The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-04-29
ARRESTS MAY Be
MADE TODAY IN
N u R DER CASE
Authorities Are Tracing Down
Four Phases of Turtle
- Lake Killings
NEIGHBOR Is EXAMINED
Nearest Resident to Wolf Farm
May Have Committed Crime
.s Authorities Believe

Way nave COWmlIVeu STlWc
Authorities Believe
Arrests are expected to be momen-
tarily made by the authorities at
Turtle Lake. as they draw tighter the
net which they hope will engulf the
murderers who killed Mr. and Mrs.
Jacob Wolf. their five young daughters
and the chore boy, Jake Hofer. on the
Wolf farm three miles north of Turtle
Lake last Thursday.
The authorities are working on four
different and widely separated angles.
any one of which. they believe, Will
include the person or persons who
murdered the eight people last Thurs
day. dumped the bodies of Mrs. Wolf.
three of the daughters and the hired
boy down into the cellar and hid the
bodies of Wolf and the other two
daughters under a PIE of hay in the
cow shed. where they remained until
Saturday afternoon before being dis
covered " g..
Neighbor Suspected I'i.
One man. the nearest neighbOr to
the Wolf farm, has been put through
several severe cross examinations III
an attempt to check up his movements
last Thursday during the time whlcn
crimes were committed. A strong
case, based on circumstantial evidence
has been built up by the authorities
against this man and he may be ar
rested at any time. possibly today.
This man. the authorities have
learned, was practically the only
farmer in the entire Turtle Lake DIS
trict who had had any difficulties with
the dead man. On several occasions.
the authorities have, learned, there
was friction between this man and
Wolf. the last time being over the
running of cattle on free range, Wolf
having taken up some Of the suspected
mans cattle.
Spread Scandal
The alleged relations between Wolf
and a neighboring farmers daughter
has been favorite story of the sus-
pected man. which he has been in the
habit of telling to others whenever an
opportunity presented itself, the au-
thorities have discovered. These and
several other evidences OF ill feeling
between Wolf and the suspect are the
only evidence that Wolf had any dis
agreements with neighbor.
Besides these facts, the authorities
upon questioning the suspects eldest
rr{v ri, of
found that the man had been absent
from the house most of one day last
week but the girl could not state posi-
lively which day her father was away
from the house so long. The girl was
questioned while her father and moth.
er were at the Wolf funeral Wednes-
day afternoon. .., w.. ..,.
4 Is Good Shot
Neighbors also state that the sus-
pected man was very much interested
in hunting and that he was considered
a good shot. This fact coupled with
the discovery of the double barreled
shotgun in a slough, one mile in the
opposition direction from the Wolf
farm from which the suspect lives.
strengthens the suppositiOn that the
man committed the murder. The man
was one OF the first on the scene when
the bodies were discovered last Sat-
urday and Sunday morning. 1t was
this man who discovered the three
empty shot gun shells in the hay loft
of the barn. the shells being hidden
D behind hens nest and In the hay in
places where it was practically i'm
possible to accidentally discover them.
Statements made at the cOroner's
inquest Sunday by the suspected man
were contradictory to those he made
previous and since that time He was
put through another stiff cross exam
ination Wednesday afternoon while
the funeral services we're in progress.
During the early part of the services,
the man was an interested spectator.
but failed to show any signs of nerv-
Ousness
a. Another Clue 'a
The authorities are, also investigat-
ing the actions OF different members
of the girls family with whom Wolf
is said to have been intimate. This
phase Of the situation offers the best
motive for the crime. the authorities
believe. but up to the present time no
other connection between the men,
bers OF this family and the murders
has been discovered by the authori-
ties. a.
Besides these, two phases Of the
mystery. the authorities are still re-
tanning Dave Hanson in the Washburn
Jail Hanson was arrested late Tues
day afternoony after a thrilling chase
over the parties. He is not believed
to be implicated in the crime, but be-
cause Of his suspicious actions, the
authorities are holding him.
Masked AutomobiIist
The two men in the automobile, one
of whom stole shotgun from a farm
er boy few miles outside of Turtle
Lake. have not been apprehended, the
authorities announced today There
is a possibility that these two men
might have committed the murders.
remained in hiding until Tuesday,
stole an automobile and tried to make
their get away. This contention is
supported by the fact that one of the
men. masked with handkerchief, de-
manded that the farm boy obtain gasO-
line for them from a nearby farm
house.
Attorney General William LANCER,
who has been assisting the Mclean
county authorities in solving the mys-
terry. left last night for some place be-
tween Dickinson and Beach to locate
=. Ill - y 4 u,