon the sleeping figure. He wa full,
satisfied that the occupant was Kent
and during the remainder OF the night
kept q close watch upon the room. Til,
following day the town was agog owe
the arrival Of Joseph Toblinski, tn,
agent for the Mennonites, and by clever
questioning the detective gained all til,
information that he wanted about MI
Pope. A deputy sheriff, Putnam, twt
stout farm hands, whose names ar,
Hughes and Foster, were pressed init
service to aid in the arrest and MI
Kent, alias Mr.. Pope, was arrested
They expected a big fight, but there wa
no resistance.
"Mr. Kent, I guess the play, is owe
now" said the detective after the hand
cuffs were placed on the prisoners wrists
II am as innocent Ct this charge az
you are, my boy" exclaimed Kent, VIII,
was very pale. He was not told what h,
was arrested for at this time.
The News also gives an interview will
Kent, who still claims the killing wa
accidental, as follows: "Parties came t,
my house, and my wife, thinking the,
were burglars, called to Tom to get
gun and fire it off, to brighten then
away. By accident my wife was sho
and 80 far as I can learn my son Ear
who is only ten years old, testified at th'
inquest that the killing was accidental
I was in Ingham county, Michigan, q
l tho TINA an1 woo noin0 h,oL NJ: