Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-11-25
LIKE MCGRATh MURDER
Man Killed in Box Car--
Murderers are Cap
tured

G. D. Scrawford and Ct. E. Farmer
are locked in the Hennepin county
Jail on the charge Of murder in the
first degree, and they will be held to
await the action Of the grand jury
of Sherburne county, which will not
meet until May next year.
The men have been identified as the
rnurderers of Heino Lundeen, who
was shot and killed while asleep in a
car on the Northern Pacific road near
Elk River, in Sherburne county. early
Sunday morning.
The Identification was made by Lun-
deems four companions, who, after
being robbed. were forced at the point
of revolver, to leap from the side
door of the combination mail and
baggage car on which they were steal
ing ride
Scrawford and Farmer were arrested
at Rogers Siding. in Hennepin CONN.,
ty, about o'clock Monday morning,
by Sheriff L. E. Ward of Sherburne
county; Deputy Sheriff W. M. Tiff,
and man named Calder. who had
been impressed by Sheriff Ward.
Sheriff Ward, of Sherburne county,
is entitled to great credit for his
prompt action. He was not informed
of the murder until nearly 6 O'Clock
Sunday morning. He notified Sheriff
John Palmer, Of Anoka county, and
that official co-operated with him and
caused the train on which Lundeen
was killed to be held until it could be
searched. Then the car on which the
dead was found was cut out and held.
The different train crews were
questioned as they arrived inAnoka:
bnt all the men were permitted to
depart.
Sunday Sheriffs Ward aud Palmer
came TO Minneapolis with one of the
victims of the holdup and late in the
evening returned to their homes
Deputy Iliff informed Sheriff Ward
when he arrived at Elk River, that
a farmers boy had told him ne had
seen two suspicious characters headed
toward DAYTON, in Hennepin county.
He followed the trail and found that
at McNoill's store one Of them had
| purchased some crackers and cheese.
Then they went ACROSS the load to
Beaudrey's place and one OF them
bought pair of shoes.
They retraced their steps across the
river, laid in the timber till nightfall,
when they started toward Minneapolis.
They stopped at Hines hotel at
Rogers Siding, and about I o'clock
Sheriff Ward and Deputy Iif, who
had driven from Elk River, reached
the hotel. Deputy Tiff was armed
with shotgun and Sheriff Ward
aroused a friend, q man named Cald-
or who operates a creamery, and he,
too armed himself with a shotgun.
The pro oprietor of the hotel said
there were two men in the place and
they occupied rooms opposite one an
other. When a call was made on
Scrawford he declined to open the
door, but after much persuasion the
landlord was induced to use the house
keys, and, as the door swung open,
Scrawford was seen with revolver
in is hand. Scrawford also saw the
muzzles of two double barrel shotguns
locking in his direction and he
dropped his shooting iron on the bed.
When searched he was found to
have revolver, f1s in money and
Lundeen's watch.
Then a call was made on Pa mer.
He weakened when he looked into the
business end of the shotgun when the
door was opened. He had two watches,
Lundeen's knife and an electric
searohlight which played an important
part in the holdup.
Scrawford, it is believed, has killed
three or four men in the state Of
Minnesota during the last three or
four years. For that entire time it is
believed, practically known. that he
has been robbing on freight trains.
Palmer record is shorter. He is new
at the business and apparently of not
SO much nerve as his ''pal.''
Scrawford is openly accused by the
officials Of killing G. G. Gordon on
the Great Northern, year ago. John
McGrath near Little Falls in 1901,
Leonard Dare at Northtown junction
and colored man and white man
at Marion Junction two years ago.
All Of these men were killed by box
car robbers and it is believed that
! Scrawford ia one of the men who
made the killings.
For the killing of John McGrath at
Little Falls three years ago Frank
Anderson is now serving thirty years.
1t is believed that he did net do the
killing himself but was only an &C.
com Mice in the crima Tho two mo,