The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-17
COLUMBUS MAN IS
GUNSHOT victim,
FARMER ACCUSED
George Keup Dies At Noonan
Hospital Few Hours After
Being Fatally Wounded
ASSERTS 'FRAzoN DID IT.
To Charge Suspect With Muir.
der; Man Admits Dislike For
keup. Denies Crime

Minot, N. D., Sept. l7.-(R-George
Keup. mayor Of Columbus and form
err vice president Of the now closed
Farmers State Bank Of that city, was
fatally shot Friday evening, and
Henry Frazon, SO, farmer living near
Columbus, is in Jail in Minot Satur-
day and will be charged with the muir
der of Keup, Sheriff J. p. Doyle Of
Burke county said.
Frazon, taken into custody at Kin
caid short distance south Of Colum-
bus. shortly after Keup had been shot
in his office in the bank building, has
steadfastly denied that he did the
shooting.
Sheriff Doyle brought Frazon to
the Ward county Jail in Minot at 3
a. m. Saturday. saying he deemed 1t
wise to take his prisoner out of Burke
county because of high feeling in the
Columbus vicinity.
The shooting Of Keup took place
about 5:45 p. m. and he died at mid
night in Noonan hospital.
Keup, it was reported, on at least
two occasions prior to his death, de-
clared Frazon was the man who had
shot him.
Two shots were fired at Keup, only
one Of which struck him. This pene-
trated his chest, came out near the
spine, went through the back of the
chair in which he was sitting, hit the
floor, glanced up and struck the plas-
ter and fell back on the floor.
Several Heard Shots
The two shots were heard by several
persons in Columbus and George Pat
terson and George Miller. who en-
tered the bank building where Keup
has been operating money exchange
and was engaged in the insurance
business since the bank closed. found
Keup lying on the floor in a pool Of
blood.
Keup. soon after being found
wounded, was reported to have named
Frazon as his assailant. and search
was Immediately started for the
farmer. while others made arrange
ments to take the wounded man to
the hospital at Noonan.
Leo Mahoney, Columbus newspaper
man. who went to Noonan to interro-
gate Keup as to who had shot him,
reported that in the presence of him
self, DR.. j. A. Smith of Noonan and
two nurses. the following conyersa-
ton took place:
who shot you. George?"
"Frazon," Keup replied.
Who"
Henry Frazon.'
Mahoney reported that the bullet
which killed Keup was from SO call
iber gun.
Find Revolver Buried
An old SO caliber revolver. with
two exploded shells in it, is in the
possession OF Sheriff Doyle, having
been found near Kincaid after a won-
an living near there had declared she
saw Frazon apparently burying some
thing and directed the sheriff to the
spot.
Frazon was visited by a newspaper
man in the Ward county Jail Satur-
day.
Told he was to be charged with
murder, in connection with the shoot
ing of Keup, tears came to his eyes
and he exclaimed, "all I've ever had
since came to North Dakota two
years ago was trouble. I hope new
er see the state again"
Frazon, AZ years old, was born in
Austria. He came to Burke county
two years ago from Kansas City. Mo-,
where he has wife and six children.
He said he believes his wife may
have obtained q divorce from him.
Asked whether he had ever owned
a revolver, Frazon said he had, but
that he lost it about year ago after
having taken it to Columbus to get
some shells. He said he lost 1t while
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