Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-07-29
WIN. FLEECE, BEHIND
PRISON BARS, VOWS
CRIME WAS NOT HIS
On Evidence Given by Young
Eichtencamp, Man With
Whom Victim Lived Is
Lodged in Jail.

night III jail repeats Il LO hIilCd
aer," but will not discuss evidence. He
was arrested yesterday, charged with
The brutal murder Of his sister Louise,
committed with diaboliCal cunning,
June 80. The Elusive motive for the
crime, which has been lacking since
detectives began probing the mystery.
It is thought, has been found. Albert
EichtenCamp, the 1S-year-old farm
hand, under suspicion from the first,
under the pressure of persistent ques-
tioning yesterday made statements
that the officers thought warranted the
first arrest. No signed confession was
made, but extracts Of the statements
made by the boy are in the possession
Of G. A. Kingsbury, county attorney,
Of Dixon county.
HOrrifying as it, the motive, that
the police say, impelled the brother to
Stay his sister, was that he wanted
her place filed by Miss Ida Hendricks,
mis- sweetheart, who it is said refused
10 marry him While his sister kept
house. According to the statements
made by young EichtenCamp. the
murder was committed a few minutes
after dinner and was precipitated by
an argument before the meal. William
had purchased an automobile some
time before and had been running it
every available minute and often was
gut late at night. When he old his
bIolN4 l4EHl l' was SUNS ~ 4Ao vi
the afternoon of the murder. she told
him that he had better stay home
oI0wino instead Of running all over IL
his machine. This young Eichten-
camp, is alleged to have said, infuriat-
ed William and high words followed.
Then he secured his revolver followed
the girl out in the yard and deliberate
" killed her. Eichtencamp says he
was threatened and ran to the barn
and went to the field and worked as
usual According to the program
which William had made he reported
finding the dead body at 6 o'clock in
the evening.
People Kept in Dark.
Though the statement of the farm
ham and the arrest of William was
made at Wayne, no intimatiOn Of what
was going on was given to the people
Of the little city, who since early aft
ernOOn had been gathering and talking
IN excited groups. 1t was not thought
safe in the face of disclosures to keep
either young EiChtencamp or William
Flege in Wayne over night. AS clew
after clew have been run to earth only
to dissolve in the grasp, the finger of
suspicion has veered more n more
until II anne to be accepted in the
community that William and Eichten-
amp knew something or all about the
flair. After William was arrested he
vas taken to his home in an autOmO-
Tile. given time to change his clothes,
whence he was taken to POnCa and
edged in Jail. In another machine
E"iChtencamp was also taken to POnca,
where he will sleep in the sheriff's
house and be kept under constant sur
reliance.
Officers from both Wayne and Dixon
county have been working on the case
hight and day as have also Detectives
Davenport and Smith. During the last
eW days as the trial grew hot and
certain persons were eliminated from
suspicion, the isolated farm home was
hronged with officers and every mo-
uent consumed in asking questions.
About a week ago young E~iChtencanp
vas put through the sweating process
ind officers became confident that he
vas not telling all he knew. Yesterday
loon Sheriff Mears, Of Wayne county,
vent to the house and before he left
he boy had promised to tell the truth.
some time later other officers arrived
1t the house prepared TO exhume the
body of the girl, but concluded to wait
Until Eichtencamp's story had been
earned. The entire afternoon was con-
sumed in getting the boy to tell his
story. When he finished, he was in
tears and almOst FRUSTRATED by fear.
According to Mr.. K~ingsbury ut came
% a point where each was accusing the
,ther, and the boy told to save him
self"
FIege Helps Officers.
Every day since the murder was
committed William Flege has driven
officers in his automobile all over the
country in his frantic effort to catch
he murderer. Nc one more han he
aas seemed more anxious that justice
De done. When it was proposed to Of
FER a reward he was only too glad to
pledge his part, and accordingly 81, 500
vas offered. On the day following the
crime, when reporters visited the scene,
though it was dark and the sepulchral
silence about the lonely farm OPP
pressed, William asked first of all If
they would like to see the body and
offered to pilot the way.
The murder of the German girl was
one Of the most battling which Nebras-
IA officials have been called upon to
unravel. The scene Is nearly seven
miles from Wayne and almost a mile
from the travelled road. She kept
house for her brother. Young Eich-
.encamp had been at the house since
The middle of March. June 80 the three
sat down to dinner at the farm home.
Shortly afterward, according to the
stories first told the authorities, Will
am drove away in his automobile, too
In his brother Fred and proceeded to
Dixon. The farm hand went to the
aeld and, returning at 6 o'clock, found
the body lying in the front yard guard
ed by Bruce, a large dog. A bullet had
entered the back of her head, fired so
close thai It set fire to her s~unbonnet;
another entered her right breast. went
downward under the skin to the fifth
rib. shattered that bone and lodged In
the spine. Eichtencamp too his time
and called up Fred Fiege, a mile away,
and told him something was the matter
with Louise, neglecting to say hat she
was dead. william was found at the
Hendricks home and walked across the
fields to the house instead of coming
In his machine, which he said was be-
ing washed.
Officers say that William Flege and
young E~ichtencamp have been under
observation every minute since the
crime AND that suspicion has always
pointed In their direction.
Held Tramp Theory.
A tramp had been seen in the COM
munity the day before, and a theory
was soon formulated that he had COM
mitted the crime. The tramp was found