Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1914-06-18
MURDERED MAN
WAS HI. N. SEKSE
INVESTIGATIONS PROVE MAN
FOUND IN RIVER TO BE
HELGE N. SEKSE

Investigations conducted since last
weeks issue Of the Graphic on the
case of the murdered man found at
Nesson bring to light facts which
practically proves that the man found
was Mckenzie county farmer by the
name of Helge N. Sekse, or as he
usually signed his name, Henry Sexse.
Henry Sexse has been missing since
May 3lst. He owned farm two
miles south west Of the Rogers place
across the river and when Sexes
neighbors heard Of the man found in
the river they thought it might be
Sexse and came to Williston to inves-
tigate. w. H. Rogers and Nick Fos-
ter, men who knew Sexse we'll, went
to Nesson last Friday with Assistant
States Attorney Braatelien, DR.. Win
dell, S. NJ. Hyde, Ed Lowe, Police
Commissioner Wegley and Leo Paso-
nault and the body Of the murdered
man was taken from the grave and ex-
amined. Before going down Mr..
Rogers and Mr.. Foster described
Sexse and his clothing. They stated
that Sexse had on a heavy pair of
shoes and if it was him he would
have an ak cut in the sole of the left
shoe. These men both identified the
shoes as Sexse's. Mr.. Rogers also
said that the teeth missing were just
the same as ones missing in Sexse's
Jaw. Careful measurements went to
show that the murdered man was five
feet nine or a little less and his size
fitted the description Of Sexse.
A post mortem examination was
held yesterday on the body by Doctors
Distad and Windell, Braatelien and
Kenyon. Sexse had crooked thumb,
the one on the right hand having
stiff joint and upon examining the
hand of the murdered man the joint
of the right thumb was found to be
stiff.
Samuel Burns, formerly of this city
was arrested the last of last week,
charged with numbering Sexse. Sexse
was last seen with Burns and the two
were supposed to have gone to Mon
dak. Burns came back and took pos
session Of the Sexse farm, claiming
that he had purchased it from Sexse.
This was one of the reasons why
Sexse's neighbors were Of the opinion
that there was something crooked
somewhere ard got them busy when
the murdered man was found. 1t has
been found that Burns had Q deed for
the farm and that he showed it to Ben
Aaen Of Alexander inquiring about a
loan. Aaen informed him that he
would have to have recorded deed
before he could make q loan. The
authorities have been unable up to the
present time to locate the deed and it
has not been recorded. The consider
alton mentioned in the deed was $500
which on the face of it is absurd for
the farm was worth $11O0 or $1,000
and Sexse had been offered $110O
cash for it, it is reported. There was
nothing against the land so Sexse
would never have sold it for any such
sum, as he had money on time deposit
in this city and also money subject to
check. The deed was made out in
Mondak by Postmaster Hougen and
acknowledged by Cashier Hood of the
Mondak bank but he did not know
Sexse. Simon Riddle identified Sexse
At the time but later stated that he
did not know Sexse but had been in
troduced to him by Burns. This
would all tend to prove that Sexse
never reached Mondak, but had been
murdered and that the deed forged to
get possession of the farm.
Another proposition which tends to
incriminate Burns is the fact that he
pawned Sexse's watch. This watch
was pawned in Mondak in the Alex
Lester saloon. Burns claimed he had
the watch for two years. Swedlund
Bros records here show that this
same watch was brought into their
shop last March by Sexse for repairs.
Burns will be given preliminary
hearing in Mckenzie county possibly
commencing tomorrow. He is mar
ried man and has wife and family.
He formerly lived in this city and at
one time worked for D. I. Todd when
he was running a dairy east Of this
city.
Henry Sexse was a man about 35.
He has mother and sister in Nor
way but no relatives in this country
so far as is known.