The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-02-03
SORRENSON TELLS
STORYOF TROUBLES
Prisoner Is Brought Here
Late Today
HEARING FEBRUARY 3
In Default $4,000 Bail Bonds
Placed In Jail on Big
amy Charge

Earl l.. Sorenson, alleged bigamist,
was taken in custody of st. Paul yes
terday on the charge of bigamy and
brought back to this city by Sheriff
Anton Osten. The defendant was ar
raigned before Judge Hiram S. Golf
In the municipal court late yesterday
afternoon, waived reading of the war
rant, and asked for a hearing of his
case. which was set for February 8,
at ten o'clock a. IN. His bond was
placed at $4,000. In default of this
defendant was remandcd to the Gus
tody of Sheriff Osten.
Sorenson stated TO the court that
he had engaged the services of Attor-
ney G. d. O'Brien Of st. Paul to de-
fend him.
Statement OF Sorenson.
Sorenson in a statement to The
Free Press said that when he mar
ried Miss Viva Burrill at this city
July II. 1919 he had no intentions of
going wrong. Divorce proceedings
between him and his former wife
were started in the Scott county dis
trict court at Shakopee April 81, 1919,
and he had the impression that the
divorce had been granted by the court
and filed with the clerk of the district
court of Scott county, July 8, and he
did not get married until July 81.
L
County Attorney c. E. Phillips at the
city hall soon after Sorenson was
brought back here.
In order to verify this statement,
County Attorney Phillips called up
Joseph r. Witt, clerk of court OF
Scott county. That officia! replied by
stating that Sorenson had been grant
ed divorce from his former wife on
August Z, 1916, and that oil that same
Of Ia hn
fled. According to the statement OF
the Scott county clerk of court, Sor-
enson was married at this city nearly
a month previous to the time of re-
ceiving a divorce from his former
wife.
Maintained Home For Wife
Continuing his statement to The
Free Press, Sorenson said: 81 have
nothing against Viva, and maintained
a home for her six months after she
left me at Cornell, Wisconsin. where l
was then editor of the Chippewa Val
ley Courier. She refused to return
to me and about the middle of June
1920, my parents had me to return
part of the household goods and ar
ticlss Of clothing which belonged to
her
"The trouble you say. Oh, just
trumping up lies and stories against
me that's all. She is all right other
wise"
When the arraignment took place
yesterday afternoon, both the COM
planning witness, Miss Viva M. Burrill
and her mother, Mrs. E. w. Darnells
of Wineside, Nebraska were in the
court room. The defendant after
seati~~ himself a short distance from
the complaining witness, looked
around and said in an undertone,
Hello Viva" This was answered
by very frigid nod on the part of
Sorenson stated that he had writ
ten to Mrs. Darnells several times
while he was in Kansas and other
places asking her to patch up matters
between her daughter and himself,
but says that he never received a
reply to any of his correspondence.
Claims Mistreatment
When asked II this were true, Mrs.
Darnells said that she might have
gotten letter or two, and then went
on to state that Sorenson had mis-
why she had left him. Miss Burrill
stated in the presence of County At
torney c. E. Phillips end Chief of
Police Phil Landmark and her moth
err that on one occasion Sorenson
had threatened her life with a re-
volver, and had knocked her down
by a blow on the side of the head.
HE made me a present of a re-
volver one time" said Miss Burrill,
10! suppose I ought to return it to
him now"
mo you don't" said the mother,
you had better keep it,"
Miss Burrill verified the statement
Of Sorenson. that he was editor of the
Chippewa Valley Courier at the time
she married him.
The defendant says that ne will
fight the case to a finish and has the
backing of his father in this fight.
He stated that his father lives in
jamestown and operates large
creamery.