Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1904-04-29
A HORRIBLE CRIME.
II Man arrested on q CHARGE
of .MNrderi71e One of His
O1On Kit7s ond Kin.

Not since the tiendiSh murder Of the
Spicer family at Winona has Emmons
county been the scene of such das.
tardly, british deed as the one that
has recently been. investigated by
States Attorney Lynn. If reports are
true the details of the alleged crime
are too vile for publicity.
Friday last States Attorney Lynn
was notified by Dr.Shockey, lat Pollock,
that Mary Van de Vorste, a fifteen
year old daughter of Aart Van de
Vorste, was about to die from septic
poisoning caused by an abortion.
There were other circumstances tend
ing to show that it was criminal.
Upon this notification the states at
torney hurried to Pollock and secured
more data concerning the case, and
there he learned that the girl had
died. He then telephoned DR.. Hogue,
the Emmons county coroner, to meet
him at Westfeld. The later drove
down the next day, Saturday. SAt
Pollock Mr.. Lynn and DR.. Shockey
awaited him. Taking along E. Com
paan, the Rev. P. Braak and Andrew
Boschker, they drove out to the home
of Van de Vorste, near Westfeld,
and held an inquest over the body Of
the young girl, rendering a verdict
that Mary Van de Yorste came to her
death from the acts Of a party or par
ties unknown, imam attempt TO per-
form an abortion.
Asa result of the autopsy, it was
disclosed that the girl had given
birth to a child; but the family re-
fused to divulge anything concerning
the case. However, Van de Vorste
admitted the fact that an abortion
lrad taken place, and also stated that
it was about the size of a gopher; that
he. wrapped it up in some cloths,
placed it in a small box, and took it
down to the cellar, where>it was left
for two days. Further inquiry dis
closed that he had buried the remains
in an old we'll, northwest of the house,
but careful search revealed no trace
of the body, and when he was asked
the second time concerning the dis
posal, intimated that probably some
dog had carried it of, or perhaps the
| water had washed it away. Afterward,
Messrs. Van Beck and Boschker, Of
Westfeld, found the remains in an
other disused we'll, under some dead
cattle, and on Sunday those two gen.
tlemen, with L. A. Weatherby, of
Linton. formed q coroner's jury that
returned verdict that 1t had come
to it's death at the hands of Aart Van
de Vorste, by strangulation.
The result of the coroner's investi-
cation caused States Attorney Lynn
to arrest Van de Vorste, who was
i given preliminary hearing yester.
day and to-day. Sufficient evidence
was adduced to warrant Justice Wes.
cott in holding Van de Vorste oyer to
the next term of district court to
answer to the charge Of murder in the
first degree. He is now in Linton
jail.
While the prisoner has made no ad.
missions in that direction, it is com.
mon belief In the Westfield neiRhbor-
hood that the father was the initial
factor in his daughters trouble.
The neighborhood in which Van dc
| Vorste has resided nearly a score o1
years is the home Of a peace-loving,
lawsabiding people. many Of whom
came to this county soon after it was
organized, and they are very indig'
nant that such brutishness should
have existed in their midst.
All that was mortal Of poor, abused,
murdered Mary Van de Vorste was
last Monday consigned to the tomb.
q