Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-08-07
The Murderer Then Attempts
the Life Of a Witness to
His Terrible Deed.
Both Men are Residents of the
Town of Randall. Where the +
Crime Was Committed. &
Without Provocation and With
out Warning, the Horrible
Deed Was Done.

shocked SuOudy uIlcTuOOu ~ ~
ne VS. of cowardly and unprOvoked
murder that occurred in Scandi-
navian settlement in the town u
Randall, near Darling station on the
Northern Pacific road, about Six
miles west Of this city, shortly after
10 O'Clock Sunday forenoon.
The murderer is Erick Eckman, 4
Swede, 60 years Of age. and the vic ]:
tim of his dastardly act 10 Daniel
Clough, one of his neighbors, who
was shot and instantly killed, with
out the slightest warning Of his ter
rible fGte. .,s.sa-s=
The story of the crime is that
Daniel Clough, who is one OF the
school officers of that district, was
on his way to the school house to
read a report, which he as such
officer had made
On the way to the school house,
where at the time the shooting Oc-
Cured, Sunday school services were
being held, were several neighbors OF
the murdered man, including Eek
man, the murderer, his son-ip-law,
Abraham johnson, and another
named Victor Erickson. When but
a short distance from the school
house all four of the men csme to-
gether and Eckman grabbed Clough
by the shoulder and began shaking
him, and made other demonstrations
as if he desired to provoke a fight. 4
Clough called to Eckman's sOn-tn-
law to take the old man away, as
he wished to avoid any trouble with
him. Without giving any warning
of his murderous intentions, and be-
fore his son-in-law had time to-
comply with Clough's request Eek
man stepped back, pulled his revolver
and fired at the breast OF the un-
suspecting man, all being done 40
quickly that the victim had not the
slightest chance to defend himself.
The bullet entered the left breast
Just above the heart, and after the
shot was fired Clough walked about
twelve feet and fell on his face, ex-
piring instantly. 80
The crime was so unexpected to
the rest OF the party and the shock
was SO great that for a short space
of time their presence of mind de-
serted them. The murderer soon
brought them to their senses, for
scarcely had his first victim fallen
when he attempted the life of an
other. firing at Victor Erickson, who
escaped by jumping behind tree.
Before he had time to fire again,
his sUn-in-law, Abraham johnson,
seized him from behind and disarmed
him. ..~ a. ~
The body of Clough was left where
it fell. after being covered up, and
parties Immediately came to this
city for the sheriff and the coroner.
Coroner Trace and his deputy being
both out of the city, Sheriff Rider
and DR.: Roberts, the latter acting as
coroner, left Immediately for the
scene of the crime. ....
Sheriff Rider took the murderer.
who had been in charge OF several
from the time the shoot
ing occurred until his arrival, into
custody and brought him to this city,
where he was lodged in the county
Jail. DR.. Roberts. made an examina-
ton of the body and after taking
down all the points obtainable or.
dered that the body be brought to
this city, which was done last night,
and it now lies in Harting & Sons
morgue, awaiting the action of the
coroner. ,.-s.+ b.
The reason of the crime, if indeed
it could becalled a reason at all, was
very trivial, as related by the son-in-
law of the murderer. n
Clough, it is said, some time last
year employed Eckman to clear forty
acres of land. Eckman cleared ten
acres of the land, for which ClOugh
paid him $40. Eckman wanted more
money, but Clough told him that ne
would give him no more money un-
til he had cleared more land. The
dispute was not q serious one, or at
least, was evidently not 80 considered
by CIough, for he was entirely un-
for and not expecting the
attack.
Shortly after he was placed in the
county jail a large numberof citizens
gathered around to see the murderer.
He is an old man, nearly GO years OF
age, and now looks even older than
the age given. His eyes are sunken
and his cheeks hollow, and his &C.
lions since his capture are strange.
to say the least.
A representative Of the Transcript
was admitted to see him, and to him