The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-15
ARRESTED WITH
GRIP OF JEWELS

Grand Forks, N. D., April 15.-Ed M
Dufault, giving his residence as Gems
tiIy, MINI. where his parents reside
was arrested last night at the Palace
hotel, having In his possession two
grips containing jewelry to the value
of about $1,000. He was taken to the
police station, where Captain Sullivan
officer Andy Sullivan Of the Great
Northern and Special Agent H J.
Hartmann of the Great Northern
questioned him closely, but could get
no satisfactory explanation as to
where he secured the goods, or what
he intended to do with them.
The arrest was caused by local
mans efforts to sell watches to vart-
Gus individuals around the city, some
Of the watches being worth well over
the $50 mark, but having been sold
for SIS and So. The police heard OF
the local mans efforts to sell the
large amount Of jewelry. and imme-
diately called to mind notice sent
out by South Dakota sheriff telling
of a big burglary In Brentford, s. D.,
March 20, and thinking that the man
who was having the valuables ped
died around Grand Forks might be the
fellow sought by the South Dakota
authorities, the local captain Of police,
assisted by the above mentioned
Great Northern officers, took Dufault
in tow, and in so doing have unearthed
one of the biggest sensations of west
ern North Dakota for some time.
When the two grips which the pris-
oners had were opened they were
found to contain dozen first class
watches dozens of charms, lockets,
rings set with precious stones, engrav-
ing outfits, jewelers. working tools,
and odds and ends too numerous to
mention. A careful examination soon
convinced the officers that the articles
were not those taken from the South
Dakota store. so they Immediately
questioned Dufault as to where he ser
cured the goods.
No Definite Explanation.
Dufault claims that his brother, who
owns or did own jewelry store at
Westhope, gave him the jewelry.. He
gave four or five different versions of
the particulars of this gift from his
brother, all conflicting in their details.
Finally he said his brother owed him
$500 and that his brothers store Yves
visited by burglars and later set IRE
to, and since his brother had no
means of paying him back the $500 he
gave him the jewelry instead.
Later he added that a lawyer at
Westhope had been given half Of the
5ewelry as his fee to get the insur-
ance" from the fire Of the jewelry
store. Then again he made another
addition and said his brother had sent
him the goods by man who was a
stranger, but whom he knew quite
well.
A Strange Situation.
The case is peculiar in many re-
spects. The conflicting stories told by
Dufault may be due to his nervous
ness or excitement from the arrest,
but he was given plenty Of opportunity
to get his mind made up on straight
story and failed to remember details
of what he said few minutes before.
and consequently the tale he told was
rather garbled. There is considerable
possibility that what he said in regard
to his brother giving him the valuables
may be true, but here again the officers
were puzzled. Dufault talked insur-
ance and fire and gave several differ
ent versions of the fire and burglary
Of his brothers store, until finally the
suspicion was raised among the police
that something may have happened at
Westhops in an effort to defraud the
insurance company, although that is
merely conjecture at present. One of
the officers thought that Dufault may
merely be a fence or the fall guy" as
he termed 1t. and be innocent Of any
wrongdoing but the butt OF the guilt
of others.
At any rate he was locked up for
the night and will be given an oppor-
tunity to prove where he secured the
valuables, and also concerning the fire
and insurance at Westhope
Dufault's father is a farmer near
GENTLY, and is worth about $4,000.
according to the statement of the local
man who was peddling the jewelry.