The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-11-14
j. n. D. GRADUATE
shot BY SUSPECT,
ANOTHER WOUNDED
Pair Had Sought to Arrest One
Ted Wells, Alleged Boot.
logger, Saturday
ALLEGED SLAYER is HELD
Former North Dakotan Was
Salesman For Oil Company
on Missouri Slope

Fargo, N. D., Nov. 14.-(P)-A FORM
err North Dakota dry agent who had
headquarters in Fargo, Chester Ma
son, 2S, was shot to death near Bea-
trice, Neb., Saturday when he at
tempted to apprehend bootlegger
while making liquor sale. the Asso-
ciated Press reported.
Twenty-eight years old, he was a
graduate of the University of North
Dakota, where he majored in chemis-
try and was lieutenant IN the 352nd
infantry, and was a former school
principal of Grano, N. D., in Renville
county. Before joining the North
Dakota prohibition forces, he was a
salesman for the White Eagle Oil
company. For that company he oper-
ated in the western part of the state
but maintained his headquarters here.
He was a prohibition agent in Far
go about year, leaving here with his
family for Nebraska. He left a wi
dow and three young childen. In
Underwood, N. D., resides a brother,
engaged in the implement business.
He is the only other member of the
family.
Mason's companion, Byron Kennedy
of Beatrice, Neb., was shot and
wounded seriously in the attempted
arrest.
Kennedy told officers he had ar
ranged to buy some liquor from Ted
Wells, 80. and that they drove three
miles south of Beatrice and mile
east, met Wells and were shot.
After a search lasting several hours,
Wells was found at the home of his
brother. Robert Wells. in Diller, west
of Beatrice. He offered no resistance
and was brought to the Gage county
Jail here for questioning.
Wells told officers he wonld admit
nothing" He said Kennedy had a
gun and that when he met Mason and
Kennedy on the highway one of the
men struck him and knocked him to
the ground. A scuffle followed, he
said, and the two men were shot.
Wells told officers that he yelled to
Ray Nudge, farmer who was work.
ing nearby, and asked him to take
a gun away from Kennedy.
Il was in a daze." Wells told county
officers, land don't remember exactly
what happened. do remember get
ting into my automobile and driving
to my brothers home"
Officers said they found no weapon
either in Wells possession, in his car,
or in the house. He had cut on his
mouth and a bump on his head.
Kennedy is in hospital here and
physicians expect him to recover. He
told officers he had arranged to buy
some liquor from Wells and that
Mason went along to make the ar
rest.
when we approached Wells, he
opened fire." Kennedy told Police
Chief Paul Acton.
Kennedy was shot twice in the
mouth.
Acton said Wells was arrested two
years ago and served a Jail sentence
here on a liquor charge. Police Off,
Ger Harold Ketchley, at that time,
fired a shot through a tire on Wells
automobile to apprehend him.
At the scene of the shooting Off
GERS found three 80 caliber automa-
tic cartridges on the ground. Nudge
told them that after the shooting he
went to the scene and took a gun
away from Wells and threw it to the
side of the road. It has not been
found. Nudge said he did not wit
ness the shooting.
Federal agents had been conducting
q series of liquor raids in which sew
eral arrests were made.
Kennedy Is not employed. He for
merly aided his father In the opera
ton of an oil station here.