Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-29
JOE THR0NDSON,
FARM WORKMAN.
DID SHOOTING ! \
Tragedy Followed Quarrel
On Victims Farm Sum
day Morning.
KILLER NOW IN
LOCAL HOSPITAL
Motive Uncertain; State
ment Made by Prisoner
Guarded by Authorities.

Elmer Dezell, aged 80, q farm.
er living two miles east of EN-
crado was shot and killed shortly
before noon Sunday by Joe
Throndson, employed on the
Dezell farm, who thcn tried un.
successfully to Kill himself by
shooting himself in the abdomen.
Throndson Is now in local
hospital under surveillance OF
the county authorities. T. B. Ell.
ton. states attorney, said today
that charge of murder In the
first degree would be preferred
against him.
1t is known that Throndson this
morning made q statement to the
county authorities, the nature of
which has not been made pubic.
FOLLOWED QUARREL
Tho shooting is said to have
taken place following a quarrel
between Dezell and Throndson
which occurred at the barn on
the formers farm. After high
words the two men separated,
Dezell going to the farm house,
while Throndson ran to q small
shack. OF cook car. near by.
ThrOndson took . loaded r1lle
from the cook car, and parsued
Dezell, and as the latter reached
the porch Of his house. Th0rem.
son flFed At him. the bullet taking
EFFECT >An- his body. Dezel then
ran through the house, Thorenson
pursuing him, and firing at him
with the rifle.
DIED IN YARD. =.
De1en ran out of the front
door of the house, and finally fell
In a snow bank, dying almost in-
mcdiately. When the body WAS
examined it was found that four
bullets had taken effect. two OF
them striking Dezeu in the front
OF tho body, and two In the back.
SHOT HIMSELF.
After asccrtaining apparently
that Dezcll was dead, Throndaon
returned to the house, and pla,-
ing the muzzle Of the rife against
his abdomen, pulled the trigger.
The bullet, however. travelled
around the outside OF his body.
and tho wound will proba bly, not
prove fatal. ThrondsOn was rem
dercd helpless by the wound,
however. and fell to tho floor.
Mrs. Dczell. who, it appears.
had been present throughout the
affair, then ran to some of the
neighborS 10 get assistance, leay-
ing Clifford Dezcli. her SOD, aged
10. alone with the body of his
father, and the helpless slayer.
DR.. Q. A. Mckay of Emerado
Hn 1RosSnd Thor.
enson's wound. and with other
witnesses heard his general state
lncnt as to the shooting. which
followed i'm general the account
given above
Throndson was brought to
Grand Forks Sunday night by
Deputy Sheriff y. W. Love.
ATHORTTIFS SILENT.
The authorities refuse tn mike
any statement as to the possible
motive for the shooting. AL
though Throndson, while send
delirious is said to have made
some statements to the effect
that Dezell intended to shoot
him.
CHII4D's STORY.
According to Clifford DczclI,
the young son of the victim. De-
zeIl had been away from homo
Sunday morning until shortly be.
fore the shooting occurred.
While he was away. the hoy
says, Throndson took the riAe
from the place where it WINS kept
and loaded 1t, apparently havin:
it ready for action on Dezelra
return. 49,
Coroner Robert Mclean II
Gilby was at Eincrado Sunday
night investigating the affair.
De3el Is survived by his Win
son and one brother. He had
lived near Emerado for the last
.1S years; Throndson had worked
for him for the last seven years,
and the two had always appear.
ed to be excellent friends.
Throndson served In the Amerd.
can army during the recent war,
and bore ON excellent reputation.