Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-10-03
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
Van Wormer Brothers Convicted OF
Killing Their Uncle,

In almost all respects the tragedy
which closed during the day at Clin
ton prison with the death in the elec
trio chair of the three brothers Var
Wormer was unique in modern Grim
inal history On Christmas eve, 1901
with their cousin, Harvey Bruce, the
three brothers drove from their home
in Kinderhook, some fourteen miles
to the hamlet of Greendale, in Colum-
bia county, where lived Peter A. Hal
lenbeck, the uncle of the Van Wor-
mers. On. the way they stopped at
the Greendale church, where they stole
from the vehicles of the farmers a
number of robes and whips.
Thence they went on to the Hallen-
beck house, where Mr.. Hallenbeck.
his wife and his aged mother were
sitting in the Iamplight in their 1ivirg
room. Both the women saw them
drive past. A few moments later
there was a knock at the door and
Mr. Hallenbeck answered it, to find
masked men outside, armed with re-
Volyers. Burton Van Wormer led the
way and with him the old man Crap
pied. At once all four began q fusil-
lade of pistol shots, which fairly rid
died the body Of Mr.. Hallenbeck.
Mrs. Hallenbeck, the wife, ran into
the kitchen and the brothers shot at
her, but missed. Her husband ordered
her to flee and she ran upstairs,
whittier the older woman had preceded
her, and the two barricaded them
selves in the attic.
Mr. Hallenbeck, although mortally
wounded, broke away from his assail-
ants and went to the landing Of the
stairs, where he kept loaded shot
gun The assailants saw him get the
gun and fed The old man fell to the
floor and died.
The four young men were soon after
arrested, betrayed by their footprints
tn the snow and because they were
known to have harbored bitter feel
ings and to have made threats against
their uncle.
Bryce Turns States Evidence.
They were brought to trial before
an extraordinary term Of the supreme
court, appointed by Governor 0dell
and presided over by Justice Alden
Chester Of Albany, on March 80, 1902,
Harvey Bruce turned states evil
dence and it was to large extent
upon his testimony that the convic-
tion of the Van Wormer brothers was
secured. He swore that upon the ride
back from the scene of the crime each
of the brothers boasted of having shot
the uncle.
1t was shown that the bitterness
which the brothers felt toward their |
uncle was due chiefly to his having |
fereclesed mortgage upon the prop
erty in areendale owned by their step
mother, the loss of which compelled |
their removal to Kinderhook.
On April 18 all three men were |
found guilty and sentenced to be put |
to death in the week ending May 80, |
1902. Their appeal to the court of ap- |
peals acted as stay and the case |
went over to the present year
Judge O'Brien, in writing the unani-
NOUS opinion of the higher court
against the appeal, pronounced in
that the expedition Of the four to Hal
lenbeck's house was in the nature Of
a young mems prank, the fatal out
come of which had not been a part Of
The plan.
The court fixed upon the week of
July for the carrying out Of the
leath sentence but the Van Wormers
nave been twice respited by Governor
0dell.
Except for the efforts of Judge Cady
n their behalf and for the futile at
,empt by Mrs. Van Wormer, the STEP
mother of the condemned men, no
7oice has been raised in their behalf.
1t is known that Governor Odell
you'd have welcomed any plausible
ground upon which to commute the
sentence, as he felt that little good
would result to the public mind from
he morbid interest attaching to the
riple execution.
Harvey Bruce, their fellow in the
rhine for which they died, was tried
lone and sentenced to Imprisonment
or eighteen years.