The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-05-06
Kenosha Man Charged with Murder of His
Wife Said to Be Suffering from
,"Acute Mania" at Laramie.
ACCUSED MAN BARKS LIKE A DOG
distressing Condition Of Accused Man Causes Deep
Concern Among Relatives Here - May
Never Be Brought to Trial

Distressing reports Of the mental
and physical condition of Roy r.
Bergstrom, Kenosha man in Jail at
Laramie, Wyoming, charged with the
murder Of his wife, Gladys Bergstrom,
on the evening of April 8, were re-
ceived in Kenosha on Saturday even
ing and it is declared that there is
a strong possibility that Bergstrom
will never be brought to trial on a
murder charge, but that he may be
committed to an asylum for the in
sane. Bergstrom is declared, in the
reports from Laramie, to be suffering
from an "acute mania" and he is under
the constant observation of physicians.
At the time Of the shooting of Mrs.
Bergstrom, friends of the young man
81 Kenosha, declared that he must be
insane, and it is understood that in
Sanity is to be his plea when the case
Is called for hearing. Attorney
Robert Verne Baker, who has been re-
tanned to look after the interests of
the accused man, returned to Keno
sha on Saturday night. When he left
Laramie a week ago, the acute mania
had not developed and the condition
of Bergstrom at this time may throw
an entirely new light on the case.
Banks Like Dog.
The editor of the Laramie Evening
Republican on Saturday Sent teIe-
gram to the Kenosha Evening News,
telling Of the new development Of the
case. The message follows.
"Roy E. Bergstrom, held in the
county Jail here for the murder of his
wife, Gladly Bergstrom, four weeks ago
today, is showing strong symptoms
of acute mania. He will not talk. For
two days he ate nothing, but he
keeps himself clean, knows enough to
turn the electricity off in his cell. His
mania causes him to assume position
on his hands and knees on his cot and
continually banks like a dog. His
mother left him a few days ago to re-
turn home and at that time showed
none Of the symptoms Of the mania
He is being watched closely. The
presence Of a physician in his cell
seems to greatly excite him and fill
him with fear"
Mother Gets Distressing News.
Mrs. Carrie Bergstrom, mother Of
the accused man, who spent some time
with him at Laramie, following his ar
rest, also received word on Saturday
that he was in a distressing condition.
my information is that he has lost
his mind" was the comment of Mrs.
Bergstrom, and she asked that she be
requested to say nothing further in
connection with the case.
Friends of Bergstrom in Kenosha
still insist that his condition at the
present time may be the result of
injuries received while in service in
France, Efforts are being made at this
time to get data from the war depart
ment as to just what injuries Berg
strom sustained while in service and
his condition when he was mustered
out of the service.
Hearing Set for August.
Bergstrom has been held for trial on
charge Of numbering his wife and
the hearing of the charges against him
is scheduled to be taken up at the
circuit court term in August
Mrs. Carrie Bergstrom, mother of the
young man, will probably go to Lara
mic in the near future. Letters which
she has received indicate that the
mental condition Of the young man is
steadily growing worse. Friends of
Mr.. Bergstrom in Laramie have sought
to interest the young man in letters
from his mother, but it is declared
that he seemed to have no understand
ing Of them.
Mrs. Bergstrom declared that she
did not believe that the case would
ever come to trial. Attorneys for Berg
strom are planning to ask for an ex-
animation into his mental condition al
once.
Baker Says No Developments.
Attorney Robert Verne Baker when
seen today declared that there had
been no developments in the Berg
strom case and that none were ex-
pected until Bergstrom was arraigned
on murder charge some time in
August. He said that he had beer
advised Of the mental condition Of
his client.