New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1926-11-30
missing GIRL and
HER LOVER SOUGHT
Wisconsin Has Peculiar Case
Youth Accused Of Murder
BUT NO KILLING IS KNOWN
AL Police Know Is That Girl Dis
appeared On Sept. 9 and That
Few Weeks Later Her Sweetheart
Fled When Questioned.

Prairie Du Chen, Wis, Nov. 80
P-A case unique in Wisconsin
criminal history confronted authori-
ties today as posses secured the hills
Of picturesque Kickapoo valley for
traces of Clara Olson, and search
continued for her youthful college
boy sweetheart, Erdman Olson, for
whom a warrant charging murder
has been issued.
The strange situation was present
ed by the disappearance of the girl
nearly three months ago, the subse-
quent disappearance of young Olson
Is year old student at Gale college
at Galesville, Wis, and the issuance
of the warrant despite the fact that
the death of the girl has not been
established.
Are Not Related.
The story goes back to last May
when Erdman Olson, son Of Albert
Olson, wealthy Crawford county to-
bacco grower, met Clara Olson. %,
daughter of Chris Olson, also to-
bacco grower. The families ere not
related and never met until tragedy
touched their homes.
Erdman, home from college, fire.
quently was seen with the Olson girl.
They went to dances together and
often on long automobile rides over
the hilly roads OF the Kickapoo
country.
Disappeared Sept. Q.
On September Z, investigators
have established, Erdman wrote the
girl long letter which she received
on Sept. 8. She destroyed the let
ter, her parents said, and retired to
her room. Shortly after midnight
the girls father heard an automo-
bile drive into the yard and leave
again. He found Clara had gone and
from her window a lamp cast its
light into the yard.
In her room he found a note,
which read:
Dear Folks: I know you all will
be surprised to find me gone, as
am leaving this evening. l Will
have to go tonight. =.
"Please do not worry about me
as will not be gone very long. If
anyone asks about me tell them l
have gone to Lacrosse.
Again I must tell you not to
worry about me as / am taken good
care of and will be back soon. Don't
take it too seriously as it will mean
nothing-only little surprise. /
will be back soon from my trip"
Olson Also Disappears.
Erdman Olson returned to his
studies at Gale college, a prepara-
tory school on Sept. 25, and a few
days later Chris Olson, the girls
father, told county officials he went
there to plead with him to bring his
daughter back.
A few days later the boy disap-
peared from Gale college. Officers
also have found that he wrote to his
parents just before he disappeared.
Chris Olson yesterday signed a
after Investigators had
laid their information before District
Attorney ]. e. Earl and Justice Z.
H. Speck. and the latter issued a
warrant charging first degree muir
der.
A hint of suicide was contained
In the letter Erdman wrote to his
parents and another which he sent
to Clara's father.
you'll never see me again unless
it's in my coffin" he wrote to the
former. I'D take death rather than
capture. Orvid (his brother) may
live down the shame have left"
In the letter to the girls father,
which referred to the meeting OF the
two at Gale college when the father
demanded that his daughter be re-
turned in three days, the youth
wrote: II know Clara can't be back
by the time you say. What a fool
I would be to wait for the sheriff.
Your daughter will come back to
you when l come back"