The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-02-21
TRIAL FOR LIFE.
Vim. BeChmdn, a Former RenVilfe
County Man, on Trial
= In Oregon.
Witnesses from Redwood County
will Testify for the De-
fenddnt.

Renville counties leave this place and
Renvi(le station on March 10th for
Roseburg, Douglass county, Oregon,
for the purpose of giving testimony
for the defense in the celebrated mur-
der case of the People Us. VIM. Bech-
man. The defendant formerly lived
in Renville county, at the top of the
hill just across the Minnesota river
from Delhi, and was considered one
of the most law abidinglcitizens in the
community. Now he must answer to
the charge of numbering: his wife
and her son, Robert Ring. The story
follows:
About five years ago Bschman was
bachelor, residing on an 80-acre tract
in Renville county, with all the COM
forts bachelor farmer can possibly
possess. One day about this time he
was notified by officials in Holland
that he had fallen heir to quite large
sum of money left him by deceased
relatives. He left for the old country
shortly afterwards and there proved
his identity and received the money.
Here, too, he met the woman who was
to play such an important part in his
future life. She was Hollander,
widow, and her name was Ring, and
she had a son and daughter. Bech-
man returned to this country and the
widow and children soon afterwards
followed him. Bechman returned to
his farm. The widow and children
set up hotel keeping in Renville, and
Bechman made frequent calls on her.
The result of all this was that the
Colonel as Bechman was known,
was shortly afterwards married to the
widow. The hotel in Renville was
kepS up for awhile, but the wife and
children apparently grew restless and
induced Bechman to take them to an
other climate. This was done and
farm near Roseburg, Oregon, was de-
cided upon as the future dwelling
place of the family.
Bechman was not very social fell
low. He was content with the happi-
ness his own house afforded. His wife,
however, and the children attended
numerous little social gatherings of
the good people of Oregon, and made
a favorable impression. AS time wore
on they succeeded in inducing Bech-
man to turn over all his property to
the wife, and then began Bechman's
life of torment, if the story is to be re-
lied on. The wife and her children
treated him with contempt, and car
ried this treatment so far that they
drove Bechman from the house and
he was obliged to sleep in the barn.
This treatment grew more and more
severe until about the 18th of last
September, when Bechman found him
self in a face to face row with his wife
and her son, and he pulled a revolver
which he carried to defend himself
against the son, and shot both mother
and son dead.
Bechman was arrested, and his trial
occurs about the ldes of March. The
feeling is strong against him for the
reason that several murders haye been
committed in Douglass county during
the past year, the offenders have es-
capped, and the people are desirous of
hanging some person. Beehman is
an old soldier about SO years of age,
and his old neighbors are warm in
their praises of the old man as law
abiding citizen. E.B. Hale, of this city,
who lived neighbor to him for sew
eral years, is among the number.
The Judge of the district mas issued
an order directing the State to defray
the expenses of defendants witnesses,
and the fourteen from Redwood and
Renville counties will receive 10 cents
per mile for over 1,2OO miles and 50
per day while they are in attendance
at the trial. The expense of going
and returning will be about $40, the
large party getting reduced rate.
DR.. W.D. Finn, of this city, is one
of the witnesses subpoaened, and will
probably obey the summons, the lat
ter not being mandatory for the rea-
son that it is issued from another
State. DR.. Finn has examined Bech-