Girl Is Held By Three Bandits

Surprising coincidences crop up throughout history. With the gift of hindsight, we weave patterns and then marvel at the majesty, and sometimes the irony, of the tapestry we have created. And often, the macro and the micro worlds have surprising parallels. In this particular case, the amazing coincidence is that this kidnapping and extortion plot in Fergus Falls occurred on the same day that the Lindbergh baby (the child of the legendary Minnesota-born aviator Charles) was born. And, for many, the abduction, extortion and murder of the Lindbergh baby remains the most famous or infamous kidnapping of the 20th century. While there are vast differences between that story and Viola Holt’s, they are parallel stories that play on similar themes in unique ways, and are inextricably linked by their historical dates.

                                                                    -- Jason Scorich


FERGUS FALLS, Minn., June 23—Viola Holt, 18, grand-daughter of a wealthy Ottertail county farmer, was found bound and slashed near a community church last night after, she said, she was held by three men who threatened members of her family with death if she failed to give them $30,000.

The girl, who is in a Pelican Rapids hospital today, said she went to a small slough last night on demand of the blackmailers that she be there with the money.

She said she went there and found three men. She told them she could not get the money and was seized and threatened with death. She then was bound and slashed across the face and body.

Her screams frightened the men away. She said she had not seen the trio before.

Leaves for Church

The girl, grand-daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arne Holt, considered one of the wealthiest farmers in the county left her Norwegian Grove township home last night after receiving a note telling her to do so.

She said she had received notes from time to time saying unless she produced the money her grandparents and younger brother would be killed.

Sunday another note came, and fearing violence if she failed to heed the summons, obeyed the instructions.

Sheriff O. J. Tweeten and deputies were summoned from Fergus Falls and the girl was taken to Pelican Rapids, where it was said today she will recover. Sheriff Tweeten said no trace had been found of the attackers. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Monday, June 23, 1930

FORMER MINISTER JUMPS TO DEATH IS IDENTIFIED AS FARIBAULT MAN

CHICAGO, June 23—Rev. Clarence E. Singleton, Baptist minister of Faribault, Minn., jumped to his death last night from the thirteenth floor fire escape landing on the Y.M.C.A. hotel.

Hundreds of people on adjacent buildings, watching a squadron of army airplanes overhead, witnessed Rev. Singleton’s leap.

Although the Rev. George W. Kehoe, pastor of the First Baptist church of Faribault, whose assistant Singleton was, could offer no motive for the suicide when reached last night, notes in Singleton’s room indicated he had been brooding over some undisclosed problem of conduct.

Singleton had been on a visit to Stanford, Ky., and had purchased a ticket for return to Faribault today.

One note read in part:

“I have come here knowing that all is not right, but I told Dr. Rabillaid, my doctor in Faribault, Minn., that I would be man enough to suffer for my wife and baby. I have sinned but I am almost ignorant of any such thing that has recently been revealed to me. I have felt I have been two different persons all my life.”

The note concluded: “Any wrong I have done I confess to God and my wife. We are all either lost or saved sinners.”

He registered at the hotel Saturday night. In his pockets were 27 cents. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Monday, June 23, 1930

SAY GANGSTERS GO TO RESORTS

Reports from Wisconsin lake resorts near the Arrowhead, to the effect that “Bugs” Moran, one of Chicago’s “big shots” of gangdom is hiding there has resulted in authorities over Northern Minnesota to redouble their efforts to prevent lake resorts unknowingly from harboring bandits who have fled from Chicago the last few weeks.

It is a known fact that Moran lived at a resort not so far away from Hibbing last summer and that he later resided at a local hotel for a few days.

It is also claimed that several of Capone’s

henchmen have been making visits to several lake resorts west of the ore capital, there spending money lavishly.

Authorities have been asked to keep a close watch on gangsters who have moved into this country while Chicago has become too hot for them under the present reform drive started by Chicago newspapers. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Monday, June 23, 1930

PRACTICAL JOKE IS REALITY AND N. D. MAN HANGS HIMSELF

MANDAN, N. D., Oct. 2—Edward Loran was a practical joker. He often told his brother, Ted, that he planned one on his wife—make her believe he had hanged himself.

Today funeral arrangements were being made for Edward after his body has been found suspended from a noose in his basement. Ted Loran said his brother’s body was about one-fourth of an inch off the floor. He thought Edward had misjudged the length of the rope. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Thursday, Oct. 2, 1930

LOCAL MEN BLAMED FOR ATTACK ON YOUNG PELICAN RAPIDS WOMAN LAST SUNDAY

PELICAN RAPIDS, Minn., June 24—While Viola Holt, 18, was recovering in a hospital, local and county officers of the state bureau of criminal apprehension is searching for three local young men believed to have slashed and bound her when she could not pay them $30,000.

At the request of Sheriff O. J. Tweeten, Fergus Falls, General W. F. Rhinow, St. Paul, head of the state crime bureau, assigned two agents to aid in the investigation. Sheriff Tweeten believes the attack was committed by three local men, all under 20 years of age.

Suffering from her four stab wounds in her left breast and with a heavy rope tied about her feet and a handkerchief bound around her neck, the girl was found in a slough near her home shortly after she left church Sunday night.

A note demanding she bring $30,000 under threat that her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Arne Holt and her 13 year-old brother would be killed, was found under the porch of her home Sunday night. As she left the church, she passed the note to a girl friend.

Shown the note by Miss Holt’s friend, four Pelican Rapids men went immediately to the rendezvous and found Viola. The men were Dorf Stone, Ole Gilsrud, Clifford Aas and Albert Dunham.

Miss Holt furnished officers with descriptions of her attackers, all of whom, she said appeared to be less than 20 years of age. She would recognize them, she claims, if she saw them again. Pulled Gun

One of the trio, the girl said, pulled a gun from his pocket and told her they were going to kill her because she did not bring the money but each of the trio refused to shoot her, she related. Then they slashed her face and breast with either a penknife or razor, tied her and fled.

Early in 1929, a man who passed her house nine miles northwest of here handed her a note which directed her to watch under the back steps for subsequent missives. She received other notes demanding money and threatening the lives of her grandparents and younger brother.

The notes were shown relatives who believed they were the work of jokesters and told the girl to disregard them. She paid no attention to the notes received a year and a half ago, but, fearing the blackmailers might harm her and her grandparents, she went to meet them Sunday night. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Tuesday, June 24, 1930

WOMAN BETRAYS ALLEGED PASSER OF BAD CHECKS

Clue Furnished Unconsciously by Feminine Companion Leads to Arrest

Posing as a government radio official, and allegedly claiming that in this capacity he had authority to employ men for easy jobs, L. Hubert passed through Hibbing and out again leaving behind him a trail of businessmen who grew sadder and wiser when they presented his checks at the bank; but a woman unconsciously betrayed his whereabouts, and today he reposed at the municipal jail.

Just a peek over the shoulder of a lady as she was writing the address on a letter, gave local police the clue which enabled them to notify officers at Cloquet, where Mr. Hubert was apprehended last evening. When arraigned in municipal court this morning, the defendant refused to enter a plea until given an opportunity to consult with an attorney.

According to the story told by police, Mr. Hubert dined with a woman, who officers found out was the wife of a local resident—which is not generally prudent. His case was no exception, for after his disappearance the proprietor of the café at which they had dined, recipient of one of the worthless checks, observed the lady sitting at a table in the act of addressing a letter. What his eyes noticed during one hasty glance furnished all the information that was necessary for police. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Friday, Sept. 19, 1930

MURDER AND SUICIDE END MARITAL RIFTS

CARBER, Minn., Sept. 23—Murder and suicide have ended the Brown family’s marital troubles.

John Brown, a laborer, shot and killed his wife, then took his own life yesterday. Their son, Elliott, 18, witnessed the slaying of his mother and leaped through a window to escape a similar fate.

Mrs. Brown and her son left Mr. Brown a month ago to stay with friends in Minneapolis. When they returned yesterday in response to a note from him to come and get their belongings, the husband refused to admit another couple who had accompanied them and after locking the doors, killed his wife with a shotgun. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1930

FATHER WIELDS AX ON HIS DAUGHTER AT BERTHA, MINN.

BERTHA, Minn., July 1—Suffering from a blow on the head by an axe wielded by her father, Ruth McConnell, 14, is not expected to live, physicians at a local hospital said today.

Howard R. McConnell, 40, the father, committed suicide by hanging after striking the girl with a double-bitted axe Sunday. McConnell, resident of Todd county for 35 years, had brooded since the death of his wife 14 months ago.

Before hanging himself, the father, apparently believing his daughter dead, wrapped her body in bed clothing and laced her on the bed. The girl and McConnell’s body were found by a neighbor. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Monday, June 30, 1930

GIRL’S STORY OF EXTORTION PLOT, MYTH, SHE CONFESSES TO COUNTY AUTHORITIES

PELICAN RAPIDS, Minn., June 25—A girl’s bubble of an extortion plot burst today and in its place was her strange tale of self-inflicted torture to win her grandparents’ consent to attend school.

Miss Viola Hunt, 18 year-old orphan, confessed last night to Sheriff O. J. Tweeten that her tale of having been tortured by three young men Sunday after receiving notes demanding $30,000 on pain of death to her grandparents and brother, was a myth.

Miss Holt said she slashed herself across the body with a knife, tied her own feet and then wrapped a handkerchief about her neck to make her story realistic.

“The old folks were nice to me,” the girl said, “but they wouldn’t let me go to school. I thought if I made them think I had been hurt to save them, they might let me go.”

Her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Arne Holt, reputedly wealthy, were at a loss to explain the girl’s act. They told police they would have sent the girl to school if she had expressed such a desire. Hibbing Daily Tribune—Wednesday, June 25, 1930