The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-10-15

the car stl running. The right hand door was OPEN
Vernons feet were on the running board His body
was slumped back In the seat behind the steering
wheel
The car, which was a 1880 Moder A. Ford coach,
had not been working well and Vernon had mention
ed several times that he thought the carburetor
not adjusted properly He had left the home of q
girl friend about Ave miles from the Trip home at
about 2:30 o'clock. On reaching home he had gotten
out of his to open the garage door which he al
ways kept closed. had placed stick at the door
to keep it open while he drove in.
Very probably he decided to adjust the carburet-
while the motor was still hot. The wind may have
swung the garage door shut while he doing this
and before he realized it the monoide gas had
come him to such an extent that he was unable to
get out of the car to reach the open air.. Carbon
monoxide gas is most deadly in a confined place, and
the fact that the doors were swinging in the wind
makes 1t entirely probable that the wind had blown
the doors closed while he was working at the car.
PRINCETON-Bernt Draxten who for % years
resided in Bogus Brook township and who for the
past nine months has been living with his sister,
Mrs. Alex Hartz, in Duluth, Monday evening took
his life at the M c. Thorring residence in this
village. 1t is thought Mr. Draxten temporarily
deranged He had been separated from his wife since
last December and had brooded considerably over
family difficulties.
Mr.. Draxteh left the Hartz home in Duluth on
Saturday. His sister thought that he was going to
Litchfeld, Mimi
On Monday evening at about 6:l5 Mr.. Draxten
stopped the Cooperative oil station of which p c.
Van Someren is manager, and asked to see Mr.. Van
Someren Max Gamradt, VINO was IN charge OF the
station at that time told Draxten Van Someren
at his home. Mr.. Gamradt states that Draxten at
that time appeared to be highly excited and he drove
quickly after being told that Van someren was
at his home. He did not got to the Van Someren
home but drove over on Central avenue looking for
the M. c. Thorring residence. He stopped at the
house occupied by w. L. Giett to inquire where Mr.
Thorrng resided. He then stopped his car in front
of the William Roos residence ana wnen Mrs. Roos
passed by asked her where Mr.. Thorring resided
He walked up the steps of the Thorring home
but stopped at the porch door watch was hook
ed. Mr. Thorring came to the door. Mr.. Draxten
stated that he wished to his wife. Mr.. Thorring
called his daughter and she and her mother appeared
at the door. AS they stepped to the door
Mr. Draxten asked his wife, why did you do this?"
Presumably he was asking why she had obtained
divorce. Before Mrs. Draxten could reply, Draxten
whipped out revolver, IS calibre Colt, and fred
shot into the doorway where she and her mother
were standing. The bullet hit Mrs Thorring in the
shoulder, infictng flesh wound. Mrs. Thorring
and Mrs. Draxten fed from the door upstairs Drax-
ten fred one shot into the house. then turned
quickly went down the porch steps, put the revolver
to his temple, and fred the shot that took his life