Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-09

night of tho mururr. wa, ~ "a.
writing of Andy Brown. He was ex-
amined closely on the question Of the
similarities which he said he had found
mitted to him. but he would not mOdl-
fy his previously expressed opinion in
any way as the result Of this examin. ,
alton. '.
(By staff Correspondent /.
Valley City, N. D., Feb. s.-The
state of North Dakota has now placed
before the jury the evidence or which
it asks the conviction of William
Marie Wick, aged Is, of Grygla. Min
nesota, at the Prescott hotel in Far
go where the accused was night clerk
early OF the morning of June Z last. !
This evidence is entirely of circum-;
stantial nature. The state has. at
tempted to show first, that there is
nol evidence pointing to anyone but /:
GUNNER. as the perpetrator Of the
crime, n second that the evidence
does point very clearly to GUNNER as !
the murder. One exception must be
made to the first of these contentious
although up to date Andy Brown,
Gummer's roommate, has been held
in confinement merely as a material
witness in the case, II is apparent, now !
~ - " - - ID VA
as much Of the evidence relied on b.
the prosecution to show that Gumme, !
killed Marie Wick, must If the states
contention be accepted, apply with a
least equal force to Brown as being
also implicated in the affair to 4
greater or less extent.
Two of the most important pieces
Of evidence put in by the state are
the testimony of a handwriting ex-
pert, that in his opinion the name
James Farrell, Willmar. on the Pres
colt hotel register. is in Browns hand
writing. and the evidence of Roy
Murphy, prisoner in the Cass county
Jail. who had sworn that during the
time GUNNER and Brown. were both
in that Jail, ne heard them advise
each other to stand pat.
Brown Closely Connected
There is other testimony tending to
connect Brown with the crime and SO
after listening to the evidence, put in
by the state in Gummer's trial. the
conclusion of the spectator is ineVi-
table that if the jury finds GUNNER
guilty of the murder Of h unfortun-
ate Grygla girl, Browns arrest on a
charge of some degree of completely in
the crime must be expected to follow.
On the other hand, If GUNNER is
acquitted, it would seem equally GER
tdul IIdL there Will De no prosecutor
of Brown.
Present Status of Case
At present the status of the case is
about az follows:
The state has put in evidence tend
ing to eliminate nearly everyone who
i could conceivably be connected with
the crime. Practically all Of the
guests at the Prescott hotel on the
ilsn- o. the murder have
frr .thnir "~h"roaboutS at that time
n Arnold Rasmussen. the only ac-
%quaintance Marie Wick is known to
have had III fargo. has Proved Il vonl-
plete alibi for himself.
Having as it contends, eliminated
all other possibilities h prosecution
has turned to GUNNER and has in
troduced testimony tending to prove
a number of alleged discriminating
facts concerning him and also his
roommate, Andy Brown.
Contentious Of State ,u. ,s,
Among these are the following
points which the state will contend 1t
has proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
GUNNER was on duty the night of
the murder of Marie Wick and took
her to her room in the hotel.
Andy Brown was with him during
a part of the night. GUNNER, after
having told conflicting stories regard
ing Browns presence on the night OF
the crime. and regarding his own
movements on the same night, ad-
nit.rd to the Cass county officials thai
his first statements on several Of these
points were untrue. 1t would have
been impossible for any person to
have gone to Marie Wick's room and
then to, have left the hotel without
leaving some race on the % and
fire escapes had he taken that route
The other possible route for escape
was through the hotel office and any
seen by GUNNER. Marie Wick was
beaten over the head with a brass
nozzle of. a hose which only a person
familiar with the hotel would have
been likely to find and\ use for that
purpose, and then return to its orig
tnal position as the state contends was
done.
Two Separate Attacks
There were two separate attacks on
Marie Wick, made some three hours
or more apart. This would mean that
the assailant must have gone to the
girls room twice, and either left the
hotel twice which has been pointed
out was difficult, or else must have
remained in the hotel during hat
time. GUNNER went to Marie Wick's
room early on the morning of June
T., and later denied that he had done
so this before he called Fred Law
renee, son Of the pr%oprietress Of the
hotel.
GUNNER had improper relations
with women occupying room at the
Prescott hotel, and or at least one
occasion made improper advances to
a young girl there who repulsed him.
Gunner attempted to make i'm
proper advances to Marie Wick over
the telephone. Andy Brown wrote the |
name James. Farrell. Willmar. on the
hotel register on the night of the
crime in the effort to put the police
on. the wrong trail by providing a
missing man. .r-
{ GUNNER and Brown held an in
eliminating conversation in the Cas-
county Jail, advising each other to
stand pat. !
The above are the alleged facts
which the state Will contend it has
established and on which the states
attorney will base his demand for
Gummer'ss conviction.
Dcfcnsc's Next Move.
1t now remains to be seen what
steps the defense will take in it's eff
fort to unravel the net Of circum-
stantial evidence which the state has
striven to wind about the accused.
Little intimatiUn has been given SO
far of what line will be taken. Al
though from the fact that two hand
writing experts are said to have been
brought here in Gummer's behalf it
seems likely that one of the first at
tackS will he directed against the