Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-02
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
Van Wormer Brothers Convicted Of
KillnQ Their Uncle.

Killing Their Uncle.
In almost all respects the tragedy
which closed during the day at Clin
ton prison with the death in the ele'
trio chair of the three brothers Van
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 Column
bia county. where lived Peter A. Hal
lenbeck, the uncle of the Van Wor-
mcrs On the way they stopped at
the Greendale church. where they stole
from the vehicles of the farmers
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 lamplight in their living
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-
volvers. Burton Van Wormer led the
way and with him the old man crap
pied. At once all four began 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 10 flee and she ran upstairs
whittier the older woman had preceded
her. and the two barricaded them
selves in the attic.
Mr.. HaleEbeck. although mortall!
|
ants and went to the landing of the
stairs. where he kept a 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
in the snow and because they were
known TO have harbored bitter feel
ings and to have made threats against
their uncle.
Bruce Turns States Evidence.
They were brought to trial before
an extraordinary term of the supreme
court, appointed by Governor Odei
and presided over by Justice Alden
Chester of Albany, on March 80, l9oZ
Harvey Bruce turned states evi
dence and it was to large extern
upon his testimony that the convic
ton of the Van Wormer brothers wa
secured He swore that upon the rae
back from the scene OF the crime eaci
of the brothers boasted of having sho
the uncle
II was shown that the bitterness
which the brothers felt toward thel
uncle was due chiefly to his hayini
foreclosed IA mortgage upon the prop
: ertv in Greendale owned by their stel
mother. the loss of which compelle
their removal TO kinderhook.
On April is all three men wer
found guilty and sentenced TO be pu
to death in the week ending May -
1902 Their appeal to the court OF al
J meals acted as a stay ald the cas-
; went over to the present year
Judge O'Brien. in writing the unah
] nous opinion of the higher coui
5 against the appeal, pronounced II
: credible the main plea OF defense
+ that the expedition OF the four TO ia
$ lenbecks house was in the nature {
. Young mems prank. the fatal on
4 come of which had not been part {
2 the plan.
/ The court fixed upon the week
a lrlv 6 for the carr ing out OF IN
death sentence but the Van Wormei
have been twice respiJed by Governc
!. Odel
y Except for the efforts Of Judge Cad
!, in their behalf and FOR the futile a
! temp, by N,s Van W1rmer the ste
= mother OF the condemned men, \
voice has been raised in their pehai
:, II is known that Governor oue
a would have welcomed any plausipl
h ground upon which to commute IN
9 sentence. "A he felt that little goo
= would result to the public mind irol
- the morbid interest attaching to II
! triple execution. =,
a Harvey Bruce their fellow in Il
" crime for which they died, was trie
ID alone and sentenced TO impHsonmei
h Tor eighteen years
Is
&c l I, l.c az the 1rlDl0p OH