Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-04-19
Y0UNCQUIST
IS CONVICTED
Jury in Smith Murder Case
Brings in First Degree
Verdict After IS Hours
Deliberation; Snoek Was
Found Guilty Last Week.

Ben Youngquist, jointly indicted
with Bud Snoek for the murder last
January 20 of Milo Smith, bachelor
farmer near Rutledge, today was
found guilty in the first degree by a
jury in Pine county district court,
after celebrating approximately Is
hours. The case was given to the
jury at 4:3O p. m. yesterday.
Snoek was convicted of murder in
the first degree in the same court
last Thursday after the jury had been
out slightly more than two hours
Both men are to be sentenced this
week by Judge Alfred P. Stolberg of
Center City, Mimi, who has been pre-
siding at the trials
Jury Picked Friday.
Immediately upon conclusion of
Shocks trial, examination of prospect
i've jurors was begun to hear the evil
dence against Youngquist This pro-
cess was concluded Friday noon, and
the taking of testimony was begun
Friday. Witness after witness was
timony brought out in the SnOek trial.
The Youngquist jury was composed
of the following: Mrs. Sarah Schwartz.
Willow River; William U. Grace, Will
ma; John Swanson, Kerrick; E. L.
Dahl, Rock Creek; John Klynstra,
Barry; John Lundquist, Pine City; A.
C. Christianson, Hinckley; L. o. Hat
leli, Birch Creek; Nels Troolin, Pine
City; David Davidson, Munich; John
Oberg, Royalton and ]. B. Nelson.
Birch Creek.
Youngquist Witnesses.
Among the witnesses called were
DR.. w. C. Ehmke, w. P. Gottry, Her.
man and Dale Lewis, Lee WINNER,
Lawrence Pangerl, John Danelski,
w. S. McEachern. Herbert NordstrOm,
Charles Mills, Henry Anderson, Marie
Snoek, Paul Pangerl and Sheriff Fred
Degerstrom.
Youngquist took the stand late
Tuesday afternoon and was on until
noon Wednesday. He repeated most
of the confession he made at the time
of his arrest. He also testified that
he owned a revolver, and that at the
time of his apprehension there were
seven shells in the gun, whereas it
holds nine.
Asked to account for the fact two
shots had been fired from the gun,
the defendant said he fired them the
morning of the murder, to attract the
attention of neighbors to his home,
which was on fire.
Denies Keeping Facts.
Youngquist related how he went
with officers to the Smith place on the
Tuesday following the murder. and
also of identifying the tracks about
the place. of himself and Snoek. He
denied withholding any of the facts,
and again admitted there had been ILL
feeling between himself and Smith,
due to a row at dance at Rutledge.
The accused man declared on the
stand that he had mo idea Snoek in
tended killing Smith," and that he
considered all such talk as merely
a joke"
He said that he knew Snoek owned
a pistol, and moreover, that "Snoek
generally carried it with him. He
told of his (Youngquist's) row with
Smith at the Rutledge dance, also re-
lating how he had fired several shots
in the ground near Smiths feet to
scare him" when Smith resisted ar
rest by Youngquist, who then was
constable of Bremen township. He
emphatically denied, however, ever
having said that Smith should be
killed.
FlincheS on Stand.
Several times Youngquist was seen
to finch under the severe gruelling
given him by County Attorney NJ. B.
Hurley, and once or twice he dis
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