The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-20
DIR. w. R. ShOrtridge. of
Flasher Is Arrested as
Result of Mrs. Angelo
HOlta'S Death
sECONDfDEGREE MURDER
Is Charge Preferred Against
Physician on Charge of
Performing Operation


plant charging Dr.. w. r. Shortridge
OF Flasher with murder in the second
degree was sworn out here early to-
day by States Attorney L. H. Con-
molly and Sheriff Charles Mcdonald
went to Flasher, where he placed
Dr. Shortridge under arrest.
The basis Of the complaint was
that DR.. Shortridge caused the death
OF Mrs. Freda Nader Holta by per-
forming an illegal operation.
DR.. Shortridge was arraigned be-
fore Justice j. E. Campbell in Man
dan on charge of second degree
murder this afternoon. Shortridge
pleaded not guilty. States Attorney
Conolly and J. F.. Sullivan, attorney
for the defendant, stipulated the pre-
liminary hearing would be April l.
Shortridge's bond was fixed at $4,000,
which it was expected he would fur
nish.
The complaint was made after
Angelo Holta of Bismarck, husband
of the dead woman, had made a COM
plete statement to States Attorney
Connolly, who returned to MAndan
yesterday, and Chief of Police Chris
Martineson of Bismarck. The latter
was expected to return from the east
tonight.
The body of Mrs. Holta, who was
buried in the New Salem cemetery.
will be eXhumed and a post-Mortelh IN
examination made, according to the
States Attorney.
No charges are to be preferred
against Holta by Connolly, who
a5xolved hin, of blanc IN the matter
Of his wife's death.
Hoita made statement which the
States Attorney brough back to Man
dan in which he said that his wife,
fearful Of becoming a mother, had
undergone an abortive operation
which led to her death. She died in
Flasher and her body was brought
to Bismarck and placed in the apart
nlent in Person Court where they
lived and 'death announced the next
day. Holta, according to the story
told the states attorney, decided to
aid in keeping the matter "a secret
because of the nature Of the case,
and it was announced to newspapers
that Mrs. Holta had died of hemorr-
hages which followed influenza.
The body of the dead woman, ac-
cording to the statement which was
not made public in detail. was
brought from Flasher to Bismarck
ny the physician and taxicab driver,
carried her block to the apartment
and placed her in bed there. Holta
told the states attorney that his wife
went to the physician without his
knowledge.
Driver Is Held
! Charles Ditto, said to have been
the driver Of the automobile in which
the body of Mrs. Holta was returned
to Bismarck, was taken into custody
by officers for the purpose of bring
ing him to Mandan for examination
by the states attorney, said dis
patch from Flasher to the Mandan
Pioneer.
Mrs. Holta died in Flasher on
February 26, according to the state
ment, her death was announced in
Bismarck as having occurred just
before midnight on February 26. She
was buried in New Salem on March
|.
Mrs. Holta, formerly Freda Mad
Ter, and MI. Holta were married last
September, their marriage being kept
secret for time. Both were very
popular in Bismar rex, her death COM
ing as great shock to the commun-
ity.
Began to Worry
Sometime before her death she be-
gan worrying about her condition,
says her husband in the statement
given to States Attorney Connolly.
He told of visit she had made to
Mandan physicians and then of his
Wifes plan to return to Mandan for
treatment, of how she packed her bag
and he put her aboard an inter-city
bus bound for Mandan on Monday,
February rs. He got phone call
from his wife at Flasher, he said,
followed by letter on Tuesday in
which she commented on the Short ,
ridge surroundings.
Tuesday night Holta received a
phone call from DR.. Shortridge, tell
ing him to come to Flasher immedi-
ately, he told the states attorney. He
went down with taxi driver and
was told by the doctor his wife was ;.
dead.
When got there was taken into
the living room,' he said. Mrs.
was there but She would 7
not tell me- anything. The doctor
was out in the country and had to
wait at least an hour. When he
,ame in he told me that my wife l
vas dead" 3. t
Covered Matters Up ,lf
Holta declared the physician had a
insisted matters must be covered v
Up and he was not going to prac- n
ice medicine anymore DR.. Short c
idge said he would take the body g
# Mrs. Holta back to Bismarck, N
lolita said. !, is
At $3.50 a. m. Wednesday morning, v
February a.. DR.. Shortridge drove q,
nto Bismarck in his automobile with
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