The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-07-22
.BRO0TEN FARMER
FOUND DEAD SUNDAY
CORONER'S JURY FINDS WEE.
DICT OF DEATH BY STRAIN
GULATION =
NO MURDER Clue In EVIDENCE
OFFICERS BELIEVE MOTIVE TO
CONCEAL SUICIDE-SON
FINDS BODY 8

A strong probability of suicide,
hemmed in by evidence pointing to a
possible murder, surrounds the case
of Amund Sundfot, farmer, found
dead on his farm near Brooten last
Sunday afternoon.
A corners jury, holding an inquest
over the body on Tuesday, arrived at
a verdict Of death by strangulation
by a person or persons unknown"
The body was found by son of the
dead man, and marks on the body
resulted in the verdict, although no
evidence of a conflict or suicide could
be found in the vicinity.
The evidence supporting the ver-
dict of the jury was found in. the alb
lrasions on the neck of the body and
which extended entirely around the
neck and plainly showed markings Of
the strands of a rope. A black dis
celebration under the chin was con-
sidered as having been made by the
knot of the rope, this spot being over
an inch in diameter and having the
appearance of having been caused by
such a knot. County officers and
neighbors Of the dead man are GER
tain that suicide was the cause of
death, but the absence of testimony
supporting that idea lends an air of
mystery to the affair. Four physi-
cans called as witnesses agreed that
LcTly strangulation could have caused
the tragedy after viewing the marks
on the body.
Amund Sundfot had reached the
age of 70 years and made his home
with his three sons and one daughter
en- the family farm short distance
from Brooten. Sundfot, widower,
had retired from active work and had
turned his property over to his sons,
Two Of the boys, Oscar and Arthur,
on last Sunday afternoon attended a
ball game at the village, leaving the
father at home. After the game, ac-
cording to the story told the jury,
Oscar, the eldest, returned to the farm
while Arthur made a trip into sBroo-
ten
Upon arriving home, Oscar states
he found the body of his parent in the
machine shed, the body lying back
downward between two gang-plows
and the wall, with the neck resting
on the pillow in such way that marks
were made on the skin. Sundflot hav.
Ling been subjected to heart trouble,
the son attributed the death to that
ailment and summoned DR.. Gyler of
Brooten who had treated the deceased
for his physical trouble. This physi-
k;.l, after an examination gave his
opinion that an attack Of heart fall
ure had caused death. ~ /
A slight discrepancy appeared here
in the testimony, for Oscar Testified
that he thought the father had been
Head about an hour when the body
was found late in the afternoon, while
he informed DR.. Gyler upon that
gentleman's arrival at abouts9 p. m,
that. the man had been dead about two
hours. A neighbor, Nels Jensen, who
saw the remains prior to the arrival
of the physician, stated that the body
was facing westerly, while the doctor
declared that the corpse faced direct
ly east at 9 o'clock.
The remains were taken to Belgrade
by an undertaken of that place and
here, the marks on the neck first
noticed, resulted in call to DR..
Mayer of Melrose, who notified the
Sheriff and coroner. These officials on /,
Tuesday morning thoroughly exam
med the farm premises in search Of
the rope which undoubtedly caused
death, but were unable to find such
an article, and so reported to the
coroner's jury which was called. The q
were no indications of murder ap-
parent, for no trace of strangers was
discovered in the vicinity and a
search of the dead mans pockets dis
closed that his pocket-book had not
been touched. All evidence bore out
strongly the theory of suicide, with !,
the probability that the son had con- {
cealed the rope for reasons of his
own. However, there were no signs
on the rafter over the pillow of a rope
having been placed around the tim
Der. 81
Mr.. Sundfiot and his entire family "
have been popular in the community Z
for their qualities of thrift and relia- /,
blity. They are members of the Nor-s
wegion Lutheran congregation. 81
The funeral was held Wednesday 4
at Brooten. e.
ST
4