Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1895-05-08
ANOTHER MURDER.
r. w. Thomas Found Dead in the
Streets of Minneapolis.
Fritz williams Arrested and Confesses He
Did the Deed-From All Accounts
Jealousy Led to the
killing.

/ MINNEAPoIIs, May 7.--Another dast-
ardly crime has been added to the long
list which marks the criminal records
of Minneapolis. III. w. Thomas, super
intendent of the 500 telegraph system,
was found murdered shortly after l
o'clock Monday morning at the corner
of Thirty-second street and Chicago
avenue. The body was discovered by
| two young men named Ward Housed
and w. III. Dickinson, who reside in the
vicinity. They were on their way
home, and when passing the corner of
Thirtv-second street and Chicago ave-
nue., saw the body of man lying in the
gutter. They approached and discov-
cred large pool of blood in which the
mans head was lying. A bullet hole
in the face indicated that a crime had
been committed, and they gave the
| alarm at the Fifth precinct station.
Coroner Kistler was at once summoned
and the body was removed to the coun-
ty morgue. A Windsor hotel check
gave clue to the identity of the man,
and about two hours after the discov-
cry of the body it was learned that the
deceased was Supt. Thomas, of the 500.
1twas learned that the murdered man
had been visiting at the residence of
Mr. Berglund, 5000 Chicago avenue. He
was particular friend of the family and
had gone to the house early in the after
noon, staid to supper and left at 10 min
utes of IL. He had gone to the residence
with Mr.. and Mrs. Webster, of Oak
Lake, with whom he had taken dinner
Mr.. Webster is son-in-law of Mr.. Berg
lund, and is receiving teller at the West
ern Union telegraph office. Mr.. Thorn
as appeared to be in unusually bright
spirits during the day and he babe the
family of Mr.. Berglund cheerful good
night on his departure. He had not
been gone more than three minutes
when Mrs. Berglund and her daughter
heard muffied report, but paid no at
tention to it. 1t was of such a subdued
nature that at first they thought an
electric light globe had exploded in
some part of the house and no further
attention was paid to the matter. Not
for moment did they suppose that the
sound they had heard was the death
knell of an intimate friend of the fami-
ly. The family then retired and knew
nothing of the horrible affair till sew
eral hours later, when officers visited
the house in an endeavor to obtain q
clue to the assassin who had committed
the crime.
At this time the authorities received
certain information which they consid-
cred would warrant the apprehension
of Fritz Williams, a son-in-law of Mr.
Berglund, who has not been living with
his wife for several months past.
At a quarter of 5 in the morning,
Lieut.. Thomas Coskran and Police Of
fcer Fox went to the residence of Mrs.
Williams, on Park avenue between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, and
took into custody her son Fritz, the
husband of Mr.. Berglund's daughter.
Mrs. Williams answered the door call
and Immediately aroused her son, who
was sleeping OF a cot on the ground
floor. While he was somewhat sur
prised that he was wanted, still he did
not express the astonishment that
would naturally be expected from
man placed in his position. He was
taken to the Fifth precinct lookup, but
was shortly after removed to the Cen
trail station. He was warned that any
thing he might say would be used
against him.
When Williams was first subjected to
the sweating process he denied all
of the crime but shortly
after when closely questioned by Supt
Smith, Detectives Doyle and Howard,
his guilt and said he had COM
nitted the murder.
He told his story in straight for
ward manner. Said he was crazed with
jealousy but knew exactly what he
was doing. The separation from his
wife had been preying on his mind and
when he learned that she had returned
from Grand Forks and that Thomas
was calling on her, it aroused all his
passion and caused him to commit the
terrible crime.
He said that he believed his wife and
Thomas had been intimate and that
she was not using him right"
Williams is confined in one of the up
Der cells of the Central police station
ind will see no one but mem bers of his
,amily and his attorney Mr.. Erred Cook.
A peculiar circumstance in connec-
ion with the CRIME is that yesterday,
when he took a fellow creatures life,
marks the twenty-firSt anniversary of