The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-06-25
WITNESS IN Big
MOORHEAD CASE
Is FOUND DEAD
r. FL. Ellis, Vice President,
Imperial Elevator Co.,
Accident Victim
KILLED IN FALL
FRO MWIND0W LEDGE
Probably Walking in Sleep
Man Sees Him Take
Fatal Plunge

Trial Of the case Of the state against
John Ness in the Moorhead district
court was halted this morning when
f. H. Ellis, ce-president Of the I'm
perial Elevator Co., one Of the wit
f1esses for the state, failed to appear.
A few minutes later 1t was learned
that the dead body Of Mr.. Ellis was
found lying on the sidewalk in front
of the West hotel in Minneapolis Sun
day morning. From all information
that has been received 1t is evident
that Mr.. Ellis crept out Of the window
of his room on the fifth floor Of the
hotel while asleep and fell to the
sidewalk, crushing his skull.
Mr. Ellis had been a guest at the
Comstock hotel, Moorhead, during the
trial of the case and on Saturday after
noon was undecided whether he would
spend Sunday at Detroit or go through
to Minneapolis. Shortly before 4
o'clock Saturday afternoon he bade
goodbye to Assistant Attorney General
John e. Palmer, who is associated with
County Attorney G. @. Dosland in the
prosecution OF the case. They spoke of
the trial dragging and Ellis jokingly
remarked that he thought he would not
be needed before Wednesday. Before
leaving he assured Mr.. Palmer that he
would return to Moorhead this morn
ing.
AS soon as it was learned that Mr..
Ellis was dead Mr.. Palmer talked by
phone with the Minneapolis detective
who investigated the case. It appeared
that Mr.. Ellis registered at the hotel
at about IL o'clock Saturday night,
and at 1888 sent his suit down to be
pressed.
crept Along Edge.
&Sn
ed Goldberg saw a man creep out of
a room on the fifth floor Of the hotel
and grope along the window ledge. He
wore a night shirt and was barefoot.
Reaching the side of the window open
ing the man appeared to be feeling his
way around the corner, then suddenly
toppled over and fell to the sidewalk.
Just where Mr.. Goldberg was is not
known, but it is thought that he was
in a room in building on the opposite
side of the street.
It was some time before the body
was identified and when an investiga-
tion of the room occupied by Mr.. Ellis
was made there was nothing to indi-
-cate foul play. The door was locked
and bolted on the inside and the key
hole shield was in place. The door
leading to the fire escape was also
locked on the inside. Only one person
had occupied the bed and there was no
Indication of struggle.
2Mr. Ellis, Miss Frances Hector, chief
clerk in the Office of the Imperial Ele-
vator company at Minneapolis and G.
F. Jennings, claim adjustor for the
u. IS. Fidelity and Guaranty company,
were attending the trial Of the Ness
case. Mr.. Ellis was a guest at the
Comstock hotel, Moorhead, Miss Hec-
tor roomed at the Gardner, Fargo, and
Mr.. Jennings is a guest at the Metro
pole.
About 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon
Mrs. Ellis called Manager Baldwin of
the Comstock hotel to know where
Mr.. Ellis was. He informed her that he
had checked out on Saturday afternoon
and gone east on Northern Pacific
train No. 4.
The trial OF the case is moving along
very slowly and the attorneys do not
think 1t will reach the jury before
- ,-..
The charge against Ness was, in