The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-07-23
TWO MARRIED men
NABBED BY POLICE
IN DEATH MYSTERY
Admit They Escorted Young
Women on Swimming Party;
Fled After DroWninqs
ALL HAD BEEN DRINKING
Pair Told Wives They Were Co.
ing Swimming But Acquired
Company En- Route
ALL HAD BEEN DRINKING


der mysterious circumstances near
here this week, examining physicians
said Saturday.
At the same time officers made
public statements taken from two
married men who admitted escorting
the two single girls to the Zumbro
river, where their bodies were found.
They believed the statements solved
the mystery.
In the statements, the men, both OF
Plainview, near here, said the party
drank liquor, drove to the river bank,
disrobed, and waded into the water.
The men, according to the state
ment, had gone quite a way from
shore when they heard scream.
Looking back they said they could
see in the moonlight that both girls
were struggling in the water and that
one girl had her arm around the
other. Before they could reach the
Laundering pair, the statements con-
tinued, the girls disappeared.
One Of the men dived several times
without avail and then, according to
the statements. the men hurried to
their car and sped away without even
dressing.
Statements Solve Mystery
The statement of the men, Reuben
Kruger, Is, oil station employe, and
Jesse Salley, 80, garage mechanic. and
the subsequent findings Of the chem
lists appeared to officers to have
solved a mystery that prevailed days
after the girls bodies were found, one
wednesday night and the otner
Thursday.
The girls were Louise Prigge and
Frances Polikowski. When no water
was found in the Prigge girls lungs
and her body bore no signs OF NO.
lence. vital organs were brought mere
by Wabasna county authorities IN the
belief she might have been poisoned
Similar action was taken later wnen
the body of the Polikowski girl was
discovered.
physicians and chemists found no
poison in the women's bodies but
they said they did discover traces OF
alcohol.
Funeral services were held for Miss
Polikovski Friday and for Miss Prig-
ge Saturday.
In the statements the men said
they fled from the scene OF the
drowning Tuesday night, raced to
Plainview and arranged alibis with
four men friends. They extracted
promises from the Plainview friends
thev would support claim that Kru-
ger and Salley had been in Roches-
ter all evening.
Girls Were Suffocated
They had, they admitted, picked
UP the two girls in an automobile
Tuesday night at the Prigge farm
home near here. Kruger has a wife
and two children; Salley, a wife and
three children.
County Attorney A. A. Burkhardt
of Plainview said he desired to make
a thorough investigation Of the stor-
les told by the men before he could
say whether criminal charges would
be filed.
Are you satisfied that the girls
drowned?" Burkhardt was asked.
1.-THE girls were suffocated, am
quite sure. There were no marks of
violence on their bodies"
What do you mean by suffocat-
ed?"
1.-The girls unquestionably were
panic stricken when they found
themselves struggling in the water
and choked. suffocating to DEATH"
Salley said he and Kruger left
Plainview Tuesday evening after he
told his wife he planned to go SWIM
ming. I'VE had some alcohol with
u.s." he said.
They went to Rochester, telephoned
Miss Polikowski, and then got three
bottles of beer" They went to the
Prigge home and then set out for
Rochester with the girls. Then more
beer was purchased and drunk, he
asserted, on the way to the river to
swim.
He continued: when We got to the
swimming hole. he went down to the
water and then came back to un-
dress In the car, which was a little
ways from shore. Reuben and I then
had on our shorts. Frances had on
only a few light undergarments and
Peggy (Nliss Prigge's nickname) was
dressed similarly when we went down
to the water.
Startled by Yell
I'VE splashed around in the water
and then Kruger and started to
swim out. Kruger was ahead of me.
After I was out about 30 or 40 feet,
I head a yell and looked around.
The heads of both girls went under
at the same time. The next time
just hand came up and that was
all. yelled to Reuben and we start
ed to swim back. When I got to
a point near where the girls were.
tried to find them but couldn't.
I'VE both were scared quite a bit,
Reuben suggested that we get out
Of here. I'm his statement, Kruger
said Salley made the suggestion). We
went up to the car and drove away,
taking the girls clothing With US. On
the way home we managed to dress
Continued on page three)