The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-03-03

tAssociated Press Dispatch.l
Valley City, N. o., February IS.
After the conviction at 1910 a.
m, today of William GUNNER on
. the charge of murder in the first
degree in connection with the
Staying of Miss Marie Wick at
Fargo North Dakota, on June 7,
last, Andy Brown. Gummer's
roommate, was arrested on
charge of first degree murder in
connection with the same crime.
Valley City, n. D., February 20
William GUNNER, declared guilty by
the jury that was out from $40 yes
be sentenced by Judge Charles Nj.
Cooley to life imprisonment in the
state penitentiary, that being the max
imum penalty imposed in this state.
Judge Cooley, thanking the jury for
its service. congratulated the mem
bers on returning what he termed a
righteous verdict
Brown, held as a witness since Sep
TENDER "a last. who was in the Fargo
hotel of which GUNNER was night
clerk when Miss Wick of Grygla,
Mimi. was chicken. gagged, tied to a
bed. assaulted and afterwards beaten
to death with fire hose nozzle was
taken to Fargo early to-day and plac-
ed in the Cass county Jail.
Showed No Emotion.
GUNNER showed absolutely no emo
ton as the verdict was lead by Judge
Cooley, and he left the court room
with a smile on his face. Twenty
minutes later, Sheriff I.ason of Barnes
county said the convicted man was
asleep.
Neither of Gummer's parents were
in the court room when the verdict
that condemned their son to life i'm
prisonment was reported. They had at
tended all sessions of the trial.
How The Jury Stood.
1t is understood the jury voted
first on the question ri guilty, a un
animous ballot resulting. The second
ballot was on the degree. and the re.
suit was again unanimous first de-
gree. A third ballot, of "clincher" bal
lot, was taken, and less than an hour
after the jury retired, the result had
been established.
The jury, however, remained out
until 1890 a m. before advising bail
ifs it was ready to report. Ten min
utes later the verdict was read in
court. ". H. Barnett, chief counsel
for GUNNER, said the case would go
to the supreme court.
w. G. Green, states attorney OF
Cass county, prosecutor of the case
declared his satisfaction at the YER
dict. Il have always felt that we had
the right man, and the fact that the
jury agreed so early in its delibera-
tons is doubly pleasing.
Story of-Murder and Triai.
The Staying of Marie Wick at hotel
in Fargo In June, 1921, for which Will
liam GUNNER, the hotel clerk. was held,
created sensation in the northwest and
city and county officials eh s.ataS e1
committed in this section.
The body of Miss Wick who was
eighteen years old, was found in room No.
80 of che Prescott Hotel about a. m,
June Z, after she had registered at the
hotel the previous night. She was on
her way to Pittibone. n. d., from her
home in Grygla. Mimi, to spend vaca-
Fargo to make train connections.
Gagged with parts of the bed clothing
and trussed to the bed with blood-soaked
pillow cases, Investigation showed that
beaten to death with the nozzle OF fire
hose. She had been dead from four to
six hours. according to DR.. PM. Burton,
county physician, who made the examln-
alton.
Authorities Immediately plunged into
the work Of attempting to find the slayer
who apparently left no clues. and after
eight days Of investigation GUNNER was
arrested June Is on a charge OF murder
in the first degree on complaint of Will
liam Green, states attorney for Cass
county.
GUNNER, who is twenty-five years
old and the son of farmer living near
Mayville, n. D., strongly maintained his
innocence, but after the state at pre-
liminary hearing had submitted what IL
termed discriminating evidence" he was
ordered bound over TO the Cass county
district court for trial in November.
Asked For Change Venue.
When his case came up at the Novem-
her term of county court, GUNNER,
through his attorneys. asked for change
of venue, claiming that prejudice was SO
great in Fargo that selection OF an inn
partial jury would be virtually impos-
sible He was granted the change by
Judge G. NJ. Cooley OF the county dis
yred TO the Barnes county district court
at Valley City to be heard during the
January term. The case was expected
20 he the first heard from the Barnes
The hotel clerks preliminary hearing
began June %, after having been post
poned from June 81 at the request OF the
state, and ended after four days when he
D coroner's verdict was returned hold
ing him responsible for the slain girls
death.
The verdict reached by the coroner's
jury, withheld until after the preliminary
examination. held GUNNER RESPONSIBLE.
At that time Coroner E. F.. Morse said
the verdict, which was returned July )
after GUNNER was bound over for trial
had been previously reached but it was
thought advisable not to make it known
until after the hearing. Gummers pre-
liminary hearing, which. according to Of
ficials, was to prove that there was prob.
able cause to believe he had committed
the murder. ended July 2 without the
hotel clerk taking the stand.
Statement Made BY GUNNER.
At the hearing States Attorney Greer
introduced n statement which he alleged
GUNNER made to him admitting that he
had visited the girls room about 6:3(
on the morning Of June z. half hour
before any one else knew OF the crime
GUNNER said that Miss Wick had left q
call for O'Clock and that he made his
way into her room with a pass key only
after he had failed to receive a response
To repeated telephone calls. Shocked and
afraid that he might be accused OF the
crime IL he made known his discovery
GUNNER said he then went back to hi:
desk In the hotel lobby and after waiting
lis minutes informed Fred Lawrence
son of the hotel proprietor, that he wa:
unable to get any response from the oc'
cupant of the room Lawrence. he said
told him to look over the transom. ,anC
. he then announced his discovery
| According to the authorities. the TIM