Evening star., 1926-06-01
LIFE TERM GIVEN
SLAYER OF THREE
IN BOMB OUTRAGE
Judge in Secret Hearing De.
pIores That Michigan Law
Forbids Death.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MUSK ECON, Mich, June 1.-Cir-
cult Judge John Eanderwerp today
sentenced Asa X. Bartlett, 2S-year-
old Blue Lake Township constable,
to life imprisonment for the murder
of August Krubaech. his daughter
Janet, and her fiance. William
FRANKIE, killed by a bomb received
through the mail Thursday.
Judge Nanderwerp expressed regret
that the State law does not provide
for capital punishment.
You should be sentenced to
DEATH" Judge Vanderwerp said. but
1t is useless for me to talk to you.
Maybe in later years you will realize
something of the dastardly crime
you have committed. The sentence
is that you be confined in the State
House of Correction at Marquette
for the rest of your life"
Starts for Prison at Once.
Bartlett was secretly arraigned
shortly after o'clock this morning
and then was taken into Circuit
Court. The prisoner wore his old
Army uniform, being a World War
veteran. Judge Eanderwerp talked
with him in private a few minutes
and then imposed sentence.
Bartlett, who admitted mailing the
bomb because Of political enmity to-
ward Krubaech, who was township
supervisor, showed no emotion and
bowed politely to the judge as sem
tence was pronounced He was i'm
mediately started on his trip to Mar
Quette.
came so early that the crowds that
it had been feared might make
trouble, because Of the strong feeling
against Bartlett. had hardly begun
to form.
Started Bomb Two Years Ago.
Bartlett started two years ago to
construct the bomb. This was re.
yealed when Bartlett's confession was
made public today.
II thought that maybe I would
want to use it," Bartlett explained.
1t was two years ago that township
politics involved Krubaech and Bart
lett in bitter opposition to each other.
Bartlett in his confession expressed
regret that the bomb killed Janet and
FRANKIE. 1T was for krupaech alone,
he said.
II conceived the idea only last
Wednesday of sending the bomb
through the mail and so l went to
Montague and purchased the wrapper
stickers and then brought the pack
age directly to the Muskegon post Of
fee and mailed it," the confession con-
tinued. II did not know the bomb
had killed Krubaech and the other
two until I was informed by the Off
GERS early Friday morning"
Refused Attorneys Services.
Refusing again the services of an at
torney engaged by his father, Bartlett
told officers he wanted to be on his
wav to prison as soon as possible. Il
hate to leave the folks. they need me.
but as far as my own life is concerned
it makes no difference, l am content"
he said.
Describing the construction of the
bomb, Bartlett said he made the ex-
plosive part of it last Wednesday. TO
set it off," he said, Il used the mech
anism Of an old shotgun. The bomb
was in q hinged box. When the box
was opened it pulled a wire attached
to a homemade trigger. This ex-
ploded a rife cartridge. In this cart
ridge was a percussion cap"
The instrument, Bartlett said, was
charged with five sticks of pyrotol. He
said he bought the explosive at a viii
lage store several miles from his home
in Blue Lake township.