The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-10-23
Moorhead News
GEORGETOWN'S
BAD Man CAUGHT
GAVE HIMSELF UP QUIETLY
AFTER TERRoRIzING HIS
HOME TOMBSTONE INTO A
HARDWARE STORE FOR WEAP-
oNs-MoTIvEs NOT KNOWN.

Leo Hoefing, said to be between IL
and 1S years af of age, of light weight
and small in stature for his age, who
terrorized the good people of George
town, early yesterday morning with
the indiscriminate use of a gun and
pistols, was brought to the Moorhead
police station last night shortly be-
| fore 8 o'clock in the custody of Sher-
if Whaley, Deputy Malvey. Chief OF
Police O'Laughlin and Patrolman
WEIGH of the city police force. h
who saw the arrival of the sheriffs
auto containing the prisoner n the
armed force with him. say that Hoe
fling, proportionately was a mere babe
in the hands of either one of the
officers.
The arrest Of the prisoner was eff
fected at his home by the sheriff who
found him sitting quietly at the supper
table with his family apparently ready
to give himself up when the officers
arrived. Hoefing was told that he
was wanted and to. consider himself
under arrest and without any. ado he
proceeded to prepare himself for the
journey to Moorhead.
The arrest was made under a war
rant charging Hoefiing with an as
sault with a deadly weapon obtained
by the sheriff after his return to town
yesterday afternoon after his visit to
Georgetown in response. to a phone
message from Cashier Nelson Of the
State Bank Of Georgetown about 10
o'clock yesterday morning. The sher-
If and Deputy returned to town after
a fruitless search for the would-be
bad man of the plains" with the
idea that it would be a good thing
to secure a warrant on the basis of
information which they had gathered.
Before leaving, the sheriff and deputy
perfected plans for the arrest of the
miniature bad man" should he
show up.
From information received at the
Moorhead police headquarters Sheriff
Whaley, Deputy MalYey, the chief of
police and one of the policemen left
again for Georgetown in the sheriff's
auto and arriving at the latter place
information was impaired that Hoe
fling would be found at his home and
that proved to be correct.
Shooter Gets Arms.
1t is alleged that young Hoehing
obtained the battery. with which he
did his wild shooting by breaking in
the window Of the general store where
q stock of hardware and sporting
goods was kept for sale. There the
prisoner helped himself to a rifle and
revolvers and such ammunition he de-
sired. After arming himself he wildly
shot into several of the business places
and later he got into a mix-up with
the town marshal, but got away after
firing a few shots without effect.
..~ Charged Family and Home.
HOef1ing then proceeded to the home
of Chris Molsness, the section fore
man for the Great Northern Railway
Co. 1t is alleged he had a grudge
against Molsness and ordered him to
come out. Molsness refused and then
Hoefing began firing into the house.
One Of the bullets passed over Mols-
ness as he lay in bed. Molsness and
his family reached the cellar in safety
n escaped injury, but the house was
thoroughly riddied with bullets. At
least sixteen shots were, fired into the
building and the door was made prac-
tically useless by the bullets from a
rifle.
After the escapade at the home of
the section foreman Hoefing decided
that he had done enough damage and
left for a hiding place, which he sue
cessfully maintained until last even
ing after the departure of the Off
GERS returning to Moorhead.
Later he officers returned with
more assistance n from Information
obtained went to the home of the
bad man" and placed him under ar
rest. 1t was expected that Hoefing
would be given a preliminary hearine
before Justice Torson some time this
afternoon, or as soon as the county
attorney can take the matter up. Hoe
fling was moved from the lookup to the
county Jail this morning. The prisoner
has little to say and the motives for
his shooting escapade is a mystery to
his family and the police authorities
His general appearance does not in
didate any of the bad man" charac-
| teristics,