The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-06-15
Chase Of Three Years Ends With
Capture, Possession and
Death Sentence.
VICTIM OWNED HOMESTEAD
CLAIM WEST OF BLACKDUCK
T. J. Miller Called to Edmonton to
Supply Missing Link in
Evidence.

T. ]. Miller, of the T. ]. Miller
Real Estate Co., returned Monday
from Edmonton, Canada. where be
was witness in the case of the state
VS.. King. King was charged with
the murder of Joseph Hindahl who
once lived in this county about
twenty-five. miles from here. King
was found guilty and sentenced to
be hung July Fl.
Mr.. Miller was the witness most
needed by the prosecution. He
supplied the missing link in the
chain of evidence. The Royal
Northwestern Mounted Police had
traced the crime to King, but there
was one link missing to supply the
chain. Sergeant Nicholson, who
has charge of the Edmonton dis
trict, had traced King to Bemidj,
and Mr.. Miller was called upon to
testify to the business King trans
acted while here.
The story of the way in which
King murdered Hindahl and then
came here. impersonated the dead
man and borrowed $500 on his land !,
reads like a. thrilling novel. Joseph
Hindahl is the victim, King the
william. and the police the deadly
avengers. sss--.zzes..ss.zs.s..5
In June 1907. man representing
himself as Joseph Hindahl applied
to T. J. Miller for a loan of $500 on
his land located NEA section II,
township 149, range 81 vest. The
land was looked up and found to
have been filed by Hindahl, who
had lived on it five years. Mr..
Miller was familiar with the land so
did not 60 out to look it over but
made arrangements to negotiate the
loan. On June Fl, the papers were
made out and signed by the sup
posed Hindahl and lie took his
money and left.
The next Mr.. Miller heard was
that Sergeant Nicholson. was here
tracing King and looking up
Hindahl's property. In the trial,
the prosecution showed every step
taken by King from the time when
he murdered Hindahl in 1907 until
he was taken into custody.
When Hindahl proved up on his
land here, he sold the timber, de-
I posted the money in Minneapolis
bank and went to Canada to file on
some land there. In Alberta,
he met King and his wife and
boarded with them. There was
trouble between the couple, soon
after and Mrs. King ran away with
another man named Parks. 1t was
about this time that King murdered
Hindahl and Hurled his body in a
manure heap back Of stable in
Penoka, Alberta. It was reported
to the mounted police that Hindahl
was missing and Sergeant Nichol-
son was put on the trail. He followed
it for three years and did not stop
until King was convicted.
A little while after he came down
here, King was arrested for horse
stealing, was convicted and sent.
enced for seven years. lie wanted
a chance to escape SO he told the
police that he knew where there was
a body buried. He was taken to the
scene, but the livery stable had
burned. the police dug into the
heap and found bones, and in order
10 have Kings assistance. took off
his handouts.
He watched his chance and escap-
led into the brush. Sergeant .Nichol-
son is dead shot. King dropped so
they did not go after him at once.
When they did. he was not there. as
he had simply dropped for blind.
The police go the bones Of Hun
dahl, and took them to Edmonton.
At the end Of nine months, King
went to Edmonton, supposedly to
murder bis wife. Parks saw King