The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-10-25
THREE MURDERED BY
DRINK CRAZED MAN
Continued from Page One

Olsen and Callahan were leaving the
Larson house for help. The two city
Officers, explained the situation to
Sheriff Lundeen, and he informed
them that he would handle the case,
they sad.
A call was sent out for men to be
sworn in as special deputies by Sher-
eff Lundeen, and within a half hour
16 mel, some members of Company
l., Sixth Minnesota infantry, and all
recognized for their ability as marks
men, had arrived. Details were as
signed to various locations on three
sides of the house, the fourth side be-
ing the road between the Larson and
Ley homes.
Larson was seen by the deputies
walking about the interior of the
house, and occasionally stopping at a
window to peer out. The first shoot
ing occurred shortly after p. m.
when Larson fired two shots, one
which whistled by Sheriff Lundeen's
head, and narrowly missed Deputy
Sheriff William Splettstresser, who
Ras standing with the sheriff about
DO yards from the house.
Neighbors Warned to Leave
Sheriff Lundeen then notified all
residents in the vicinity to vacate
their homes, procured two machine
guns from the National Guard arm
DRY and prepared to lombard the
house. The machine gun crews took
up positions hundred yards from
the house, one behind a pile of cord
wood, and another behind Stag pile
of a nearby power house. Before be-
ginning the bombardment Sheriff
Lundeen got two two gallon jugs of
strong ammonia from the power
house, and while Larson was in the
rear of the house, members Of the
firing party threw them into one of
the rooms.
larson kicked out the glass in a
window in the front Of the house for
air few minutes later, and then be-
turning fire hose into it, or sending
turned the fire, and cut the electric
wires leading to the Larson home,
leaving the barricaded murderer in
darkness. Firing continued at inter-
walls u it'll about I p. M, when it ap-
peared that Larson had quit. 1t was
believed he had exhausted his am
munition, but the deputies decided to
wait.
About midnight several shots came
from a window in the upper story of
the Larson home. The machine guns
were then called into play, and it was
during this siege of firing that Rams
den was accidently shot. He had been
assigned to station hear an old barn
in the rear of the Larson house, about
100 yards to the left and forward of
the machine gun crew located behind
the power house Stag pile.
Directly in front of this machine
gun crew was a corn field. Ramsden,
who was veteran. of the World war,
and an expert shot, crawled into the
the party on the way to the hospital
that he thought he had seen Larson
in window upon which he could not
get direct line from his original pos
ition, and believing he would be in
no danger lying flat in the cornfield
from where he intended to snipe
Larson.
A bullet struck him in the right
groin. His cries attracted the atten-
ton of other deputies and orders
were given to stop firing. Ramsden
was rushed to st. Luke's hospital,
where it was found that his left leg
was badly shattered His leg was am
putated at the hospital, but he died
at $50 a. m.
He was a son of David Ramsden, a
farmer living five miles south of Alex
andria, and had come into town Fri
day night to attend a smoker, when
he heard Of the request for sharp
shooters and voiunteer,cc1a.
No shots were fired after Ramsden
was injured, and no sign was seen of
Larson. Some of the members of the
group believed he had been killed by
one of the 800 rounds of ammunition
fired during the bombardment. After
waiting two hours, discussion be-
gan as to whether the house should
be approached and an attept be made
to capture Larson, or the guard be
continued until he surrendered from
hunger.
About a. m. someone suggested
firing the house to compel the muir
derer to come out. Others suggested
turning fire hoses into it. or sending
for tear bombs. DIR. G. L. Cole, chief
of the volunteer fire department, was
called. After conference between
Constant Larson, county attorney,
Sheriff Lundeen and DIR. Cole, it was
decided to set fire to the house. Some
members of the group gathered
around the house advised against
this
AT A a. M some burlap sacks were
obtained. They were stuffed with
hay and other inflamable material
and soaked with kerosine. Members
of the guard placed these sacks along
side the house, at corner in which
there were no windows and where
Larson could not see their approach
if he was still alive, and they were
ignited. The fire burned slowly for
half hour, and then quickly spread
through the building.
During the burning of the house
several explosions were heard, pre-
sumably from the supply of ammuni-
tion in the house. After the fire had
burned for more than an hour, and
virtually destroyed the entire struc-
ture, the fire hose was turned on the
flames. By 6 a. m. the fire was under