The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-11-16

lOOd OF four had BEEN spilled re-
Closely guarded against introusion
no one was permitted to speak to
her Of the day which now seems a
dream when the assassin Leonard
Portano dragged her along as cap
tive. Only in brief, lucid intervals
has she been able to tell, piece-meal
of her day of horror when before
her unwilling eyes she saw Portano
shoot down her parents and two 9TH
er men. Friends with her make no
mention of the murders, striving to
divert her mind to other things but
broken by her terrifying experience
of yesterday she can think Of moth
ing else.
Portano, after his quarrel with
Oscar Timmy over the affections Of
the girl, went to the Sanders home.
The girl was with her mother AZ the
time. Portano had words with the
mother, then he shot her dead >he-
fore Myrtle's eyes. Dragging the
screaming girl Portano left the
house intercepting her father whom
he shot dead without word.
Then he forced the girl, now al
most in q faint, and frantic with
grief, to accompany him to the point
where he ambushed and shot Deputy
Sheriff Wilson. Myrtle's mind was
hardly more than delirium for on
;ly dimly does she remember the slay-
ing of Timmy who had gone to the
Sanders home when he heard the
shots fired that ended the lives of
the girls parents. Then through the
heavy woods he dragged her to his
cabin, eight miles from the city,
where he left her after writing the
statement of the crime. Searchers
found her in the cabin almost in
sane.
Kelliher, Minn., Nov. 16.--A mad
man, slayer of four, is fleeing
through the North Woods today
while q posse formed here searched
for him.
Leonard Portano, 33, yesterday
slew Mr.. and Mrs. John Sanders, 60,
of whose 15-year-old daughter.
Myrtle, he was enamored; Oscar
Timmy, 30, farmer and suitor of the
girl, and ]. A.. Wilson, marshal Of
this village and deputy sheriff who
sought to arrest him.
The shootings occurred at sepaI-
ate times in both the morning and
afternoon. Before fleeing, the MUIR
derer went to a timber cutting
plant he had operated and left a
signed confession of the crime with
the list of the dead. Early yesterday
Timmy and Portano engaged in an
alteration over Myrtle Sanders dur
ing which Portano drew a revolver
and shot Timmy through the left arm
Timmy came in the eight miles from
the farm where the shooting occur.
red to this village, had his wound
dressed and reported the case t.
Marshal Wilson, as years old.
Stays Father
While Timmy was gone Portant
went to the Sanders home and shot
dead the mother of his sweetheart
While he was going down the roat
from the Sanders home he met thu
husband of the first murder victim
took Sanders to a nearby cabin
bound him to a bed post and sho
his head off.
Portano kept on toward this vii
| 0ocvo orA 60 MT u111
son, who had left to arrest Portan'
for wounding Timmy. Portano sho
the officer dead. This was abou
noon.
! Not far from the spot where Viii
son was lying dead the maniac me
Timmy who was coming to the vii
lage to learn what had been don
toward arresting Portano.
| Portano met his rival on the roa
and again the lunatic fired, Timm
falling dead on the highway.
Girl Escapes
Although Myrtle Sanders is missin
it was stated definitely late las
night that she was not shot or harm
ed by the desperadO. 1t is believe
some neighbors are sheltering he
to help her bear the tragic loss Q
her sweetheart.
The killer was avoided by locs
people because of his hasty temper
He recently, was before the gran
jury as a result Of - controvers
with his brother, farmer, and onl
nearby relative. The grand jury r.
turned no indictment, however, an
the nature Of the case was not di:
closed.
Portano, it is understood, is ais
wanted in New York for a KILN
which occurred in that state befol
he came to The North Woods eigl
years ago.
! Posse After Him
| The killing Of the four yerterda
recalled to officials that Portant
had difficulty with Mis- brother 70
lowing arguments relative to Il
brothers wife, who is sister I
Myrtle Sanders, the girl aroun
whom the killins was centered ye,