Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-10-03
THRESHER MURDERED
Most Brutal Affair that Has Ever
Occurred In Trail
County.
Anton Bye Is DeiibertIy Shot
Down By John
knutSOn.

(nutS0n.
The Murderer Stands Off An Aveng.
ing Mob With His
Revolvers.
Grand Forks Herald: One of the
most cold bl0oded murders in the an
nails of the state was committed Friday
afternoon in Trail county, when John
KIutson, without cause or provoca-
tion, drew revolver and shot Anton
Bye through the stomach, the wound
ed man dying Sunday evening at 6
o'clock.
Bye was working on threshing ma
chine on the Cooper farm. The man
Knutson appeared on the scene and
was walking apparently aimlessly
about, when he suddenly drew his re-
volver when within a few feet of Bye
and shot him through the stomach.
The murderer tnen cody mounted a
bicycle and rode to his home In Bentru
Township, Grand Forks county, not q
man Of the threshing crew daring to
make an attempt to follow him, as he
had revolver in each pocket. Bye
was taken at once to the Cooper re-
sidence and DR.. Grassick, who was
summoned at once did all that could
be done to save his life, but in vain.
The bullet was located but nothing
could be done, the wound inflicted be-
ing very much like the one which kill
ed the late president.
AS soon as the members Of the
threshing crew recovered from the
shock Of the dreadful deed, pitchforks
were dropped and the men hurried in
all directions for their guns, and met
later to give chase. The sheriff OF
Traill county was notified and mes
sages sent in all directions to the po-
lice to be on the lookout.
Saturday morning when Judge Nc
Loughlin came to his Office, Knutson
was there waiting for him, and when
the Judge appeared stated that he
wanted Bye put under bonds to keep
the peace. Knutson stated that Bye
and others had chloroformed him a few
days ago and the operation had made
him very sick. Judge Mclaughlin
told Knutson that in order to COM
mence the action contemplated, he
must produce go. Knutson then left
the Office and did not return until
about 2 O'Clock in the afternoon, when
he told the Judge he would return to
his home and get the necessary money.
Knutson then got his horse, which
he had left at . barn the night before
1T a late hour, and when he appeared
hear his home helwas greeted by .
posse Of twenty men who had organ
lied the evening before and had been
looking for him all day.
When Knutson saw the posse he
opened fire andlfled to thicket near
his home, where he held the twenty
men at bay for hours. The last reports
were received from Bentru Saturday
night at midnight and Knutson was
master Of the situation at that time.
More men had been sent for, however
and a number of officers were expect
ed before morning. Knutson was
completely surrounded and cannot es-
cape, though it may be some time be-
fore he is taken in custody.
Bye, the man shot to death, is a sim
gle man, and has resided in Bentru
for a number Of years, working for a
number Of farmers. Knutson has
been the terror of!:the township Of
Bentru for the past year. He has
been considered little of for some
time past, and was known to be great
" interested inl1O cent novels. For
the past year he has been practicing
revolver shooting and was the best
shot in the town. He had said he
was going to be cowboy and was
waiting for chance to make a
record.
He is known to have four revolvers
in his possession. Knuts0n has been
residing with his widowed mother
for the past few years. He is 2l
years Of age, weighing 200 pounds.
John Knutson, who last Friday af-
ternoon shot Anton Bye in Trail
county, was arrested at his home
without struggle Sunday morning,
and was taken to Hillsboro, where he
was lodged in jail.
Knutson was surrounded in a grove
near his home by q posse all Saturday
night. He was heavily armed and
though he was within hailing distance
Of members Of the posse, none Of them
approached too close, Is Knutson