Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-06-16
son COMES SSES TO
KILLING HIS ATHER
DISAGREEMENT OVER USE OF
p. AUTOMOBILE CAUSE OF II
YEAR-OI.D BOYS ACT

! YEAR-O1aD BOY'S All
st. Cloud, Mimi, June s:-Jacob
Steller, II years old, confessed today,
according to County Attorney Paul
Ahles, that he killed his father, Thomas
Steller, As years old, prominent farmer
of Brockway, ten miles northwest OF
st. Cloud.
The body was found. today buried in
a lonely spot a half mile; from the Stel-
Ter home.
;; The senior steller disappeared Sun
| day and his son organized and led a
searching party that sought him with
out avail. ~:
Held Without Charge
! The youth at first said the killing
was accidental, but tonight admitted
that he shot his father Intentionally,
according to the county attorney.
''I pointed the gun at his head,'
the lad is alleged to have told the au-
thorities. 81 am glad that he is
dead.'
A coroner's jury was sworn in to-
night and witnessed a post mortem ex-
animation of the body. The boy is be-
ing held at the city Jail without charge.
Young Steller showed no emotion
when detailing his fathers death to
the county attorney and other officers.
He had dug the body from the grave in
which he had inferred it.
The body of the elder Steller was
taken to Holdingford tonight, for in
terment.
''Trouble'' in Family
Neighbors reported to the county
attorney that young Steller had
threatened to "get' his father and
this the young man is said to have ad'
ing him.
Trouble in the family between father
and son is declared to be Of long stand
ing, out it has never been considered of
a serious nature.
! st. Cloud Times, (June l4):-The
coroner's jury called to investigate the
murder Of Thomas Steller Of Brockway,
returned verdict at 1880 ?. m, today
accusing Jacob Steller, the murdered
mans II year old son with the crime
The verdict read that Thomas Steller
was killed by the "intentional firing
of a II guage shotgun held in the
hands, OF the son. The testimony at
the inquest showed that the murder was
committed in lonely wood on the
edge of swamp a half mile from the
Steller home. The killing followed an
argument regarding the use Of the
Steller automobile.
Stellcr will be up for arraignment ia
justice court tomorrow morning, County
Attorney Paul Ahles stated this after:
noon. He will then be taken before
Judge Roeser, judge Of juvenile court
where the charge will be read. He will
be .arraigned and if preliminary hear:
ing is waived will be bound over to the
December grand jury. The trial vii;
not come up before the December term
in district court. Because Of his
youth, Attorney Ahles said, he will be
sent to the reformatory if found guilty
At Z a. ~, the searchers started
out, Frank Kulig, testified, dividing in
to several groups. The son was with
the party. He directed the searchers
toward woods about half mile south
of the spot where the father was buried
stating that he had left him there
The party gradually worked north an6
Joe Struck discovered the newly dug
grave and in probing with stick I'm
covered the arm of the man. County
officials were called and Jacobs con
fession followed thorough grilling.
"Jack" (Jacob) Steller, yesterday
afternoon dropped his "Kind Of acci
dental' and made clean breast Of tht
murder when grilled by County Al
torney Paul Ahles on the scene of thu
murder. 81 took the gun, pointed il
at the back of his head and shot, th'
youth stated. II wanted to kill him.
was his blunt statement.
Sunday evening the son took the
!Stellcr car and attended a dance in the
neighborhood. He returned at l2:3'
a. M, and in the morning. arose earl,
and, eqiupping himself with spade
proceeded to the scene Of the murder
dug shallow grave and buried nj
father.
Describes Murder
On the scene Of the shooting, "Jack'
graphically described how he had mur
dered his father. At the point, wood
cd spot on the edge of a swamp, was ;
large fallen log, where the fathe
stopped to investigate a crows nest il
a tree about 80 feet distant. The >so1
stated that he realized his opportunit.
had arrived and while about five fee
directly behind his father, he raise'
the gun, took deliberate aim, an
pulled the trigger. Steller died instant
ly the son walked home, taking the gu
with him. j