Celebrating History: Blaine County murder takes the headline

By Emily Mayer

Editor’s note: Due to email issues, the Havre Daily News did not receive this column Friday. Emily Mayer provided it so the paper can run it in today’s edition.

The most titillating news story 100 years ago, as reported in the Jan. 12, 1918 issue of The Havre Plaindealer, was that of a local doctor, his brother and three others who were held for grand jury in Helena over a murder occurring in Blaine County.

Dr. C. E. Foss of Havre, his brother Edward Foss and Jake Bjorstead, both of Chinook, and two men by the last names of Olson and Richards were all implicated in the murder of Jacob Krause of Hydro, located in Blaine County. Krause was murdered Nov. 12, 1917, on his ranch near the little post office community.

Mrs. Krause was called to the stand as a witness for the prosecution and stated she came home from church to find her husband dead. Their 12-year-old son, Arnold, stated four of the defendants had been to the ranch prior to the murder, two of them staying in the car, with one entering the home through the front door and the other through the back door. They stayed for 10 minutes and when they returned to the car, young Krause overheard one man who stayed in the car ask, “Did you get him?” On the night of the murder, they both testified, his father “returned from the store part of the building with some nuts for his little ones, fell to the floor, crying: “I am shot, I am shot.”

J. M. Pike, a rancher of 14 years in the area and who knew all of the parties involved, stated Dr. Foss requested Pike to witness Foss’ final proof on his homestead land in October of 1917, however, Pike was reluctant. Both met at one of Havre’s saloons, at which time Mr. Pike reported Dr. Foss stated that “If I lose that land, G___ _____ Krause, I will kill the son ___ …. ……….”

Jacob Krause was to testify in a land contest against Dr. Foss, and that Mr. Krause “had incurred the enmity of the defendants through his stand taken in the land case of Minnie Foss.” A. J. Leonard, special agent of the land office in Washington, D. C., testified the deceased had sent the land office a letter “stating that the Albert Foss petition (for homestead land) had names upon it that were forged and that on account of his action in the matter he had been warned to leave the state at once or something would happen to him.”

In order for petitioners to “prove up” on homestead land, “improvements” had to be made, such as a home, outbuildings, crops and livestock, and after the appointed period of time, people had to sign a petition to the U.S. government that the petitioner did, indeed, follow and fully comply with all of the rules and regulations in order to “prove up” and take ownership of the land. These announcements were published in the local newspapers, as required, including witnesses in support of the petitioner.

More on this story as it appears in the papers of yore.

On the editorial page of the Plaindealer, they printed a couple of entries from the rival Havre Daily Promoter:

BOTH WAYS FROM MIDDLE

It begins to look as if Rev. Huston is going to rub it in rather hard at the mass meeting for men only, to be held at the Methodist church next Sunday afternoon. He promises to lean rather heavily on some local conditions in this community. It is expected that there will be a large attendance. The time is 3 p.m.-Havre Daily Promoter, Jan. 11 (1918).

The Promoter believes that the present is not an opportune time for any discussion or agitation regarding political or moral conditions that may exist in Havre, and for that reason, regrets announcements that have been made that promise sensational statements to be made from a Havre pulpit today.

No minister or militant reformer is more in favor of a clean, progressive, moral Havre than the Promoter. No one will fight harder to elect good men to office and no one will scrutinize their records more closely than the Promoter when the time comes. Just now it believes the city needs a rest from agitation and innuendo.-Havre Promoter, Jan. 13.

To which, the Plaindealer adds the following question all in capital letters: “CAN YOU BEAT IT?”

Social gatherings were picking up. In the Plaindealer’s Society column, we find:

Arranging for Charity Ball.

Arrangements for the annual charity ball to be given by the Elks’ club at the Lyceum Hall, Jan. 31st are practically completed.

The committee have secured the services of The Concert Company composed of five members who will furnish the music for the occasion. It is the plan of the committee to keep the expenses well under one hundred dollars, but they expect to sell five hundred dollars worth of tickets. The tickets are to sell for two dollars per man and wife with fifty cents more for each extra lady.

Every Elk in northern Montana is asked to contribute in order to increase the funds which will be used for aiding the poor.

One of the features of the evening will be a session at eleven o’clock “In Memory of Absent Brothers.”

In connection with this annual affair the Havre Commercial Company will decorate two of their large front windows with Elks’ heads.

The committee on arrangements are: E. C. Carruth, chairman, James Holland, Jr., and E. C. Sweitzer.”

Social events in support of the war effort and those going to fight included the following entries, complete with punctuation error:

Dance Nest Snug Sum.

Committees having in charge the ball given by the Woman’s club on the evening of January first made complete reports at the regular club meeting last Tuesday. Aside from being a decided social success the ball was also successful from a financial standpoint, the sum of $284.50 being realized. Expenses totaled $72, leaving a net balance of $212.50 to be turned over to the Hill county chapter of the Red Cross The ladies of the club, particularly those having in charge arrangements for this first benefit dance, are highly gratified at the outcome and are deeply grateful to all who assisted in making the affair a successful one.

Dance for a Soldier Boy.

A pleasant dancing party was given at Lyceum hall Wednesday evening by Henry Bland and Lloyd Clair in honor of Howard Heenan, a Havre boy who is at home on furlough from Camp Lewis. Mr. Heenan is one of Havre’s popular young men, a fact that was thoroughly attested by the large number of friends attending the dance given in his honor.

Surgical Dressing Class.

Mrs. Harriet Carrier arrived in Havre Tuesday for a visit with her daughter; Miss Harriet Carrier. Mrs. Carrier will be remembered as one of the well known professional nurses who practiced in Havre for a number of years, and she is going to give members of the local Red Cross the benefit of her talent in conducting a class in surgical dressing in the local Red Cross rooms beginning next Monday afternoon. The course will cover six days, and will be a thorough one. Instruction will begin promptly at 2 p.m. and those taking the course must be present on Monday and each succeeding day.