The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-13
NORTH DAKOTA
NoReARD DID NOT CONFESS ::
Old Tragedy at Milton Revived by Certain
- .- Recent Reports. /

Old Tragedy at Milton Revived by Certain
..~ Recent Reports. . *. .
2 MILTON, N. D.-Rumors have been cur
rent that shortly prior to his death the
late Attorney R. S. Norgard made a con-
fession concerning the tragic death Of M.
J. Menes, a wealthy merchant whose mys-
FERROUS disappearance on the night Of
Sept. ,, 1896, and the discovery of his body
in an old we'll near this city, are still fresh
in the memory Of the people of this sec
ton. Rev. Alex. Karr and the others to
whom it is alleged the confession was
made, emphatically deny the reports and
no person can be found who will state that
he heard the dying man. make any CO.
herent statements that could possibly be
construed as a confession Of guilt in con-
nection with the case. F.. g.-z....- =
Credence is given to the rumor by many
owing to the fact that Norgard repeatedly
requested that his remains be not inferred
in the Odd. Fellows cemetery, where the
body of Menes was buried. which request
was complied with and his remains were
taken to Osnabroch for burial .-
The death of Menes still remains a rnys-
terry, and although the coroner's jury pro-
nounced it suicide there are a great many
people, including the immediate relatives
Of the man, who still adhere to the theory
Of murder. - ''~ q
Career Of Menes In NJ. .. go =
Menes was man of about SO years Of
age at the time Of his death and was
engaged in the general mercantile bust
ness In this city and had a branch store
at Edenburg, he also had a large farm
adjoining the townsite of Milton on the
south. He came here about 1890 from Fill
more county, Mimi, where his wife re.
| NAMED, and secured a divorce from him q
few years ,afterward. He was doing q
| thriving business and was reputed to b.
wealthy. year or SO prior to his dis
appearance young girl, daughter of one
| Of his customers from the northern par
| OF the county, was secured as housekeepel
! and shortly before the tragedy charged
her employer with being responsible fol
her condition. Her father threatened tt
prosecute, asserting the girl was under tn,
age of consent. Menes secured as counse
Attorney r. S. Norgard and the day pre-
| ceding the old mans disappearance tn,
1 two drove to the home Of the girls fathe
:. for the purpose of settling the difficulty
The father refused to settle upon the term
! offered and MenesE and his attorney re
| turned home late in the night. Meme
vigorously denied responsibility, for tn
| girls condition, charging one5of his clerk
/ with being the guilty person.
Norgard admitted having thoroughly
/ frightened the old man, and he was tn
last men seen with him prior to his disap
1 pearance For several days 1t wa
1 thought that Menes was in hiding t,
i escape punishment for the crime witt
which he was charged, but after tw
weeks had elapsed the foul play theor,
4 was accepted by many, and meeting o
his creditors was held and a receiver an
pointed to take charge of his business.
/ Body In an Old Well.
i On Oct. IT, following, the town marsha
was notified by one Charles Nalberg tina
the body of Menes was in an old well o.
1 a farm short distance south of town. A
1 the coroner's inquest Nalberg tes
I. titled that he knew the body was Il
the well three weeks before: that a certai,
{, Swede had told him, but that they didn'
want the. body taken out until a .rewar
! was offered.
i A small bottle of strychnine and 80
I caliber revolver with one empty chamber
E were found in the well, although the bull
4 let, which entered in front Of the RICH
4 ear and was found lodged just under tn
skin two inches above the left eye wa
. thought to have been fired from a SO
Y caliber revolver. The jury returned
verdict of suicide, there being no evidenc
of foul play produced Many people, how
q ever, thought at the time, and still believ
. that the old man was the victim Of a ploi