The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-27
DETECTIVE DENIES
ABUSING BJORNSON

Minneapolis, MdICA4 q. W.
Charges Gordon Bjornson was forced
to confess the Wahpeton, N. D.. kid
naping and extortion under duress
were contradicted Friday by H. A.
Paradeau, Minneapolis captain OF de-
tectives. ..
Paradeau said mot q hand was laid
on Bjornson," after being told the
youths attorney charged q second
confession was taken at Wahpeton
because North Dakota's States Attor-
nev Arnold knew duress was used"
to obtain the original CONCESSION
here.
Bjornson's attorney is J. A. Heder.
Captain Paradeau asserted there
was not a mark OF any kind on
Bjornson when he LETT here. We
talked to him in a gentlemanly way"
he said, "and he made his statement
voluntarily. We do not use force to
obtain confessions"
Reporter Heard sHollerings
A reporter for q Minneapolis news
paper who was In a room adjoining
the captain Of detectives room at po-
lice headquarters where Bjornson was
questioned, said he heard sounds OF
crying and "hollering" every few
minutes. The questioning lasted about
mn hour and a halt.
A courthouse employe who swept
out the room where Bjornson was
examined said he found a handful Of
hair on the floor. He said the hair
correspondent with that Of Bjornson's
head.
The questioning was done In the
presence of Walter Gordon. Of the
Burns detective agency in Minneap-
oils, and Frank Forrestal, junior cap
tain OF detectives. Both denied using
violence.
There Is absolutely nothing to It."
Gordon asserted Friday. Il received
q telephone call from n of our rep
resentatives at Wahpeton this morn
ing. He said Bjornson's lawyer was
making the charges, evidently in the
hope Of laying some kind of founda-
ton for q defense. The states attor-
ney, however, had taken another
statement.
Merely Talked to Him
I'VE didn't lay a hand on the boy.
We took him into the captain Of de-
tectives' office and talked to him. He
refused to say anything for q while.
Then we told him that 1t was too bad
he would not clear up everything be-
cause there were others involved with
him and it would go hard with them.
We told him they would probably
have to go to prison.
Then he said, everything I did. ]
did alone
IT told him that sounded good but
we were still convinced that he had
help.
II asked him II one Of his prize
fighters threw the chunk Of coal and
the note through the window at
Leach's home. He repeated every
thing he did, he did alone.
I'VE named other prize fighters he
had managed and he repeated the
same thing about them.
I'VE then told him he might as well
tell his story. We sent for a stenog-
raphed and began to ask him ques-
TONS"
Another Denies Charge
Captain Forrestal, who was in dis
trict court when apprised Of the
charges Of third degree" methods,
also denied abusing Bjornson.
He said while Bjornson was first
being questioned he kept repeating
he preferred to make my statement
in court" Forrestal said he explain
I'd it was customary in such cases for
the defendant to give a statement.
II told him he hadn't either de-
MED or admitted getting the money
from Leach" Forrestal explained
Then we told him that other boys
were involved, with him and that II
would 60 hard with them. When We
said that, he replied everything J
did, I was alone in it.
II asked him II he was willing x
make . statement, clear everything
up once and for al and ahsolve thu
otherS o. blame. He repeated he va.
alone n everything that had been
done. w sent to-. . sten0graphe,
ard BEGAN n question him"
William Tuttle, th6 police steio-
Rrapher who tEanecftbed the state
ment made ~ 1jcEnpon IN Ainnea-