The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-01-09
CERHART fALLNESS
KILLED TRYING
TO ESCAPE
Mlnot Man Attempting to Make Get
Away From Colored Joint Was
Shot by Officer Robinson
Who Was ExOnerated.

Gerhart M. Fallness, aged 35 and
single, was shot and almost instant
ly killed by Officer Ed Robinson as
he was making his escape from the
c0lored joint Of Virgie Nelson, located
on Fourth street southwest, at about
nine o'clock last Friday night. The
officer had called to the man twice
to halt, but he failed to do so. The
bullet passed thru the mans left
shoulder and thru the heart.
Coroner Pence held an inquest the
next day and the officer was COM
pletely exonerated. The jury found
that Fallness had met his death at
the hands of an officer who was per-
forming his duty.
Fallness had lived in Minot for sew
eral years, making his home with the
colored folks most of the time. He
was pigger and bootlegger and
had recently been engaged in bring
ing in liquor from Montana.
Fallness was not wanted by the
police at all when they raided the
Joint, and had he remained in the
place, there would have been no oc-
casion' for the shooting.
The raid was made by Chief Dan
Dougherty, and Officers Robinson and
Reed, in an attempt to arrest three
young men charged with stealing $3.50
from John Young, farmer from four
miles north of Burlington.
Young had come to Minot that day
intending to get married. He de-
clares that his girl went back on him
after he had gone to the trouble to
raise $3.50 to pay for his wedding.
Having no further use for the money,
he met George Hines, Ed Malloy and
Eddie Lockmiller, three young men
from the city and they proceeded to
have good time at Young's expepse.
They visited the coon dives and bot
"nigger gin" and some rot-gut whis-
key. Young flashed a big roll of bills
and Insisted on paying for the drinks.
They first visited Effie Gregg's place
where they bought whiskey. 1t was
here that Young missed his money.
He was pretty full, but able to 60 to
the police station and make a report
to Chief Dougherty. The raid fol-
lowed. When the officers arrived at
the Gregg joint, the young men had
left. The officers went to the Vir-
gle Nelson joint where the men had
gone to divide Young's money.
Dougherty placed Robinson at the
rear of the building and he stationed
himself at the front. Knocking on
the door and receiving no answer,
he. kicked the door in. The men
made a bolt for the rear and Robin
son could see the running and he
heard a terrific noise as the men ran
into the small shed at the back. AS
Falness darted from the house.
Dougherty cried to Robinson: "Get
that fellow. Fallness ran out into
the street and Robinson called to him
twice to halt. The man was about
$50 feet away and running. Robin
son said he saw Fallness reach for his
hip pocket as tho to get a revolver
and the officer fired once. He says
he really didn't expect to kill the
man and at the time he did not know
who the fellow was. He thot per-
haps it might have been negro.
After Fallness was hit, he said only
few words, then became unconscious.
He recognized officer Reed and said:
"You got me this time, john" Reed
explained that he had not shot him
and Fallness replied: 81 know you
didn't" When the body reached the
hospital Fallness was dead. The
body was then taken to local under
takers.
Fallness leaves sister in Minot, a
Mrs. Ledbetter.
The police arrested Hines, Malloy
and Lockmiller. The young men con-
fessed to taking Young's money, bat
say the pocketbook contained only $40
with traey divided among themselves
at Virgie Nelson's place, putting the
pocketbook into the stove. The Of
ficers found the charred remains of
the pocks5book later. Fallness, while
not having anything to do with the
robbery, was present when the young
men divided the money.
1t is possible that one of the color
ed women took most of the money
leaving $50 in the pocketbook and
throwing it on the floor to avoid sus-
picion. The young men say they
found the pocketbook on the floor.
The three young men were arrest
ed charged with grand larceny. Hines
and Malloy waived examination and
we're bound over to the district court.
The other young man has been turn
Cd over to the Juvenile court, as he
{ is only II years Of ags.
Effie Gregg was arrested that night
and appeared before Justice Lynch.
63le was held to the district court un-
4 al $500, charged with selling in
toxicating liquor. As this is her
second offense, the penitentiary stares
Who shipped in a. trunk full of whis-
Ioy a week or so ago, her arrest fol-
Nwing. ,.3
Virgie Nelson was held to the dis
erict court under $500, charged with
i similar offense.
Viola Holmes, colored, was held to