The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-11
.OSSEO DIVIDED
IN ITS OPINION
QUIET VILLAGE AROUSED OVER
MURDER CASE.
Eckes Friends Say the Killing of Roma
Was Necessary While the Other and
Larger Faction Says That It Was an
Uncalled for Murder-Eckes Out on
Rail - -, t,- =s.@

Never nave the people or the quiet
village of Osseo and the surrounding
criminal case as they are over that Of
Nick Eckes, the Osseo saloonkeeper
who killed Fred Roma last October.
Eckes pleaded not guilty, yesterday, to
an indictment charging murder in the
second degree. U.s..
The case is almost the sole topic Of
conversation among residents in their
terly opposed factions have been Great
ed. One is composed of the friends Of
the accused and the other and larger
faction comprises not only the friends
of the victim, but the majority of the
better class, who insist that the shoot
ing OF Roma was an uncalled for MUIR
der Of a drunken man and their efforts
have finally resulted in the Indictment
Twice before, has a grand jury inves-
tigated and refused to indict Eckes It
is claimed by the Roma faction that
these Investigations were merely
H,.whitewashes' conducted under the
direction of Eckes and his skillful
counsel.
=, A Remarkable Story.
Whether or not this contention is
true, different witnesses were subpe-
naed the last time and different story
3
sulting in an Indictment. The witnesses
talk freely concerning the now noted
case and the facts as sworn to before
the last grand jury piece. out a remark
able story.
Roma, Eckes, victim, was a farm
hand, % years of age, hailing from Hal
flax, n: S., He had lived in and near
day of the shooting, Roma in company
with some friends, had been drinking
In the afternoon he had had a fight
with, and whipped a man named Huff;
After supper Eckes, the story goes, had
said to some friends that if Roma came
into his place he would fix him.
with his friends entered Eckes saloon.
They lined up at the bar and drank
and shook dice for over two hours.
Roma, who was intoxicated when he ar
rived, became much more so, and about
! 10 o'clock sat down beside a sheetiron
stove. He placed his feet on the stove
to replace the stove when Eckes is
avered to have told him to let it alone,
and pulled revolver. There was dis
pute and Eckes' opened the door and
pointing. at Roma with the revolver, or.
dered him to leave, saying: "Get out
Of here, d-n you, or I III kill you. -
| Upon the advice of his friends, Roma
|
was very drunk Eckes slammed the
door against him showing him out. Re
manning there but few seconds, Roma
opened the door and re-entered. He
staggered across the floor and stopping
said: IF you want to shoot me Nick
why shoot me-
.-.. Eckes Fired Twice. ~...,.
i Thereupon Eckes fred one shot int
the floor and almost mmediately aft
erwards fred another which STRUCK
Roma under the heart and resulted il
his death. Neither Eckes nor his bar
tender went near the man who fell tt
the floor. Some of the bystanders
picked up the wounded man, laid hin
there to die, went back to the bar.
Father Savoy went to the saloon tt
administer the sacrament to the dying
man and found him lying on the tabl
alone. The priest Immediately clearel
;. the place Of the crowd. Roma wa
brought to Minneapolis in the morning
and died at St., Mary's hospital shortl,,
, after his arrival. s,-.'@T . Z y =
The Eckes faction asserts that tn
a: "bad man. and would have mad
. trouble and that the proprietor had tn
right to. keep up: the reputation Of hi
place for good order. . The other factor
claims that any one of the men presen
could have picked Roma up, in the con
dition he was in, and thrown him int
the street. They say that Eckes ha
his bartender and two other hired me-
: to call upon-a and that Roma had show
drunk to offer any real resistance.
The defendant 8 bond was fixed a
$4,000 and was furnished by Charlie
!: Gluek and Conrad BirkhOffer.