Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-05-19
BANDIT KILLED AND
MARSHAL WOUNDED
Maple Plain Scene of Pistol Fight
Between Officers and
BURGLARS

near Maple Plain early Yesterday morn
ing. one bandit was killed; Joseph Mer-
ty was seriously wounded, and a sec
ond bandit was recaptured in a pistol
fight waged between the dead outlaw
and Merriam and his deputy, A. j. Hill
strom of Maple Plain.
The body Of Albert Hanson, the dead
bandit believed to have lived at STAN
ton, Mimi, was taken to the Hennepin
county morgue late yesterday. Rich
ard Bielena. companion of Hanson, who
says his home is in Morrison, ILL.,, was
brought to the Hennepin county jail.
him.
Marshal in Serious Condition
The men had been captured at Delano
after they were said to have robbed
Hillstrom's store at Maple Plain. They
We're being taken to Maple Plain for
the attack on the marshal and his de-
putty occurred Marshal Merriam was
heater, on the head with the butt of a
attending him at his home in Delano
! last night feared his skull may be frac-
tured. Delano is 80 miles west of Min
| neapolis.
The two bandits bound, had been
| placed in the tonneau of the automobile.
! Merriam and Hillstrom rode in front.
On the way to Maple Plain Plain the m, men =,
ordered Merriam, the driver, to stop.
Bandits Attack Captors
Hillstrom and Merriam turned and
found themselves facing a revolver. The
gun was pointed at Merriams back but
Hillstrom grabbed for the barrel. His
mer and the firing pin as Hanson pulled
| the trigger and this move is believed to
| have saved Merriam from being muir
| dered.
Hanson was killed by Merriam while
| the marshal was still dazed from the
blows on his head. The burglar escap-
| ed from the car by kicking out the cur
was coming ing around the he Side Of the car car
| to get shot at Merriam when the mar
! shall fired three times in rapid success
sion, the bullets taking effect in Han
! sons mouth.
Said to Have Confessed Robberies
| According to a confession Bielena is
said by Deputy Sheriffs Charles Budd
and Joseph Shutta to have made, the
men robbed Lyman Lumber company
$50 worth OF pocket knives. The store
is managed by Reed Mauer.
At midnight Thursday, the deputies
say Bielena told them, he and Hanson
| broke into Hillstrom's store at Maple
Plain and stole 500 worth of shoes
candy, cigarets and socks. They wrap.
ped the loot in packages and ran to the
railroad yards, where they caught 8
freight for Delano Entrance to both
places had been gained by breaking
! windows.
just as they were leaving his store. He
saw them board the freight train an(
telephoned to Marshal Merriam.
Revolver Overlooked in Search
When the train reached Delano, Mer
RAM was waiting for the men and plac
then notified to come to Delano and i'd
entity his property, which he did Mer
RAM then decided to take the prisoner,
to Maple Plain and lodge them in thu
Merriam searched the men but over
looked a revolver in :Hansons pocket
The prisoners were placed in the rea
seat of the marshaIs automobile Will
. the marshal drove and Hillstrom sa
; with him. Half a mile from Mapl
Plain while they were making good tim
along a smooth stretch of road Hanson
ordered the marshal to stop the cal
Merriam and Hillstrom turned aroun,
to look into the muzzle of the gun. Mer
riam dropped the steering wheel an
without shutting off the power grapple
Marshal Shoots to Save Life
Hillstrom said Bielena took no par
in the struggle Hanson pressed tn
, cording to Hillstrom and pulled tn
trigger but Hillstronl's hand was owe
the hammer. Hanson then wrenche
the gun free and beat Merriam owe
| The automobile in" the meantime ha
turned off the road and come to a sto
in plowed field. Hanson then kicke
out the rear curtains OF the car an
| diVed through AS he was comm
around the side of the car, Merriar
| killed him.
Hillstrom took charge of Bielena an
telephoned the Hennepin county she1
ifs office. Deputy Sheriffs Budd an
Shutta were sent to the scene Of tn
shooting by Chief Deputy Nels Clause1
deputy Coroner H. E. Richardson &C
companied them and took charge o
Hansons body.
Men Visited Twin Cities
Bielena, the deputies say, took the1
to Long Lake and Maple Plain, an
showed them how they broke into tn
two stores. Bielena, the deputies say
admitted he and Hanson have been al
sent without leave from Camp Gran
ILL.,, since April 6. They are member
of the Sixth division, deputies say h
told them. They were clad in arm
uniforms. - Minneapolis Tribune TO
Saturday.