The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-04-02
Plotted Holdup to
Make Up Shortages
In School Treasury


CONTINUED from page one)
in the school account were disclosed
yesterday.
Cashed School Warrant
In hts confession. Mead set forth
that he entered the Courtenay bank
Ut noon upon the day Of the killing.
cashed q school warrant. and forced
Bunkowske toward the vault at the
point Of q gun.
Il told Bunkowske to 60 into the
vault" the states attorney said Mead
confessed. About three feet from
the vault I stumbled over something
and the gun went off. Bunkowske
didn't fall. He just crumpled up at
the knees and I showed him into the
vault and shut the door,"
The body was found in the vault
BY q customer more than an hour
later.
Mead's arrest was brought about by
q lead which Robert Walker, Stuts-
man county farmer, gave authorities.
Mead attempted to divert suspicion
from himself by trying to implicate
Walker but last night broke down and
confessed.
Finally Clears Mystery
Mead's confession, which cleared
the mystery surrounding the muir
der, came Just q week after he first
was taken into custody and as some
ok his neighbors In the Kensal dis
trtct were starting q campaign to
raise money in his defense. They
were convinced Mead was innocent
and that an injustice had been done
In charging him with murder.
The confession exonerated Robert
Walker. living near Courtcnay, of n
connection with the case although in
his first statement admitting his own
guilt made Tuesday, Mead said that
walker had been ar accomplice.
Told that he would be brought face
to face with Walker, however, and
that they could talk it out" between
them. Mead changed his story and
admitted that he had been alone in
committing the crime.
e~ wv
Walker was the man who first told
authorities Of seeing Mead near the
bank about the time of the shooting
and today was regarded as being in
line for q reward Of $1,000 offered for
evidence leading to the arrest and
apparent conviction. Of the slayer. OF
this amount $500 was offered by the
State Bankers association and $500
by Governor Shafer on behalf Of the
state.
The confession apparently has end
ed one Of the most sensational MUIR
der mystery cases in the history Of
Stutsrnan county and one which
promised to develop into q hard
fought trial. Mead. father Of seven
children, bore a good reputation in
his home community. He had been
president Of the Farmers club at
Kensal and Of the local branch Of q
national fraternal organization: he
had been treasurer Of the Bucephalia
school district for IL years and was
clerk Of Bucelphalia township.
Told Wierd Story
It was the disclosure that he was
short more than 5000 Of the school
district funds which led to the con-
fession. An additional factor was the
knowledge that Walker had told Of
seeing him near, the bank about the
time Of the murder. He told a weird
story in which he involved Walker as
well Is htl1Sells Later. after repudi.
ating his accusations Of Walker, he
told the story which he finally signed
q his confession.
On the strength Of Mead's first
statements q warrant was issued for
Walker and he was brought here for
questioning, but later was released.
The warrant never vas formally
served upon him.
In . statement witnessed by States
Attorney r. d. Chase and Edward NJ.
Yocum Of Fargo, Mead admitted the
murder and described the manner In
which the shooting occurred. The
confession follows with Mead answer
ing and Chase questioning:
Exonerates Walker
do you exonerate Bob Walker
from any part In the killing and rob-
bery3"
II do"
"Are you ready and prepared to
state that you. you yourself. without
the aid Of anyone else robbed the
First National Bank Of Courtenay on
March 10 about noon and killed Ell
mer Bunkowske?"
eyes"
mo one else was connected with
the affair but yourself?"
mo- z
NOW tell Us just how It happened"
Stuck Gun Ia Back
r. went In to cash . check - that
township check-I walked around to.
ward the desk and there is . little
passageWay there. I endorsed the
chock and then walked over and
stuck The gun Ia his back. told him
TO 80 into thu vault. About three
let from theFo ] stumbled on some
damn thing and the gun went OF
Dou6or Ny or other"
@Wess you nervousf"
s0h. -
.:You. you stuck the gun In his
|baekf"
II guess 20"
*When you went behind the coun-
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