Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-07-14
LOOKS LIKE A MURDER CASE
Grant County Pioneer Dead as
Result of Drinking
Poisoned Whiskey

James Reems, one of the pioneers of
Melrose township, Grant county, vet
eran of the civil war, and man II
years of age, is dead, and all the cir
cumstances surrounding his death point
ITO a cruel, cold blooded murder. Poison
was evidently the death agent, and dur
ing the short agony of about three
hours preceding his death the
victim repeatedly accused John Van
Asch, also Melrose township farmer,
of having poisoned him
The crime is believed to have been
committed Friday night, July 1st. In
the neighborhood of about nine o'clock
that night neighbors were summoned to
the Reem home, found the old man in
terrible agony and were shocked when
told by him that he had been poisoned
by John Van Asch. According to sew
,eral witnesses, Mr.. Reem stated that
Van Asch drove into his yard and offered
him drink of whiskey. Reem had
promised members of his family who
were absent that he would not take a
drink while they were gone, and declined
but Van Asch insisted and he finally did
take very small drink, the liquid being
very bitter. His seventeen-year-old
daughter, Jess, who was the only per-
son present at the time, claims that
Van Asch tried to make her drink some
also but she would not do so. Soon after
drinking Reem was taken sick and was
assisted to the house by Van Asch.
Jess wanted to call neighbors and Van
Aseh would not let her, but as soon as
be left the house she telephoned to the
heighbors and also for doctor.
In the presence of number Of wit
nesses Reem reiterated several times:
John Van Asch poisoned me. can't
see way he would kill an old man II
years old. The only thing ] know is
that he owed me 1872 and to think that
he would kill me for $32." He insisted
from the start he was going to die and
at another time said: Il will never get
well; and am going to die" The last
quarter of an hour he was alive he
devoted to prayer for himself and before
he died also begged God to have mercy
on Van Asch's soul as it must be very
black to murder a man II years old,
who never did him any harm, for $32.
"A chain of very strong evidence cor
roborates the story told by the old man.
Van Asch is known to have bought
strychnine at the Bleser drug store that
afternoon, saying he wanted to poison
rats in his barn. He also bought bot
tie of whiskey at Ed Johnson's saloon
between six and seven o'clock. Van
Asch's horse and buggy were seen in
Reem's yard about s o'clock by several
persons and were seen both going and
coming from the place. An empty bot
tie, the exact duplicate of the one sold
Van Asch that evening at the Ed John
son saloon, was also found.
When DIR. Ferguson arrived at the
Reem home he Immediately announced
that the old man was suffering from
strychnine poisoning, and though he did
everything possible for the dying man
it was impossible to save his life. The
1mains were removed to the Emanuel
undertaking rooms in Milbank where an
inquest was held, and an analysis of
the contents of the stomach showed
the presence of strychnine.
The accused was given a hearing
before Justice Bleser and bound over to
the fall term of the circuit court.
GOIImar Bros. Circus