The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-31
GOES BACK TO TRIAL
LOUIS BILLOW, CHARGED WITH A
COLD-BLOODED MURDER, Is
ARRESTED
CRIME COMMITTED IN OHIO

anu w OunOed Two Oh mex DfOln-
ers-Has Been Fugitive From
Justice for Three Years-GOes
Back to Ohio of His own vOIitiOn.
After being for nearly three years a
fugitive from justice on the charge Of
murder Louis Billow, young farmer
formerly of Fremont. o., is at last
under: arrest and on the way back to the
scene Of his alleged cold-blooded murder
to stand trial for taking human life. The
prisoner passed through this city yester-
day in company with Deputy Sheriff G.
r. Harris, of Sandusky county, Ohio,
having been arrested several days ago at
Eastern, Wash. Billow is said to have
confessed the crime charged against him
and goes back to Fremont of his own
volition.
That Billow did not kill three persons
rather than but one is, according to
Deputy Sheriff Harris, no fault of the
young mans Billow was paying at.
tention to Cora Hess the daughter Of a
WELT o-do farmer living near the Billow
farm. The attentions of the young man
were Objectionable to the girls parents
and the young woman rather discour-
aged his suit for this reason. This en-
ragged Billow, and it is alleged, moved
him to revenge. Taking a stand near
the Hess home with a shotgun, the
night of May 16, 1896, Billow, according
to Deputy Sheriff Harris, waited until Il
o'clock, when he is alleged to have
blown up the house with dynamite. AS
the frightened inmates rushed out of
doors, it is alleged that Billow calmly
shot them down as fast as he could.
| The first to fall was old man Hess, killed
instantly. Then two grown brothers Of
Miss Hess were shot. Hearing the noise
of the gun, Miss Hess and other men,
bers of the family feared to leave the
house and hid themselves in the wreck
age left by the dynamite explosion. It is
alleged that Billow was also intent upon
killing Miss Hess. But he did not en-
ter the ruins in search of the girl, be-
coming frightened, it is alleged, at what
he had already done, and took to
fight. j
the wounding of his two sons aroused
Sandusky county from one end to the
other. The absence Of young Billow,
together with other facts coming into
possession of the authorities, led to his
being indicted for the murder. The Hess
brothers recovered! A thorough search
was made for the young man for nearly
six months after the murder, but no
trace of him could be found. The earth
seemed to have swallowed him up By
degrees the horrible murder was almost
! forgotten.
Meantime Billow was q wanderer, seek
ing safety first in one place and then an
| other. He went to Indiana, where he
worked for farmers for some months,
managing to keep his identity a secret,
and gradually drifted through Illinois,
| Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas,
never once being suspected as a fugitive
charged with capital crime. His own in
| discretion was responsible for his arrest.
He wrote back to Fremont from East
| ern Wash. The Ohio authorities got
track of the letter. The young mans
whereabouts were learned and the East
| ern authorities placed him. under arrest
| at the request OF Deputy Sheriff Harris,
! who at once proceeded to the coast and
| took charge of his prisoner. Billow is
| thirty years of age and the son Of a
| wealthy farmer of Sandusky county.
| Deputy Sheriff Harris says there is
! strong evidence against Billow without
the young mans alleged confession. The
sheriff left the city with his prisoner
en- route to Fremont last evening.