Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-08-11
Tragedy Leaves
Home In Ruins

|HOmc In kulnS
Continued from Page y
his Maker in sufficient magnitude
to understand that human life must
not be taken by human hands. Har-
Ian says he is an atheist
Family in Best Years.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hopkins were in their
best years but Mrs Hopkins suffered
from form of paralysis afflic-
ton which left her somewhat handi-
capped in getting around the home,
but she was not entirely helpless, and
as Lester Hopkins, brother of the
slain man, said "She seemed to be
getting over it, She and her hus-
band were in the prime of life. He
was 48 and she but A. Paul, their
slain son, was 81. Every appoint
ment around the home and every
plant in the well titled fields and
garden bore the mark of happiness
and contentment. Lester Hopkins,
Peter Marudas and a neighbor, Henry
Klynstra, bore testimony to the home
life of the Hopkins family, but pointed
out, possibly, the one thing which
caused their tragic death That was
the fact that Harlan did not like the
farm and since at the tender age
of II he was denied to go out into
the world for himself, he took their
lives so that he would be free to write
a magazine to expose rackets and
crime.
He had deliberately plotted the
crime for he said, 81 wanted to be
free on the farm in order to begin
social and political magazine. I
had that idea for quite a while-at
least year. 1t was always my am
bition to benefit civilization, and 1
thought that was the best way to
do it," Young Hopkins, who gradu-
ated last spring from the Hinckley
high school, said he went to church
with his father every other Sunday,
but that he was an atheist He said
that he intended to name his maya
zine Think" and that it would help
locate criminals.
Thinks He's Not A Criminal.
Upon being asked if he did not
consider himself criminal, he an
swered: ''No, 1 don't consider my
self criminal and l don't think l
look much like a criminal" Harlan
was asked why he did not believe
in God and how he came to be an
atheist and he answered that sit is
illogical for a Supreme Being to pun
iSh us for our sins when that SUI
preme Being gives us the character
istics and propensities to commit
those sins" He said that he had not
expected to be caught after his crime
He thought that it would be at least
48 hours before it was determined
that murder had been committed
and that since no pictures had been
taken of him for two years it would
be difficult for anyone to identify him
and that he did not look much like
criminal.
Discovery of Tragedy.
The first information of the tragedy
was the awakening of neighbors when
light of the burning home drew their
attention from their sleep. An at
tempt to stop the fire was made but
it was about $50 a. m. before anyone
could get close enough to see the
bodies of the victims in the ruins.
The bodies of the father and mother
fell into the basement directly below
where they had been sleeping and
the body of Paul was nearby.
Home Was Modern.
That Mr.. Hopkins thought much
of his family and that he was good
manager and hard worker is attested
by the fact that practically every de-
tail around the home was modern and
up-to-date The farm was equipped
with light and power plant which
supplied electricity for not only the
lights but for various motors which
ran equipment for conveniences,
labor and time saving. The house
was 26x26 foot structure with up
stairs, running water and furnace
heating system. It stood near large
barn and silo and machine shed and
was on hill which overlooked
well titled 16O-acre farm. The thresh-
ing was just completed and there
appeared to be ample harvest to take
care of the family, comfortably, dur
ing the coming winter months.
Sad Checkun
When the writer arrived at the
once happy home, he saw Lester
Hopkins, Peter Marudas and Henry
.Klynstra, brother and brother-in-
law of the murdered Mr.. Hopkins,
and neighbor of the family, sadly
going over the ruins and checking
up on the various farm details. These
gentlemen can be seen standing near
the foundation of the burned home.
1t was with choking voices that the
gentlemen went into details of the
murder and spoke of the past lives
of the once happy family.
They pointed out the work of Paul's
in such a program, get back of the
in its request for the
proper kind of legislation.