The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-11
STORY OF THE TRAGEDY TOLD IN
DETAILED TO THE CORONER BY
EYE WITNESSES.
MURDERS QUICKLY AVENGED.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE ELMORE
BATTLE TELL OF THAT BLOODY
AFFAIR.
THoR8URN's REMAINS GO EAST.
Witnesses Sent to Lake Mills to
Identify the Second
Desperado.
MURDERS QUICKLY AVENGED.
REMAINS GO EAST.

is the man who came to my house and
asked to borrow a needle and thread
Wednesday forenoon" Thus positive
ly and without hesitation did Mrs. Eta
Browning testify tonight
Weirdest Of all the scenes thus far in
the Sherburne bank tragedy was this
inquest. When the remains Of the dead
robber reached Sherburne 1t ap-
preached nightfall, and when the cas-
ket had been opened in Reynolds hall
over the undertaking establishment
only one oil lamp cast It's Pickering
rays over the party assembled for the
1nqulsition. In the casket lay the form
or young man, smooth shaven, in
the tWenties, no doubt. A neat choker
ana collar concealed his throat, The
bicycle suit drenched with the blood
or the Gilmore tragedy reposed in a
packing case near at hand AS the
witnesses were summoned, the golf cap
was put upon his head, the jacket was
thrown over his torso, and in this
gu1se one by one the witnesses passed
judgment. VIM. Koch was sure as to
the clothes. Kahler, the teamster. was
most positive, and Esther Larson, who
was in Follett's store next door to the
bank was positive
HE WAS THE MAN
who was on the south side of the pair
VINO crossed the street Just previous TO
the robbery. But Mrs. Browning was
absolutely sure. Even in the dim light
OF the jury chamber, glistening as the
rays did in the red blotch that had
Followed the coming of death, this wo-
man stood without apparent nervous
ness or doubt and identified one Of the
murderers Of Sherburne. In her words
lay the justification Of Deputy Sheriff
Ward, to whose unerring aim was to
be credited the death Of one of the
fugittves. Not one Of the score of audi
tors in that dismal chamber doubted
the accuracy of the woman's words
her manner betokened her sincerity,
her serious appreciation of the situa-
eion was manifest in her very tones
ouodued, yet without trace of reluc-
lance as they We're, it was APPARENT to
all tnat the woman spoke the truth
NOT one doubted that there lay one of
the pair who had sent George Thor
burn and Olaf Oestern to eternity I'M
warned. 1t was such an occasion as
commanded the deepest reverence. but
the solemnity was heightened when
Mrs. Jane Masters came to the stand.
Wan she looked in that Pickering light
and little wonder was it that her hus-
band stood close behind that totterine
form.
Please view the remains carefully. !"
suggested the coroner, and with the
heorism of a Stole the woman looked
FOR few moments at the CHASTITY face
Of the dead man. 1t required all her
will, so deep was her appreciation Of
the barrier between life and death. In
moment she tottered. and but for
supporting arms would have fallen
heavily in her chair. Her composure
was soon recovered, however, and in a.
minute she told how the men had
crossed Main street and entered the
pank, how the curtain had been pulled
down, and, In fact, every incident of
That most tragic event of Wednesday.
Esther Larson thought from the
clothes that 1t was the man. Mrs.
Masters, too, identified him as one of
the two who crossed the street. but
Mrs. eBrowning's Identification was az
POSITIVE AND COMPLETE
as could be desired. The brutal murder
or Thorburn and Oestern had been par
TALLY avenged, and even in the gapine
faces of the crowd that surrounded the
door to the inquest chamber could be
read the satisfaction that was incident
al to the accomplishment of such q re-
venge. The inquisition was short. The
jury had been impanelled in Faribault
&c
catch the No. train for home. They
did.
Donald Thorburn, brother Of the muir
dered banker, arrived today from his
home In Ontario, opposite Buffalo, and
will leave with the body of his brother
Monday. There has been some diff
Guilty in securing the necessary papers
for the transfer of the body. but the
arrangements are now about complete.
August Larson, employed at the State
Bank Of Sherburne returned this morn
ing from Emmetsburg, To-, he being
one of the last Of the south going posse
to return. Mr.. Larson states that the
posse with which he went was able to
keep excellent track OF the robbers I'M
til nightfan Wednesday, but thereafter
they were diverted from the straight
track of pursuit by the false reports
that were sent from Estherville and
other Iowa points. Some amusement
and some CONSERVATION, too, was Gre
ated here this morning by q query from
the marshall at Casey, To-, asking for a
description of H. c. A1cox The latter is
local implement dealer who has been
among the most indomitable pursuers
OF the fleeing robbers, and it appears
that he has been arrested on suspicion
that he Is one Of the guilty men. In
general characteristics perhaps he
agrees with the description of one of
the men, but those who saw the rob-
bers cannot reconcile themselves to the
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
When 1t was ascertained where
Casey was, however, he being in Guth-
RE county, Iowa, west of Des Moines.
and fully 140 miles from Sherburne. It
became apparent that Alcox was far
in advance Of all the rest of the posse
and that the misunderstanding which
led to his arrest might blast the pros
poets of the capture of the second rob-
Der. Some indignation Is being mani
tested locally as the facts develop that
the dissemination of the news of
Wednesdays tragedy should have
failed at SO signal a point The first
message sent from Sherburne went to