The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-09
MURDER MYSTERY
BATTLES POLICE
Tragedy Of Kris Lien Has Features
Which Indicates Deliber-
ate Murder.
Landlord Of Hotel Where He Stopped
Says He Had No
Money.

Was Kris Lien murdered as the re-
suit of an old grudge cherished by an
enemy who had followed him from
his North Dakota home to wreak
in a great city?
This is the question that puzzles
the police In attempting to fathom the
mystery. Yesterday it was thought
that robbery was the motive, but to-
day the proprietor Of the Scandal
street, came to headquarters and told
the police that Lien had stopped at
his place. He said that Lien had
spent $50 Friday and that he bor-
rowed IS Saturday morning and pro-
ceeded to spend it at the bar buying
drinks. On this information the rob-
berry theory was abandoned.
A clue, which seems to indicate that
Lien may have been killed out of re-
venge Is the story CT Peter Mosby,
with whom Lien drank in a Second
street saloon Friday night. He says
that the dead man confded to him
that he had an enemy who was ION
do him up" At times he seemed
quite nervous, according to Mosby,
and would start suddenly at any un-
usual sound. Why this man was
following him was not explained,
neither was 1t stated whether the
Dakota.
Police Are at Sea.
The police are inclined to treat
Mosby's story for what it Is worth.
Some Of the officers say that Liens
| references to his mysterious enemy
were only the rawlings Of a. drunken
man, while others are inclined to
think that there may be something to
the story. They point to the lack Of
motive for the murder and ask If
there is nothing in the story of the
unknown enemy, why was Lien muir
dered? Mosby will be called before
the coroner's jury in order that his
story may become a part OF the
records.
Chief Of Police Conroy is at loss to
explain the murder. At first he held
tenaciously to the robbery theory
and even tho he has learned that Lien
had no money Saturday night, he is
not yet ready to give up that theory
He thinks that Lien may have been
slugged by some hold-up men who
met him in the alley and who were
disappointed when they searched his
pockets.
Orders have been issued to all pc.
lice officers to make an extra effort
to find the three men who were
bling John Anderson Of SIS in an al.
ley near the Milwaukee freight depot
The officers have careful description
Of these men and as they slugged
and robbed their victim, 1t Is thought
probable that they murdered Lien
if there is nothing in the Mosby story
Going to Sell Land.
Lien is said to have been a pros
porous farmer at Hanaford, N. D.
and was on his way to Princeton
Mimi, where he expected to sell some
land Whether he had a. wife anc
family Is not known. He was found II
the alley at the rear of the establish
ment of Forman, Ford & Co., 116-12t
Washington avenue S, Saturday night
He was taken to the city hospital
where he died last night without re
gaining consciousness.
! Lien was found by the night watch
man of the wholesale house as h
made his rounds at 7:45 p. m. Hi
hat was lying several feet from hi
body, while a pool Of blood was abou
his head and another under the mid
die of his body, showing that he hat
moved after being injured. Two cut
in his forehead indicated that he hat
been struck with a pair of bras
knuckles or some hard, sharp instru
ment while his eyes were badly dis
colored.