The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-03-28
BOY STAYS. SETTLER
Minneapolis Youth Deliberately MUIR
ders Homesteader Near Mora
and Rifles His Pockets.
Confesses Crime and CooEly Narrates
Details of His Atrocious Deed
to County Authorities.

Eugene Thomas, the l6-year-old
Minneapolis boy arrested for the
murder on Sunday, March II. of r.
N. Winters, a homesteader, in his
cabin near Mora, and who was taken
to Grasston and placed in Jail last
Friday, has confessed to the CON-
mission of the cold-blooded crime.
TO county Attorney j. G. King and
Sheriff Altman of Kanabec county be
told the story of the shooting down of
the unarmed homesteader; he also
gave to them the history of his life, in
which he related that he had been a
reader of dime novels and from such
books had received an impulse to be-
come bandit, to go west and to
murder and rob in order to accumu-
late wealth.
1t was not until after photographs
of the cabin in which the settler was
murdered, with the victim lying on the
floor, had been shown him, that he
consented to tell the story of the
crime. He told how the determination
to leave home grew upon him and
how he finally purchased two re-
volvers and left Minneapolis. He had
visited with his uncle, near Mora, be-
fore, and decided to stop at his place
before proceeding west.
The boy told of quarrel with his
uncle and his wanderings until he ar
rived at his victim s cabin on March
II. Then he narrated how he de-
termined to rob the cabin, how ne
entered it and ransacked the trunk,
how he heard someone approaching
and drew his revolvers. He stated
that presently the door opened, man
appeared and he fred; that he rifed
the homesteader's pockets, left the
cabin and made his way to Mora.
This, and how he went back home to
Minneapolis, was told by the boy
without even break in his voice.
He showed no sorrow, no remorse.
His story was calm, connected mar
rative.
Eugene Thomas, who gave himself
up to the Minneapolis police on
Thursday, March FL, after be had
learned that the authorities we're
looking for him, acted upon the ad-
vice of Rev. Johnson, and NJ. G.
Brady, his attorney, both of whom
accompanied him to jail Circum-
stantial evidence, including assertions
that the lad had previously shown
desire to become an outlaw, was
responsible for the verdict of the
coroner's jury, which was as follows:
1--WE find that r. N. Winters came to
his death from bullet wounds received
from weapon in the hands of a per-
son believed to be Eugene Thomas. I"
An autopsy revealed that Winters had
been shot in the head three times.
The boy, according to the Kanabec
authorities, arrived in Mora late on
Thursday, March IA, armed with two
revolvers. He remained at the home
Of relatives that evening and the next
morning, when urged to return home
by his uncle, fourished his revolvers
and threatened to make use of them if
interfered with. He then backed out
of the house and proceeded north
from Mora along road passing near
the Winters cabin. He reappeared in
Mora the following Sunday, much
fatigued, and explained that he had
spent the time since Friday in an
abandoned shack on his uncle's home
stead, eight miles from Wahkon. On
Monday he agreed to return home,
purchased ticket to Minneapolis and
boarded train.
Winters was last seen about 10
O'Clock on the morning of March H.,
when he left the home of a neigbbor to
walk mile to his cabin. An hour or
more later, according to the findings
of the Kanabec county Investigators,
young Thomas appeared at this
neighbours home, ate dinner and en-
deavored unsuccessfully to hire a rig
to drive to the nearest railroad
station. It was later learned that a
youth answering his description
visited other farm houses along the
road and tried to hire a rig. AS an
Indirect result of these visits to farm
houses, the Investigators brought to
light probably the strongest link in
the chain of circumstantial evidence
that was coiling more and more tight
ly about the wayward Minneapolis
boy. "
Upon his arrival at Mora, it was
said, he missed one of his mittens.
He was positive he had left it in one
of the farm houses. He was so
certain of this that he left letter to
be mailed to one of the housewives
asking that the mitten be forwarded