The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-02-08
DETAILS OF TRAGEDY.
Murder Of Young Girl at Ponca Was
Deliberate.

Deliberate.
Ponca, Neb., Feb. 0.-Alone in her
home here, busying herself with prep
arations for her wedding, Miss Bessie
Newton answered II rap at the door
this afternoon to find herself cOnfrontl
ed by Frank Frink, who, a few mo-
ments later, shot and almost instantly
killed the defenseless girl.
Frink, who Is a well to do farmer,
aged 80, living a mile southeast of her
home; then turned the gun on himself,
infiicting serious wounds in the head
and breast. He is still alive, although
he has not regained consciousness
since the shooting.
Murder Deliberately Planned.
Miss Newton was 2G years old and
lived with her aged father As indi-
Gated above, the tragedy was the re.
suit of an unhappy love affair
The crime was committed at $3.50
o'clock p. m. Frink had driven in
from his farm early in the afternoon
and was loafng in the cigar store of
William Groth. Just before the shoot
ing Mr.. Newton, the girls father, came
into the store and Frink was seen to
leave the place Immediately. A few
moments later the Newton neighbors
were startled by the report of re-
volver, and were horror stricken to
see Miss Bessie reel from the house
and fall upon the ground in the yard.
Frink was nowhere to be seen.
The neighbOrs rushed to the girls
assistance and carried her into the
house, but life was already extinct.
Wild Fight of Slayer.
A moment later the occupants of
Doyle's barber shop were surprised to
see Frink breathlessly enter and walk
directly to his overcoat, which hung
upon a hook on the wall. He hastily
extracted several loaded cartridges
from one of the pockets and dashed
from the shop loading his gun. 1t
was done so quickly that no one had
time to prevent him or to even think
of doing so.
Frank McCabe was the next person
who saw Frink. McCabe had Just
driven his sleigh into the alley behind
the Commercial hotel when a shot
rang out just behind him. Turning in
his seat he saw Frink reel to the
ground and in an instant recover his
balance long enough to fire another
shot and stagger to the street half
block distant. Here Mr.. Bolton saw
the man drop a gun and fall heavily
to the walk. Mr.. Bolton carried him
into DR.. Youngs Office.
An examination on the operating
table disclosed a severe wound in the
head, the bullet being lodged in the
nose, and a bullet hole in the left
breast. The patient is still uncon-
scious.
Was to Have Wed.
The facts leading up to this most
distressing tragedy were of an un-
usual nature. Tomorrow night Miss
Newton was to have married Edward
|O'Donnell, farmer in Iowa. Although
she was at the time engaged to this
man she was still receiving the ardent
attentions of Frink, with whom she
five years. Frink was well aware OF
the existence of a rival, and notwith,
standing the fact that the girl had re
fused his offer of marriage he had, on
more than one occasion, made threats
that he would never let Miss Newton
marry O'Donnell.
Made Threat to officer.
He had informed the marshal that
he would never let O'Donnell marry
Ibis girl" but the the marshal had nc
idea of the seriousness of the threat
and was entirely unprepared for the
crime.
1t is supposed that Frink, knowing
OF the intended wedding, came to towr
prepared for the desperate work h,
had set himself to do. While waiting
In the cigar store he saw the girl'i