The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-05-04
! lie Ml|.urder..
sHO cKlNa BRUTALITY,
Beaten to Death with 4 Club.

Beaten to Death with q Club.
Sunday night word came to the authori-
ties here that there had been . murder
committed at Joseph Houle's placeibe-
tween the rivers, little more than half
way between Geroux and DeMarse
bridges in this township, and Deputy
Sheriff Walters, City Marshal Moorhead
and liveryman Simpson went out and
found that Joseph Houle had murdered
his wife. Veronica Houle, with a club,
and he was put under arrest and brought
to Jail. On Monday Houle was taken
back to the house to be present at the
coronsr's inquest. Coroner DR.. G. F.
Erskine, in company with States At
torney w. ]. Burke and Charles VIM
terer of Bathgate, arrived about noon.
After waiting for time for witnesses to
be gathered the coroner called Charles
Winterer, A. Simpson and F. A. Ward
we'll as jury and proceeded to view the
body and take testimony.
The place is on section ~, township
1853 range 50, almost halt way between
Pcmbina and Bathgate and about two
miles north and east of Brazille De-
Marse's. The land adjoins the farm of
John F. Miller, chairman of supervisors
of this township, who lives about three.
quarters OF mile away. The place is
mostly brush land with coulie winding
its way all through it, and Eonly about
twenty-five acres broken. On the place,
about one hundred yards apart, are two
small log houses about 14x16 and two
small stables. In one of these lived Mr..
and Mrs. Houle and in the other Louis
Lecuyer, a son-in-law of Mrs. Houle.
Mrs. Houle had been twice married.
Her first husband being Thos. Thiieault,
who it will be remembered was frozen to
death while drunk on his way home
from Pembina, about sixteen years ago.
His companion at that time was Bernard
Houle, a brother OF the second husband,
Joseph Houle, who escaped with his life
but with the loss of his feet, and who is
now said to be living at the Turtle Noun
tains, and is the only near blood relative
of the prisoner. BY the first marriage
two sons and four daughters were born,
two of the daughters being married, one
to D. Monette, who lives in the locality
referred to and the other to Louis
Lecuyer, who lives on the home farm as
described. All these children are living,
the two boys being grown and the
youngest daughter is aged about sixteen.
Joseph Houle married the widow Thi-
fault about fifteen years ago.and one boy
now about eight years old, has been
born to them. The farm belongedlto
the first husband; but he4made no will
and there have been no proceedings in
probate court to settle the estate. Mean
time no taxes have beenl paid and the
place has been sold to various parties at
succeeding sales until it would take per-
haps thousand dollars to clear up the
tax titles. the meantime, :.however,
land values have gone up IN that locality,
and this farm, though covered with brush
and has four miles of coulie running
through it, has become quite valuable
for hay and stock. and this summer
81 200 was offered for it by a neighbor,
but owing to the facts recited. no title
could be given. About three years ago
Louis Lecuyer. who is best known By
the nickname of "Sheshep," son-in-
law of Mrs. Houle, lost his place near
Langdon and came with his family and
built a log house on the home farm and
leased of Mrs. Houle the small amount
of blowing that was on the farm. Houle
is medium sized man, given somewhat
to drink and not very industrious. He
worked vut for neighbors some but was
not reliable and generally spent his
money for drink. Mrs. Houe was
good sized woman, and for one of her
c'ass and opportunities was rather bright
ami intelligent.
Che testimony of all the children ex-
amined before the jury was to the effect
that the married life of the pair was not
harmonious; that they quarelled often
and that Houleswas often cranky" and
was always jealous OF his wife; While ON
the other hand the wife did not like the
drinking habits of the husband. But so
far as the testimony went, there was
nothing to show that any serious assaults
!, ...:-s -.
had occurred previous to the day :of the
murder. Some testimony showedssthat
there was iIl-feeling between the mother
and the son-ln-law, Lecuyer, and that
she did not enter the son-in-law's house;
but, except as accused by Houle, only
the very remotel suspicious caused by
this ill-feeIing and the possible posses
sion of the farm through the death Of
the mother, went to corroborate the
accusation of Houle, that Lecuyer had
persuaded him to club Mrs. Houle to her
death.
THE MURDER.