The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-27
ACCUSED OF MURDER
CORNELIUS FoRTIER ARRESTED
BY RAMSEY COUNTY OFFICERS
ON SUSPICION.
A TRAGEDY AT FARIBAULT,
IN WHICH THE WIFE OF THE
PRISONER WAS THE VIC
TIM.
AUTHORITIES WANTED HUSBAND.
Has Been Living in Minneapolis,
but Was Caught at a Farm
House In AnOka.
A TRAGEDY AT FARIBAULT,


Cornelius Fortier, alleged to have
murdered his divorced wife at Fari-
bault Jan. Is, for whose arrest a re-
ward Of $500 was offered, is prisoner
at the county jail where he was lodged
by Sheriff Wagner and Deputy Sheriff
Robert at an early hour yesterday
morning. A warrant charging Fortier
with having killed his wife is in the
hands of the Faribault police and the
prisoner will be held until the arrival
of the proper officials today, when he
will be taken to the scene of his al
! legged crime.
The prisoner was captured at the
home of Theodore Montbriand, a farm
er living in Anoka county, about five
miles beyond Centerville. The infor-
nation upon which Sheriff Wagner
and Deputy Robert made the arrest
was furnished by George Lanouette,
a resident Of Centerville who knew
F'ortier and appraised the sheriff of
the prisoners presence at Montbriand's
home With Lanouette for a guide.
Sheriff Wagner and Deputy Robert
started with a team from Centerville
shortly after 6 o'clock Tuesday even
ing. Reaching Montbriand's place be-
lore 10 o'clock they peered through a
window in the house and saw Fortier
quietly engaged in patching a pair Of
overalls. In response to q knock at
the door the sheriff's party was adj
m1tted, when Deputy Robert, address,
Ing Fortier in French Informed him
that he was under arrest The prison.
er showed no agitation, merely asking
to be allowed to get his coat The
oH1c1als would not trust him out Of
their sight, however, and when the
garment was brought to him Fortier
was placed in the carriage and the
drive back to the city begun.
The charge against the prisoner was
not made known to him until the car
riage started, when Deputy Robert
said:
"Fortier, you are accused Of murder
ing your wife"
With unassumed GOODNESS the pris-
oner merely answered, ''They will have
to prove tt"
Sheriff Wagner had a lengthy talk
with Fortier yesterday afternoon dur
ing which Fortier maintained an I'M
usual composure and absolutely denied
any knowledge Of his wife's death. He
claims not to have seen the woman
since leaving her two years and three
months ago, when he says he went to
live In Minneapolis. He kept a small
confectionery store there, he claims.
until week ago, when ne sold his eff
fects and came to st. Paul He says
he remained here until last Thursday.
when he walked to Centerville, looking
for work en- route. When he reached
Montbriand's he was offered employ
ment at $40 a month with his board
and accepted the position. Fortier is
siXty-four years of age and Is the
father of five children. He says his
real name is Beloin, but that when his
mother married a second time he as
sumed the name of his stepfather. He
lived at Faribault twenty years.
Accounts of the killing of Mrs. Ma
tilda Fortier were published in the
Twin City papers at the time, but
there was no suspicion that the sus-
pected murderer had come to this city.
The following facts concerning the
murder are taken from a two-column
article in the Faribault Pilot of Jan. 20:
The murder was committed Saturday fore
noon, Jan. Is, the Roberts Lake road in
the town of Wells, Rice county. She was an
industrious woman, doing washing for liv-
ing Her son.. Medric, was told to call in
the afternoon for some washing When he
called he found his mother living dead in a
great pool of blood. An investigation fol-
lowed, and the coroners jury found that
l. VI tlel "6S the pFODdDle murderer His
satchel was found in the barn near the house
and it was supposed that he had slept in the
barn Friday night: Two peep holes had been
cut in the side of the barn and commanded
view of the house. man supposed to
be Fortier had been seen about the prem
ises and in the neighborhood, and two pistol
SHOTS had been heard. The dead woman had
been wounded with four bullets, and any
one of the three wounds would have caused
her death. The Fortiers had lived near Fart
bault for twenty years and had often quar-
EOrtipr
the fall of 1895. Her husband was of a row
ing disposition, and on one OCCASION when
leaving his home, had threatened to come
back and kill his wife. The first part of this
month he sold his business in Minneapolis and
gave out that he was going to Canada He is
known by sight to a large number of peo-
pie who have seen him travelling with
peep-show and wheeling cripple his partner
in the business.