The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-05-10

herman Boche Did Not KNOW He Had
Killed farmer, He Says, Until Mon
day of This Week.-Mrs. Retained
Senator Allen to Defend Him.
Madison Neb., May Especial to
The News: Wounded slightly in two
places as a result of the four shots
fired at him a week ago tonight by
Sheriff Clements, declaring that Jar
mer had cooked him into the redlight
district against his will, claiming to
have been robbed of more than $500
just before he shot and killed Frank
farmer on Wednesday morning, May
l. and looking like an insane man as
result of having slept out in the
woods every night save one during
the week following the shooting, Her
man Boche, the Norfolk farmer for
whom a fruitless search had been in
dulgeG in over this part of the state
ever since the tragedy, today gave
himself up at the camp Of his cousin
Fred Boche, south of Norfolk, and
was brought to the county Jail at this
place Frankly responding to all ques-
tons put to him and apparently not
trying to conceal any of the facts of
the case as he views them, Boche gave
the full story of the incidents leading
up to his shooting of farmer, what he
recalls of the shooting itself and the
dreamiike week through which ne had
lived between the moment of the trag
edy and the moment when, almost in
sane from wandering about the woods,
he asked that an officer be brought
to, take him into custody. The first
interview secured from Boche after
h. had been placed in the Madison
county Jail was that gained by J. B.
Donovan, editor of the Madison Star
Mail, and the story of Boche as told
to Mr.. Donovan was substantially as
printed below.
Had Money on Fatal Night.
Herman Boche had money in his
pockets on that fatal night, according
to his own story. He says that he had
sold horses, cattle, hogs and hay and
that he carried two purses with him,
long one containing about $3.50 and
small one containing about $50 He
says that when he left the resort with
farmer early Wednesday morning he
felt for his purse and it was gone.
He claims farmer had been feeling of
his pockets at intervals ever since
they left the saloon together.
Boche Wanted toI Go Home.
He says that he wanted to go home
and farmer insisted that he get into
a waiting hack and go up town. When
he felt for his money and found it
gone he says that he has dim recol-
lection of shooting. He thinks he re-
Calls shooting two or three times.
Did Not Know He Killed farmer.
But Boche says he did not at that
time know that he had killed farmer
He did not learn that he had slain the
man until Monday night of this week
when his son told him of the farm of
Carl Sorg, a relative living eight miles
northeast of Madison. On Monday
night Boche says he went to that farm
t1 ask them to bring his wife to him.
He learned that she had gone to Wake
field to hunt him and his son, who
works at the farm, here gave him the
first intimation he had received of
farmers death. He slept in the hay
loft on the Sorg farm that night and
that was the only night he has slept
under cover since the shooting. All
other nights he slept out in the woods
near his own farm.
Awoke Near Resort in Hog Pen.
Boche says he knew nothing after
his quarrel with farmer until he awoke
al about sunset that night In a hog
pen near the resort at which the trou-
bic occurred. He did not realize what
had happened and only now has the
most hazy recollection of what took
place.
farmer Gave Him Drinks.
Boche said that late Tuesday night,
April 20, he went up town In Norfolk
and got drink of whisky at the Bev-
evage saloon. Then he went into the
farmer saloon. farmer greeted him
cordially and asked him to take a
drink. Boche says he declined but
farmer insisted. Later, under anoth-
or protest, he says farmer induced
him to take another drink At mid
night he and farmer left the saloon
and went to a restaurant on Norfolk