The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-30
.SR0UFE LETTER
IS IN COURT
Claimed That He Wrote Mis-.
sive Telling About the
Crime at McFIenry.

tonight or Monday it is expected that
The evidence in the Frank Sroufe MUIR
der case will be completed and the
case given to the jury. He is on trial
for killing John Mclaughlin, the af-
fair occurring at McHenry, this coun-
ty.
Mrs. Mclaughlin, wife of the man
killed, Is in attendance at court and
Weeps most Of the time. It is alleged
ina 9 presence as an employee in
the hotel run by Sroufe was the cause
of the bad blood. that. existed some
weeks prior to the shooting. between
the W men who met in the deadly
conflict In the hotel lobby.
Mrs. Sroufe is in a hospital in the
east, it. Is reported, and will not be
at the trial. She is well known here
as Josie Babcock, a former telephone
operator in Darlington.
Sroufe Is an interested but not en-
tremely v spectator in the court
room. He chews gum continuously
and was alert to hear all the testimony
Introduced.
The case opened by introducing the
testimony OF Doctors King and Lee
Bein of McHenry and DIR. Mackenzie,
coroner Of Darlington. Their evil
came to his death from a bullet
wound. and testimony was had upon
the wound that was inflicted on Nc
Laughlin's head by the piece Of rub
Der hose with which Sroufe first as
saulted the deceased.
Joe Greb. the village marshal al
McHenry. was the first witness in
troduced whose testimony had to deal
with the shooting. He arrived at the
hotel shortly after tn shot was fired.
Through Mr.. Greb's testimony the
state introduced several exhibits. in
Guiding: The bullet that was taken
from McLaughlin's head at the
autopsy; a plat of the interior OF the
U. c. I. hotel at McHenry. where the
shooting occurred; the revolver used
In the shooting; the piece Of hose used
and a letter purported to have been
written by Sroufe in Jail telling how
and why the killing took place. The
letter wa found in a coal pail, torn
to pieces, and was resurrected from
there by Greb and patched together
The letter tells of the conversation
that took place at the hotel that even.
ing, of the assault with the hose and
the shooting, stating that the writer
did not know how or when the gun
went off. The letter was not signed.
Following the cross examination OF
Greb, Master James Mclaughlin, son
Of deceased, was put on the. stand and
told a clean cut story of the affair thai
seemed to be very fair to both sides
James was with his father at the time
of the shooting and had supper with
him at the hotel. He told of the
movements of the two and Of the al.
t%ercation that ensued in the lobby aft.
er supper. The little fellow broke
down and wept just before the story
Of the shooting was reached. Many
of the wome in the court room had
moist eyes in sympathy with the
| young man.
Miss Alta Conway, an employee OF
the U. G. T. hotel and the only Other
witness to the shooting except the two
principals and the boy, was placed or
the stand. She was called as a wit.
ness by the court and the prosecution
opportunities in examining her.
Brief Story Of the Case.
John Mclaughlin, who was employ.
ed In a McHenry elevator az secont
man. met his death Saturday evening
February "a in the U. c. T. hotel q
McHenry. 1t seems that there hat
been bad blood between Sroufe anG
Mclaughlin for some time. Mrs. M
had left her home. 1t lie said. and wa.
had taken place before between the
two men. On the eventful evening
Mclaughlin and his son went to thu
hotel for supper. Coming out OF tn,
dining DON some words were had
and Mclaughlin was ordered from tn,
thotel. He started to go hut cam,
back. Sroufe attacked him with
piece OF wire bound hose in n hand
and q revolver in the left hand. H.
hit Mclaughlin W the head with thu
hose. and accidentally or Otherwise
the gun was discharged and the bull
lent went through McLaughlin's ey,
and lodged in the back of the head
He died within a few minutes. Nc,
Laughlin had been drinking the aft,
ernoon of the tragedy.
The jury Is as follows:
Charley Grabencamp. E.. s.. An
drews. q. A. Wentland. Frank Multz
A. J. Schusler. VIM. Thurston, Macl
Nicholson. J.. p. Zimmerman, Johr
Imler. John Summers. A. ]. Vance and
| Henry Bowman.