The Bismarck tribune., 1921-11-05
'TR AGING CLUES
.lN.SLAYING OF
SLOPE FARMER
Alfred Beier Found in Pool Of
Blood in Lonely Home
South of Dickinson
POST.MORTEM PERFORMED
Physicians Believe Man Was
Killed BY Blow From a
Blunt instruments

Dickinson, N. d., Nov. 5-Stark
county officials today are seeking tho
slayer Of Alfred Beier, whose BODY
was found in Q pool Of blood in a lone
~ farm home near schefeld, II miles
southwest Of here by neighl,ors who
became alarmed at his prolonged ah.
sence,
physicians who conducted post
mortem examination OF the body be.
lleved Beier was killed by blow on
the right ear which crushed his skull.
An examination also showed deep
bruise from a blunt instrument on the
right temple.
According to the story told by John
.flalth, ne had sent his wife to the
Beer home early Monday morning TO
ascertain whether or rot Beier was
away or sick. Upon her arrival at the
house she found the door locked on
the outside by paddock as was Bel.
er's custom when away from the farm.
despite this fact, however, she made
further investigation by opening the
window Of the living room and upon
looking in discovered the dead body.
She Immediately went to her home,
told her husband who ran to the Peter
Braun Epme a short distance away and
together the neighbors went to inves-
tigate. Upon finding the body they
drove to Dickinson and informed the
officials, who drove to the farm and re
moved the body to the Boulger &
Hughes undertaking parlors in Dickin-
son, where a post mortem was per-
formed. The finding of the physicians
established the fact that Beier had
been murdered. -.s.g-.,
Follow Up shreds
Since that time officials have been
following up shreds of evidence that
would tend give clues to the guilty
parties. Parties under suspicion are
being closely watched and it is be-
lieved that arrests will follow within
the week. ,@
The coroners' inquest, which. con-
ve:ned III the Office of States Attorney
James " Cain "Wednesday afternoon;
was continued until Monday, Nov.
in order that additional evidence
might be secured. f5
Testimony offered by neighbOrs ut
the hearing Wednesday gave the Of,
ficials no new evidence to, follow in
their search Mrs. John Flaith testi-
fled that she had been sent to the
Beier home by her husband to see il
Beier was sick or anything" Upon
her arrival there she found the doors
locked and made the investigation as
stated above. She also stated that on
Saturday, October %, she had seen
short stout man approach the Beier
home. over the field from the north
east and after remaining there for a
short time disappeared in the same d.
rection. She declared that this occur
red about 1890 o'clock in the morn
ing and that she watched the man
come and 60 from the top Of shed at
her home. She said that there seemed
nothing suspicious either in his ap-
pr0ach or departure.
On the witness stand Flaith testi-
fed that he had sent his wife to the
,Beier home because he feared that
something had happened to Beier for
the reason that he (Flaith) had not
seen Beier for a week. When asked
why he did not go himself he replied
that ''he was afraid of getting killed
but entertained no such fear for his
wife, He also admitted that there
had been trouble between himself and
Beier for some time past and that
threats to kill had been made. Both
Flaith and his wife declared that they
had heard loud talking and quareiing
at the Beier home early Sunday eve
ming but did not know who was there.
Was a Cripple
Peter Braun, another neighbor, SAID
that Flaith came to his home Monday
morning and told him that Beier was
dead and that he and his son, together
with Flaith, went to the home where
they found the body. Braun then IN
sisted that the place should not be
disturbed until after the officials had
been notified.
lBeier had suffered for some time
from rheumatism which had made
him a cripple and he was able to get
around only with great difficulty. Fol
many months he had been actively
in the illicit manufacture OF
home brew and had sold it in large
quantities. Two months ago he was
arrested by revenue officers who
searched his place on complaint ot
Flaith, who had been sued by Beier fof
the recovery of calf. Beier was
taken to Fargo where he was fined $i
by Judge C. F. .Amidon in the fedora
court for booAegging immediately
upon his return to Stark county he re-
sumed his nefarious trade.
On the kitchen stove in the room ao-
Joining the one3 where his body was
found, was ten gallon can OF masn.
Nearby was still containing a quah-
tity of home brew.