The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-06-15
north DAKOTA MAN.
JEALOUS0F SPOUSE
SHOOTS PRIEST DEAD.
John Gira, Stanley Resident for
27 Years, Turns Gun on
Wife's Roomer
CLUBBED MATE WITH BAT
Victim 'Nursed' BY Mrs. Cira
!, During Five Year Period
) in Winona House

WlI1Oua, MIIlIl., JuI1e l0.-tHI-kISV.
Father Nicholas Brommenschenkel.
90, . Roman Catholic priest on leave
from the La Crosse Diocese, was
found shot to death In q rooming
house here early today after what
police said was an encounter between
him and John 0ira, IS, who was
wounded in the thigh. Mrs. Gira, "a,
had been clubbed over the head,
police said.
Chief Of Police H. G. Reibau said
Gira. whose wife operates the rooming
house. confessed shooting Brommen-
schenkel and striking his wife over
the head with baseball bat.
Gira charged that his wife shot him
In the thigh, but she said the gun was
accidentally discharged when she at
tempted to wrest 1t from his hand.
County Attorney Morris J. Owen
said that Gira was jealous of his
wtfe's attentions to Brommenschenke
whom she was nursing and who had
roomed ut the place for the past five
years. Mr.. and MRS. ,ere mar.
ried last January. Both Gira and his
wife are held without charge pending
IN inquest.
Lived at Stanley
Gtra lived near Stanley, N. D.. for
a years before coming here year
ago last January. He met his wife,
then Pauline g. Resctl, when he came
here to attend the funeral Of 4 cousin
who lived at the Resch home.
In q lengthy statement given County
Attorney Owen, Cira said relations
,W1tlTv a16 wife were aEqlcable Tor two
weeks after their marriage but after
that she seldom spoke to him again.
He said his wife told him she had
adopted" Father Brommenschenkel,
who obtained leave Of absence from
the L. Crosse Diocese 10 years ago.
For SIX months, Gira's statement
said, he accepted the situation. but
last night decided to take some action.
The statement. according to MIR.
Owen, recited how he obtained an
automatic pistol in st. Paul and
baseball bat, locked all the doors and
windows In the house and then hid
under q bed In the dining room, walt
ing for Mrs. Gira to leave the priests
room.
Peeked Through Kcyhole
Il finally came out and looked
through the keyhole in his room" :"
the statement said. according to the
county attorney. "and could see
them moving around. Then she came
out and the trouble started"
Owens characterized the staying as
q clear case Of murder In the first
degree" Gira appeared perfectly calm
in his cell in Jail today. but Mrs
0ira appeared on the verge Of collapse
when she was being questioned.
my wife had this man In her house
for five years." Gira's statement said,
according to the county attorney,
"and not half dozen persons knew
he was there. She carried meals to
him and said he was sick, but he was
no more sick than you or me. Twice
he beat me up when she told him
what said about him."
Accounts Differ
Mrs. Gira's account Of the affair
disputed that Of her husband, partic-
ularly as to the charge that she shot
him Intentionally. GiraS wound Is
not serious.
Last night" Mrs. Gira said, my
husband came home. The priest was
not feeling well 90. ]. went to his room
to give him an alcoholic rub. When
I came out Of the room an hour later
4 was reading the paper for . whitley
my husband struck me over the head
with q bat. ! screamed for help and
the priest came. There Was . shot
and the priest lay wounded on the
floor with bullet In his right breast" !"
Father Brommenschenkel died five
ssoiasaakna altar fhA aln00&in0