The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-07-28
BUTTE SCENE OF
S0RDID TRAGEDY
THEFT OF WIFE AND CHILD RE.
SUITS IN KILLING OF
THREE PERSONS
Alex Holmquist Follows His Wife
from Alaska to Butte to Find that
She Had Divorced Him and Mar.
ried His Brother; Murderer Shows
No Remorse,

Crazed with jealousy and infuriat-
ed by months Of melancholy brood
ing, Alex Holmquist went to the home
Of his brother Frederick. in Butte,
few days ago determined to avenge
what he considered a mortal injury
the theft of his wife and child.
His mind seething with hate and
anger, he opened fire on the entire
family gathered on the porch of the
little home they had occupied but
two days on East Mercury street.
The first to fall before the deadly
aim Of his weapon was the little s.
year-old child Of his own flesh and
blood. With a scream the mother
jumped from the porch to kneel be-
side her gasping babe. As she stoop-
ed down to pick up the child. its
life blood fast pulsing away, the
murderous six-shooter barked again
and again. The mother crumpled be-
side her babe, MORALLY wounded.
Wild with fear, his mind in ter.
ror and knowing the deadly hate Of
his brother, Fred HolmQuist started
to flee ere the deadly weapon could
be directed at him. He was not to
escape. however. Again that terrible
gun of Axel barked out its message
Of death. Fred Holmquist fell on the
sidewalk, dead. The bullet pierced
his heart. As Fred fell Axel fired
the final bullet from his gun. It
made flesh wound upon Fred's lin
as he fell. The bullet. speeding on,
struck Mrs. Annie johnson, q neigh
Dor. who, attracted by the shooting,
was hurrytng to the scene, and sew
cred a finger from her hand.
Not In years has Butte witnessed
such terrible tragedy. the result of
the hatred Of two brothers whose
love for the same woman is a story
OF violence that carried them from
Juneau, Alaska, to Butte.
us he dead? Tell me, is that -
brother OF mine dead?" That is the
question that Axel asked when inter-
viewed at the Butte jail. When told
that his brother was dead, Axel ex-
pressed his satisfaction with a ter
rible oath.
Axel Holmquist, acknowledging
the murder of his former wife. his
son and brother. had little hesita-
ton in explaining his deed and JUS
tifying the act.
"She was my wife. We had been
happy in Alaska until my brother
came. Then my wife left me-" Axel
said. He continued with the CHASTITY
tale. stating that his wife took the
babe and went to Butte. She secured
q divorce from him about four or five
months ago In that city. II wrote to
her. begged her to come back to
me. saying I would forgive. have
q letter from her in which she told
me to come from juneau to Butte
and perhaps we could again be happy.
When ] arrived In Butte she had
married Fred, my brother. They
had brought me here to Butte from
Juneau to witness their shame. nv
brother had stolen my wife away
from me. He had stolen the boy.
I had used all my money to come
after my wife. They laughed at me
and cursed me. Il was right for
him to die. I was net willing that
the child should grow up to know
Of this shame. ! rather wish him to
be dead. Ny wife. she betray-
ed me. They made me suffer and
now they have paid the price. What
happens to me, I do not care. I M
tired of life. could live NO LONGER
with my own brother stealing my
wife from me-"
That Is the philosophy Of Axel
HolmQuist.