The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-02-24

~ guarded all night and kept from
each other they were brought to
this city Saturday morning.
Child With Girls Cousin
Robert Sinclair was brought be-
fore States attorney Forbes and
questioned as to the whereabouts
Of the baby and the story he told
was that had placed the baby in
the ands of Tena Johnston, cou-
sin Of the girl. and that it was
alright. He was then taken hack
to the county Jail and then the
girl was brought before Attorney
Forbes, ami she said that it was
placed in the hands of Rinsa
Johnston, a cousin of hers. Herr,
is where the officers got there
lead i'm the difference of name and
the fact that he said it was a girl
cousin, and the girl said it was a
boy cousin.
A Tough Customer
The young murderer Sinclair
proved to be a tough customer,
and he told the officers to prefer
their charges against him. and
that he would produce the baby
on the day of the trial. The baby
was in good hands, and they were
about to give him up when the
young murderer confessed:
His Confession
He said that he killed the baby
on the Sunday evening Of their
stay in the Merchants hotel and
took the lifeless form in suit
case to an outbuilding near the
Milwaukee depot where he hid the
body. Deputy Sheriff McMichacl
and Chief of Police Powrie then
took up the hunt for the baby and
took with them Undertaken j. w.
Worner. They found the baby Just
where he said il was. However the
building had to be moved before
the. body could be recovered and
with the help of the section men
the builing was moved and the
body soon recovered, and put into
a slit case and taken to the coun-
ty Jail.
Says Girl Not Guilty
lie said that Edith Johnston the
III: her of the baby didn't know
wifar happened to it ana that sht
was not guilty i'm any way. He said
that he told her that he was 60
ing to place the baby on some
door step and leave it there. This
being agreed too by the girl. The
girl dressed the young baby girl
up very warmly, and with a mo-
theirs warm love for their first
born, kissed the baby it's last
goodbye unknown to her, and
then stepped out into the wash
room, so she could not see The
baby probably leave for good.
How He Killed It
While she was i'm the bath room
sinclair quickly grabbed shoe
string and frightened it around
the baby's throat, and stuffing It's
mouth full of rags hit it uM the
head with Il blunt instrument of
some kind. and then proceeded to
drive IA SisSOrs into its head. This
shows his brutal mentality.
Mere Sentenced
Saturday afternoon the murl:-
rrer aild The girl were sentenced
80 days each in the county Jail
for f"rnication as they plead gull
ty to the charge, and tile are now
l,Ai,. 4
his sentence is finished, he will be
rrarresied oh the charge of mu"-
der i'm lIe first trgree and will
no doubt serve a long term if not
life.
Sympathy for Mother
The Stirum people and his bro
thar that accompanied the young
couple to- this city were at loss to
know how io explain The affair
T." his mother as they said that
sh" was one Of the best mothers
that ever lived. John Sinclair, bro
ter of the young man i'm trouble
seems to be a nice young man,
ami the community around Stirum
speaks we'll of him and also the
father of the boy.
Were Shown the Baby
Both the young murderer and
the young mother were shown
the dead baby. and Sinclair re-
that it was a shame to
have killed the baby, but said it
was the one that he killed. The
girl, Edith Johnston exclaimed:
IF | had only known what he was
going to CD with it!''
Girls Father Here
Monday morning 6. r. Johnston
nf Minor, father Of Edith John
ston, came to this city and visited
his daughter in the county Jail.
The girl told her father. that she
tidnt know what had become Of
The baby, and told him exactly
what she told the officers of the
law. Mr.. Johnston said that his
wife, the mother "f the girl. didn't
know of the tragedy yet, and that
she was i'm feeble health. At this
lime, he thought it would be un-
Ia -