The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1900-07-21
TELL SHOCKING STORIES.
Tales Told by Agnes and Militia Molkinthin
Lead to the Arrest OF Their Father
Upon an Infamous Charge.


On the fourth of July Agnes and
Militia Molkinthin, aged IA and II
years, were missed from their home at
the ranch of Herman Molkinthin,
their father, on Turner bay, about
eight miles above Occur d'Alene.
Investigation proved that they had
gone away with Gust Johnson. The
national holiday was also chosen as
the wedding day of an older daughter,
sister to Agnes and Militia. A roman
tic story began to be noised about
that johnson was the forlorn and
hopeless lover of the older girl, and
in revenge for her marriage to another
had stolen the younger sisters away.
johnson, with the two little girls,
were traced to Valley City, N. D.,
where they were arrested just as
tickets were being procured to take
them to Burlington, n. D., little
town about 100 miles distant from
Valley City. Sheriff Bradbury was
notified of their capture and dis
patched Deputy Ed Bradbury to
bring them back to Idaho. They
arrived in Ra1hdIum last Sunday,
when another story was told. john
son claimed he was taking the girls
to his mother, Mrs. John Marley, at
Burlington, N. d., at the solicitation
aud request Of their mother, to get
them away from their father, who
habitually abused and matreated
them. The girls openly charged the
father with an helnous crime.
On Monday johnson was arraigned
before Justice James II. Harte at
Occur d'Alene, when Il charge al
criminal assault was placed against
him. He was bound over in the sum
of $1,000 to appear for trial on Tues
day the 24th inst.
The girls reiterated the charge
. against the father, Herman Molkin
thin, when complaint was sworl
out charging him also with crimind
assault, and he was placed undp
1000 bonds to appear for trial before
Justice Harte on Wednesday the 25tt
inst Both men failed to give bonds
and were brought back to Rathdrun
and confined in the.county Jail. Tn,
girls were given temporarily into tn,
charge of Mrs. James Judge of Cueu
d'Alene
The girls and johnson and tn,
father talk freely Of their troubles
johnson, who is Swede about q
years of age, tells mis- story in
straightforward manner and Away
the saHe, denying any intimacy will
the girls. The girls confederate John
sons story, but in charging thei
father with an infamous crime, do s.
as though ignorant OF the gravity o
the charge.
The father, Herman Molkenthn
says he was in Occur d'Alene on tn
4th Inst. When he returned to hi
home on the next day he found hi
wife in the woods, calling and huntin
/ for the children and in IA very nervou
and excitable condition, aud as th
night came on and the girls did no
return, it was with great difficult
that she was controlled and ind uce,
to. stay in the house, while he went t.
the neighbors for assistance. Jus
before the girls were located or ha,
been heard from, she woke him up a
2 o'clock in the morning, saying the
were at the door. He arose and wen
out, looking all around the house fo
them, but OF course they were no
there. The mother then got frp an,
wandered around in the moonlight il
her night dress until nearly morning
before she could be induced to re- ente
the house. When asked specftfcall
of the charge against him, he SAID tn
girls had been put up" to tell tina
story and would not swear to IT, ant
they could not do so. He said hi
wife was not very strong. mentally
and had not been for the past eigh
years. He then told story Of hare
struggles I'm getting his farm a
Turner bay in condition so that i
would support the family. He sait
he had always given every cent an:
done all he could for the support ane
comfort of "mamma and the girls, )
and had done the best he could. Hi
story was told simply, but at thi
point his voice choked somewhat
Ife is German, about 55 years o
age, and seems a common, ordsnar,
Woodworking mana ranch mar.