The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-09
NOT EVEN A GLUE
MYSTERY REGARDING THE MUIR
DER OF BENSON AS DEEP AS
EVER.
WOMAN REMAINS SILENT.
POSITIVELY DECLARES SHE HAS
NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE
TRAGEDY.
COUNTERFEITER'S CASE HEARD.
Boston Held for Trial ON $500 Bail
News of Minne-
WOMAN REMAINS SILENT
oOUNTERFEITER's CASE HEAR


the life-giving stream of the young
Scandinavian remains undisclosed. All
through yesterday and last night the
/ police did trojan work in attempting
to run the fugitive to justice, but their
| efforts have thus far proved futile as
though the secret Of the identity of
! the criminal went out with the life
blood of his victim.
Mystery, deep and subtle broods over
| the affair, defying penetration or dis
! lodgment. Not for years has the local
police department been allowed such an
opportunity to revel in the methods Of
the clever sleuth. The celebrated Hay
ward case dims in comparison. There
/ there were clues tangible in their ma
ture to unravel Not SO in the Benson
tragedy. The assassin appears to have
enjoyed the dual personality of Mr..
! Hyde and concealed his footsteps and
| all possible clues quite as effectively.
/ The only evidence of the murder vet
| found is broken blade, that original
| ly belonged to what is known as a
| toad stabber." There was a small
| spot of blood upon it, and 1t could
plainly be seen that the break was a
fresh one. The blade was taken in
charge by Sergeant Fox.
The crime is in a sense peculiar
! through being surrounded with a web
of mysterious circumstances. The VIC
tim was learned to have spent the af-
ternoon with Mrs. Hanson, dissolute
woman who with her husband, has
been making her home at POPS Second
street south. She was with Benson in
| the apartments Of the latter, at 23S
! Fifteenth avenue south, drinking al
cohol punches, by her subsequent con-
fession, and they left the rooms short
/ ly after o'clock, going in the direc-
! ton of her home. She admits accom-
panying him along Washington avenue
! to Nineteenth avenue south, but de-
MES further knowledge of his move
ments. When about to take leave Of
! him, she states, he was accosted by a
stranger, and the two walked in the
direction of Second street, while she
returned to her home.
In contradiction Of her statements is
the testimony of no less than three eye
witnesses, who claim to have witnessed
the presence of the woman with the
two men. Confronted with this, the
woman stolidly forgets all such cir
! cumstances.
Charles Hansen, husband of the wo-
man, was again sent for yesterday af-
ternoon by the superintendent Of police.
in the vain hope that he would throw
additional light on the case after the
few hours sleep. He was escorted to
the South side police station and sub
mitted to a rigid oss-examination.
The nature of the tragedy was i'm
pressed upon him, and the serious sus
ptc1ons connecting him with the affair
| emphasized, but without avail The
same stolid Indifference was manifest
! ed that has characterized his manner
since his first apprehension and the
same statements were returned to the
! questions Of the police that were given
Sunday night
My wife left me early in the after
noon,' he said to the police, and T
did not know where she went. Before
going she asked me for 10 cents to
buy a drink. I told her 1 only had 25
cents and wanted that to buy coal
She said she would go out and get if.
but did not say where. That is all I
know of the affair."" His statements
were corroborated by the woman.
subsequently the fellow was brought to
police headquarters and again placed
IN THE SWEAT-BOX
before the superintendent and police inspect
ors, put no information was divulged that
TENDED IN the slightest to incriminate either
MS wife or himself The unsavory reputa-
ton OF the man, as viewed by the police
tended to prolong their PERSISTENCE He is
not known to have been arrested before but
the record they claim to have of his move
ments Is scarcely that of a benefactor to
MS KIND. He has lived in the city for the
past fourteen years, and was at one time en-
gagged in the butcher business.
For the past few years he has not been
actively engaged in business in the city
Inc police affirm he is a victim to the gam
bling mania, and takes frequent sallies into
the country towns to allow it free rein. They
allege he has at different times profeesed to
the practice and called it "his graft" But
there is nothing of a serious nature connect
ed with his offenses SO far as learned. In
view of these facts the police for a time re-
garded his stolid Indifference and unshakable
nerves as result of the pursuit of gambling
and thought If he knew anything of the case
he could cleverly conceal it beneath that cool
exterior. Having failed in their efforts to
elicit the slightest information, the police
granted him his wish to talk privately. with
his wife. as he stated he was convinced that
she would tell him the true state Of affairs
as they were remembered by her. Hansen
was then taken to the central police station
and placed in the same cell with her.
The couple are of Scandinavian extraction
and their conversation was carried on in their
native tongue. The suggestion of the man
to be allowed to talk with his wife caused the
police superintendent to think it a clever
scheme to secret an inspector in an adjoining
cell. Inspector Stavalo was quietly stationed
| therein and being thoroughly conversant with
| the language mentally
NOTED EACH WORD
passed between the two. AS soon as the two
had been locked together and the officer had
withdrawn, Hanson said to his wife: Now
you have fixed yourself in good shape. I'll
just tell you you are in pretty bad fix. Now,
I want you to tell me all about it,
She replied: 81 can't tell you anything for
I can't remember what happened. have told
Stavalo everything 1 know
do you know the man that cut that
mans throat? You were out for a bad pur-
pose. Why did you not stay at home and
| keep sober? Now, you had somebody with
you and you got quarreling the street
| Now, you must know the party, and l want
| you TO tell me. If you don't you will be in
the deal yourself, and God knows what they
will do with YOU
81 can't remember anything" she returned.
''StavaIo told me l was on Second street and
| Nineteenth avenue, but l can't even remem-
| Der that. and | was told by some police that
l took hold Of a mans arm when he struck
| Nels. ! remember there were two men there
| but | thought one was Dickson"
| How is it that You can't remember any
| thing at all? Were you very drunk?" he
| asked.
Yes" she replied, II was very drunk.
| That was the substance of their talk
AT BENsoN's HOME
the following facts were learned about the
man and his movements during the day.
He roomed at 238 Fifteenth avenue. together
| with Elef johnson, and had been in the
| city since shortly before Christmas AS far
as known, he had not worked since coming to
| Minneapolis. The summer had been spent
nothing more in regard to that could be
| learned. He had no baggage not even q