The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-04-26
TRIBUNE IS FIRST
PAPER TO PRINT
MURDER DETAILS.
Staff Correspondent Furnished
Only News of Crime to
Leading Papers
LEFT SATURDAY NIGHT
Interesting Account of How
News of killing Was Flashed
to Nations Newspapers
LEFT SATURDAY NIGHT
LANCER TAKES CHARGE

LANCER TAKES CHARGE
Attorney General William Lang.
er left Bismarck by automobile at
2 o'clock this afternoon for Turtle
Lake to take. complete charge Of
the investigation into the murder
at that place. =. i.
In Il conference with Governor
Lynn J. Frazier shortly before
leaving, Mr.. Langer urged the gov.
ernOr to Immediately offer suit.
able reward for the apprehension
Of the guilty parties and it Is
understood that this action will
be taken by Governor Frazier.
Attorney General Langer an.
nOunced that he had hired the
services of trained operatives
from Il national famous detective
agency and that the men would
probably reach Turtle Lake Tues.
day or Wednesday and assist the
Mclean county authorities in
tracking down the, two men be.
lieyed to have massacrcd the eight
people. ~"
The Tribune was the first paper in
the country to publish any news
whatsoever about the murder OF the
eight people at Turtle Lake, the home
edition Saturday afternoon containing
the first reports from the scene of the
terrible crimes Although the first
news of the murders only trickled into
Turtle Lake Saturday afternoon, The
Tribune had the story and the news
papers were On the street by 4:30
O'clock.
This is the second time in the event
full history of The. Tribune that it play
ed commanding part in a frightful
tragedy Of nation wide int erests sfs lis
importance is only overshadowed by
the Custermassacre scoop ir
which The Tribune played such a
prominent figure.
A staff correspondent Of The Tri-
bune was on the scene of the revolt
ing crime at the Wolf farm, three
miles from Turtle Lake. shortly after
10 o'clock Saturday Mght and until he
left Turtle Lake at Y o'clock Sunday
night. every bit of news regarding the
eight murders sent out to the news.
papers all over the United States we've
written and filed by The Tribune's S
staff correspondent. ~
\ The important and stirring part The
Tribune played in furnishing the con-
tinuous stream of news of the terrible
massacre were made possible only
through the kindly assistance OF sew
eral of it's friends. How The Tribune
first got the news of the: murders and
the subsequent developments form an
interesting chapter in this mysterious
case. J..l... ...
asSheriff Ole Stefferud and States
Attorney John E. Williams Of Mclean
county were in Bismarck Saturday at,
ternoon when the eight dead bodies
were discovered on the Wolf farm
Mr.. Williams was here to visit his
mother-in-law who is dangerously il!
in hospital.
When the authorities at Turtle Lake
learned of the Wolf murders, they
made every attempt to reach Sheriff
Stefferud and Attorney Williams
Finally they traced the two officers to
Bismarck, but could not locate them
here by telephone. The. messages
were sent to the Grand Pacific and
Van Horn hotels here with instruc
tions to have the Mclean county off
cials communicate with Turtle Lake
Immediately. ... ..
D. J. McGillis of the Van Horn and
John Peterson of the Grand Pacific
sensing the great Importance and news
value of the terrible crime, immedi
ately informed The Tribune of the
matter. A long distance call brought
Editor Smith of the Turtle Lake Wave
on the wire. and The Tribune got the
first details of the killings. Sever
dead were reported at that time, ii
being several hours later before the
eighth body was discovered.
Stefferud and Williams. as soon as
they could be located. planned to leave
Immediately for Turtle Lake by auto
mobile. They were joined by Sher1f
Rollin Welch, Chief Of Police Chris
Martineson. F. E. McCurdy, persona
friend of Williams. Fred Holomboe the
photographer and The Tribune cor
respondent.
The party. in two cars, after some
delay. finally left Bismarck shortly al
ter o'clock at night and drivins
through the biting cold wind reached
Turtle Lake at 10 o'clock. having stop
ped off at Washburn to telephone IN
structions to the authorities at Turtle
Lake. The distance from Bismarck tt
Turtle Lake is Is miles.
None of the eight murdered bodies
had been touched until the party from
Bismarck, carrying the officials of Nc
Lean and Burleigh counties, arrived
at the Wolf farm. After making a
complete an examination as time pei
mitted and interviewing those bes
posted on the details following tn
discovery of the murder. The Tribune
correspondent sent the first authenti
news of the killing to the Associate'
Press at st. Paul which in turn fur
nished all of the leading newspaper
of the country with the details.
The correspondent Of The Tribun
continued to file developments all da.
Continued on Page Eight)