The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-20
MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1925
William lesson, Farm
LabOrer Admits He
Killed Friend
(Continued from PAGE Ones

Continued from Page one.)
lice Martineson Wednesday after
Sheriff Maxwell, States Attorney Glib
son and he had by process of eli
mination narrowed down the number
of people who had been with Sund-
bakken the night Of the murder to a
few. After talking to lesson at the
farm where he was employed Martin
eson's suspicious were fastened on
him and lesson was taken to Wash
burn.
His First Story
The first story told by lesson was
that he had left pool hall in Russo
at 1880 Monday night to 60 home
and met Frank Thomas, who had
brought horses from north of Minot
to the Russo neighborhood. Both
knew Sundbakken. He said they
went to Sundbakken's shack, played
cards, got in controversy and that
Thomas killed Sundbakken with an
ak. He described the alleged killing
and their departure infinitely.
Thomas was found at the home
where he worked and brought to
Washburn. He proved an alibi for
Monday night, and also offered sug-
gestions as to how the officers might
prove his innocence. 1t was after
this and when told he would be con-
fronted by Thomas that lesson con-
fessed.
Late Saturday afternoon Mr.. Sulli-
van arrived from Mandan, after Nc
Lean county authorities requested
the Attorney-Generals office for as
sistance. In the sheriff's office, with
eight to ten people present, lesson
made his confession which was taken
down by shorthand reporter.
Mr.. Sullivan explained carefully
that lesson did not have to answer
the questions and that anything he
said might be used against him.
lesson said he wanted to get the
thing over with and would tell his
story.
Several times during the question
ing lesson disagreed emphatically.
At times his answers were spirited.
Sundbakken Won Money
In his second confession he said
he and Sundbakken had played three
games of pool in Russo, betting Is
cents game, and lesson got Is
cents game with a spectator. Sund-
bakken won the three games. In the
meantime lesson bought shirt from
barber and changed it in the pool
hall. They left at closing time.
Sundbakken invited lesson to stay
all night in the bunk-car' along the
railroad track, Sundbakken being EN-.
ployed by the 500. lesson said he
would 60 home but after walking a
mile concluded it was going to rain
and turned back to Sundbakken's.
Sunbakken had. carried home with
him SIG which the pool hall owner
had been keeping for him.
The two began playing rhum for
81 game in Sundbakken's bunk car,
Sundbakken won.
They changed to draw poker at
LESSONS suggestion, and Sundbakken
lost. He remarked there was no
luck in the cards and got another
deck. lesson claimed the new deck
was marked. He said on discovering
this he took the cards. went out and
threw them along the railroad track.
prc<Iced another deck.
lesson. said he noticed Sundbakken
watched the backs of the cards close
ly and concluded the new deck was
1t was then he decided to kill Sund-
bakken, he said. He was angry, he
said, because friend would play
with marked cards. While Sundbakken
held the cards lesson struck him t
with his fist between the eyes at the I
base of the brain. As he expressed
it he knocked Sundbakken "cold" and
he said he knew the blow would do
this. He then decided to "finish the
jobX He went out to look for a
weapon. Reaching a wood pile some !.
distance away he found an ak.
Found Unconscious
Returning, lesson said he found :
Sundbakken still unconscious on the Z
bed but that he had shifted his posi- ,
lion. He struck Sundbakken a ter
'ible blow with the blunt side of the
TX Sundbakken, he said, jumped as
IN animal does when dealt a death I
blow. His head fell on the floor, his t
feet resting on the bunk. lesson I
struck him three more. times with q
he ak, crushing his head. s
lesson then picked up the money
-$16 to $1s-and walked out. The
asst thing he noticed, he said, was
hat Sundbakken was bleeding at the S
mouth. e
In the money was a>ten dollar bin. p
fearing he could not explain this,
essen buried it nea1a telegraph pole g
lie walked to the Nelson home and q
lcpt in the hayloft. Next moninr .
le went to work.
He was invited to attend the Sund- s
'akken funeral by Mr.. Nelson but '
made the excuse that he had only his ?
working clothes.
The time of the murder, as fixed :.
" lesson, was or a. m. last Nom :
lay. The exact amount of money =
won from him he could / I,
Ot say.