Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1921-11-11
TARGET SHOT KILLS
FLENSBURG BOY
AXEL BERGSTROM 4 FATALLY
LAD FACES MURDER CHARGE

.Axel Bergstrom, l8-year-old son of
Mrs. Mary c. Bergstrom Of Flensburg,
was fatally wounded Sunday afternoon
by bullet alleged to have been fred
from 90 calibre rifle by John Good
hope Of Richardson township, IA years
old. Bergstrom died three hours later
at the Columbia hotel, Pierz, from a
blood clot on the brain, caused by the
bullet rupturing a blood vessel. Good
hope was arrested the next day, and in
an alleged confession to Sheriff Felix
is said to have admitted that he shot
at the glass light in the rear Of the
car in which Bergstrom was riding, in
an attempt to break the glass. The lad
was indicted by the grand jury, which
is in session this week, on a charge of
third degree murder. The punishment
for this crime is minimum of years
imprisonment.
Mr.. Bergstrom, three brothers and
Harry Nelson and Richter johnson, all
Of Flensburg, were out for pleasure
trip in the Bergstrom car, a new Chew
rolet. They were going toward Pierz,
on the road between that village and
Sullivan Lake and were about fifteen
miles from Picrz when the accident oc-
Cured, at about 4:45 p. m. Two boys
were seen near the road and after the
car passed, according to the confession
Of Goodhope, he fred at one Of the
glass lights in the automobile top. The
bullet passed through the top about
four inches to the left Of the left light
and struck Mr.. Bergstrom, who was
sitting in the back seat, in the back of
the head. He was Immediately rushed
to the Columbia hotel at Pierz and a
physician summoned, but nothing could
be done to save him, the bullet having
lodged in the brain, and he died at
7:45 D. m. The rifle from which the
fatal bullet was fred was 20 calibre
rim fire, it is said, and the bullet was
a 20 short. .....' ~
The body was brought to Little
Falls and Monday afternoon CorO-
-ner Brown, assisted by, Drs. E. L. For
tier and A. E. Amundsen, conducted a
post-mortem examination. '<N
Sheriff Felix and Deputy Sheriff
Friesinger went out Monday. morning
after the boys suspected of doing. the
shooting and took him into custody
that morning. They said that they
secured a complete confession from
him as to the shooting. Albert Peltier,
said to have been Is years old, his
companion, was also taken as wit
ness.
The Goodhope boys life has not
been the best, from what information
those connected with the case have
been able to CLEAN from people living
in that vicinity. It is said that the
boy came to that territory from Cot
tonwood county with his parents a
few years ago. The mother died a
year ago and later the father disap-
peared. For some time, the boy has
been living at the home of q neighbor,
Mr.. Peltier.
The funeral Of Mr.. Bergstrom was
held from the Congregational church
in Culdrum yesterday afternoon at 2
o CLOCK, Rev. j. p. johnson officiating.
Interment was in the church cemetery.
This is>the second fatal accident in
this family IN four years. John Berg
strom, father Of the boy, was killed BY
: train ct Flensburg four years ago.
last October. Surviving are the boys
mother, Mn. Mary g. Rergstrom, and
three brethsJs md sexsn. list 81. lAix;kl;
va the youngest of lths
"A S