Murder and Reward

(Another story from Pip's speech to the sheriff and other deputies. This one appears to have been added as an afterthought--HEC)

In the fall of 1899, an old Frenchman by the name of Forcier, aged 64, killed his wife with a revolver shooting her 8 times in the breast at Roberts Lake near the city of Faribault, Minnesota. Forcier and an old soldier with legs cut off traveled through the country with a Peep Machine, both on a small cart, during the summer and picking up $1800 to $2000 and returning to the city, Forcier pushing the cart. When the money was spent in drink and carousing, he would go home broke. This occurred so many time the wife got tired of this and would not let him in the house and supported him until they started out again. The old man did not like this and one night got in the barn adjoining the house, cut a hole through the clapboard so he could observe his wife, and after the children had gone to school and she alone in the house, he went in and shot her as I have stated above. He escaped and could not be located for several weeks. One day a Frenchman, Geo. Lemoutte, came to me and stated where he could be found but he wanted the reward, told him I did not care for the reward. He led me to Centerville, Anoka County, where he was living with a family by the name of Peranto.

The Frenchman, Sheriff Wagner and I reached Centerville about 8:00 o'clock at night. I saw him through the window of the farm house. I ceremoniously entered and told the old man I wanted him. He was patching his overalls, was in his stocking feet. He wanted to go to his room where he had his revolver to shoot himself. He had threatened to do it. I placed him in the buggy and sat next to him. When about a mile or two from the house I said to him he was under arrest for killing his wife. He replied unconcernedly, "They will have to prove it." I placed him in the county jail, notified the sheriff at Faribault, who came and got him. A month or so later he was tried, but when he saw me and heard my testimony, and produced the revolver and knife he pleaded "guilty." He was sentenced to 20 years, and after serving a little over four years he died and was buried in the Stillwater Prison cemetery.

Wagner, myself and the Frenchman split up the reward of $700.00.

This site created by Harry E. Connors III

Music is Sam Hall sequenced by Barry Taylor

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