The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-03
STORY TOLD OF
BRINGING BODY
OF GIRL HERE
Angela H0ha, Testifying in
Shortridge Case, Describes
Ride in Night
GIRL DIED IN FLASHER
State Fires Opening Guns
in Murder Trial of
ShOrtridge
Especial to the Tribune)


Dickinson N. d.. Dec. "A wierd
and gruesome tale of the death of
Freda Nader Holta in Flasher on
February 25 last, ride across wind
swept prairie roads in the dead of
winter to Bismarck, removal of the
dead girl from taxicab to an apart
ment house in Bismarck and an at
tempt to lead the public to believe
that the girl had died a natural death
in her own home, was unfoldcd before
the jury chosen here to decide the
fate Of DR.. W. r. Shortridge. Flasher
physician, charged with second de-
gree murder because of an alleged H.
legal operation.
Angela Holta, formerly prominent
young Bismarck man, now said to be
residing in St. Paul, came back to
tell his STORY on the witness stand.
DR.. Shortridge sat impassive while
Holta gave a vivid picture of the
events after the death of his young
wife to the jury of farmers hearing
the case.
First Case Called
The case, the first on the criminal
docket of the December term Of dis
trict court in Stark county, was call
ed up by Judge F. T. Lembke Tuesday
afternoon. But little time was con-
sumed in the preliminaries of the
case by States Attorney L. H. Conol-
ly of Mandan and States Attorney J.
P. Cain of Stark county, appearing
for the prosecution, and T. F. Murtha,
j. w. Sturgeon and M. L. Mcbride of
Dickinson, defense counsel. The
jury box was filled with farmers, and
within an hour IL men had been chos-
en- to decide the guilt or innocence
Of DR.. Shortridge. It was remarkably
quick time in which to select a jury
for a case of such Importance. The
case may be completed in a week. .
States Attorney Connolly outlined
the case he will present in an effort
to send DR.. Shortridge to pri-
SON for a long term of
years, and then called Henry Mad
Ter of New Salem, father Of the dead
girl, to the witness stand as his first
witness. A few brief questions were
put to Mr.. Nader visibly affected by
the tragedy, regarding the interment
Of the body Of his daughter.
Holta, a graduate of Bismarck Hig1,
School and formerly prominent in &C.
tivities in the city, was then called
to the stand as the state began fir
ing its broad sides of testimony at
the jury without delay. A few ques-
tions sufficed to establish Holta's
relation of the husband of Freda
Nader, their residence in Person
Court in Bismarck and quickly the
prosecutor led up to the time of
death of the young woman, few
= months after their marriage.
Many Objections
Holta's recital was interrupted by
numerous objections by defense at
torneys, some of which were sustain
ed, several points in the story being
barred on the ground that they we're
not relevant to the case.
Holta told the jury that his wife
had gone to Flasher the day Of the
tragedy. The witness testified that
Vic 6aAA uNu SdAIVu AIlIl rldSuCI
and later he received call from DR..
Shortridge, who operated hospital
at Flasher, asking him to, come: to
that town at once. Holta said that he
asked the physician u anything SER
ious had happened and the physician
replied over the phone that he should
come to Flasher tonight or tomor-
row, the sooner the better" Holta
started. He said he left Bismarck
at II o'clock and arrived in Flasher
shortly after midnight and was met
by Mrs. Shortridge, who said the doc
tor was out making call. Holta
was kept waiting for an hour, he told
the jury, until Shortridge returned,
long after midnight.
Would Quit Practice
DR.. Shortridge, according to Holta,
told him that Freda was dead. He
expressed regret and said he was
tempted to give up his practice. The
witness further stated that "there
must be no publicity and if she is
buried in Morton county would issue
certificate giving cause Of death as
influenza" HOlta then related how
the body of the girl was placed in
the tonneau of an automobile and
taken to Bismarck during the night
by Shortridge and his driver. The
car was stopped short distance
from the Bismarck apartment ,and
the body was carried by Holta and
Shortridge to the bedroom of the
apartment. Final efforts were then
made to make it appear that the girl
had died in her own home. There,
Holta testified, DR.. Shortridge remov-
ed the clothing and, attempted to
wash the blood off of fur coat worn
by the girl. Shortridge asked him
many questions regarding the girl
and made out the death certificate.
Continues Story
Resuming his testimony on the
witness stand Holta continued his
sordid tale which barred guilty love
and its tragic Consequences, for al
though Holta and the girl lived to-
gether in a Bismarck flat for several
-