The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-02-28
HERMAN BOCHE
TRIAL NEXT WEEK
CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF
FRANK FARMER.
SHOOTING OCCURRED LAST MAY
THE VICTIM SHOT THREE TIMES
AND DIED IN AN HOUR.
SHOOTING OCCURRED LAST MAY
REPETITION OF ANOTHER SCENE
When Herman 6oche steps Into the
Court Room at Madison Trial Of
Eighteen Years Ago viii be Re.
caIied-Sketch Of Boche's Career.
[From Saturdays Daily.1


[From Saturdays DaiIy.l
Herman Boche next week at Madi-
son will go on trial for the shooting of
Frank farmer, a Norfolk saloon keep
er, early in the morning of May l.,
1907, in front of a resort east of the
city. farmer lived an hour after the
shooting, was conscious but told little
OF the murder Boche on the murder
charge will be prosecuted by County
Attorney Jack Koenigstein and Judge
~ d. Jackson of Neigh
When Boche steps into the court
back to another trial of eighteen years
ago when he was tried for murder in
that same court room. Boche was &C
Quilted then on the grounds of self
defense. Former United States Sen.
ator William V. Allen, who success
fully defended Boche eighteen years
ago, again has charge of the defense
Herman Boche is man of the
woods whose life has been close to
the soil. He is not man who thinks
quickly or keenly. He can neither
read nor write, either in English or
in German. For more than forty years
he has lived on the Boche farm some
four miles south of Norfolk. 1t is part
of a wild wooded country along the
Elkhorn and good portion of Boche's
time has been spent in hunting and
fishing along the river and bayous.
There isn't anything mystifying, any
thing especially dramatic about Her
man Boche himself. There have been
dramatic elements enough about his
life down there on the Elkhorn but
Herman Boche himself is slow speak
ing, apparently slow thinking and alb
sOlutely untutored in such things as
relate to brain storms, unwritten laws
and the various legal intrcacies. He
hasn't always been able to follow the
turns that the present case has taken.
But he has told his story to Senator
the big senator
Morning of the Shooting.
1t was about 5 o'clock on the morn
ing of pleasant May day that Boche
killed Frank farmer in front of "247,"
a resort in which they had been since
midnight. farmer was shot three
times, once in the left shoulder and
twice in the left groin The shoot
ing occurred after farmer had led
Boche from the house and was trying
to force him into a cab. Lee Vroman,
the cabman, and at least one of the
inmates of the house, saw the shoot
ing.
With the shooting Boche dropped
from sight. The cabman made no eff
fort to stay him but lit out across
fields for Norfolk.
Little was known of the details of
the tragedy until the story came from
Boche's lips a week later, 1t was
agreed however, that Boche was I'M
der the influence of liquor.
The investigation of the officers
showed that Boche had come to Nor
folk in the early evening, had visited
one or two saloons and had gone to
farmers place. He was with farmer
until closing time, accompanying the
latter to local restaurant. Then the
two men got in a hack and drove east
across the Northfork farmer and
Boche were friends. Then came the
shooting.
farmer had been a bartender in Nor
folk and for year or two had been
running a saloon near the corner of
Fourth and Norfolk avenue. The sa-
loon is now conducted by Henry Has
enptlug.
Where Blow Fell Heaviest.
1t was on the wife in the little home
on Park avenue that the tragedy fell
hardest. Mrs. farmers parents were
respected residents of West Point,
where the farmer wedding occurred
some fifteen years ago. Mrs. farmer
was called across the river after the
shooting to see her husband, who
ceased to live before she arrived.
Since the death of her husband, Mrs.
farmer has been working to support
herself.
EIuded Officers.
For seven thrilling days following
the shooting of Frank farmer, Herman
Boche was able to elude arrest. He
KNEW lHt "OOuS anu NlS lolii "iOhS
the Elkhorn as few men have ever
known them. In making a dash for
escape along the broad avenues of
a. team travel Boche would have been
utterly helpless, But while the Off
GERS were searching for him all over
north Nebraska he kept close to the
Elkhorn and his farm.
One fieeting glimpse of the hunted
man was given the officers. On the
night following the shooting Boche
was seen by Sheriff Clements on the
Boche farm. Four shots were fired
by the officer two of the bullets, it
was afterwards learned, penetrating
Boches clothes.
From until after II Sheriff Glenn.
ents and Deputy Sheriff w II. Elley
had waited for the half expected re.