Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1908 — Another Gunness Story. [ARTICLE]

Another Gunness Story.

Julius G. Treulson, Jr., of New York City, who has been in jail at Vernon, Tex., for three months on a change of swindling, made a confession to Sheriff Smutzer, of Laporte county, a few days ago, which if true, will solve many of the mysteries of the Gunness murder farm at Laporte. Truelson says that he read Mrs. Gunness’ matrimonial ad in a Danish paper and that he met her as a consequence early in 1904, in Chicago. He says he went with her to the Laporte farm and was told by her that though he was too young to marry her, she could give him employment on the farm. “Mrs. Gunness told me that she was practicing midwifery illegally and that she frequently had to dispose of the bodies of her victims. She told me she had a man named Ray Lamphere helping her. Truelsori married the O’Reilly woman August 4, 1904, and he says he deserted her two weeks later. He enlisted in the navy in 1905, deserted a short time later anjj within a few months was sent to Elmira reformatory for passing fraudulent checks. He was paroled October 20, 1906. He communicated again with Mrs. Gunness, ag he was ready then for any life. He says she sent for him and he went to Laporte Christmas night, 1906. J.- . >

That night he says, he and Lamphere buried the body of Jennie 01j sen, who, he was told, died from an : operation. .The next night Truelson says he helped bury John Moe. Then Truelson says, he realized Mrs. Gunness was running a regular murder farm. He started to leave, but was paid SSOO to stay over night. On this third night Truelson says he and Lamphere buried the bodies of a man and woman, after which he left. Truelson

returned to his wife in June 1907, and he says he took her to the Gunness farm, where Mrs. Gunness killed her by administering choral hydrate. He and Lamphere buried the Woman near the railroad track back of the house. In return for Mrs. Gunness’ service, Truelson consented to help dispose of another victim who, he said was Frank Rtedinger, of Delafield, Wis. Truelson says that he then left the farm but that Mrs. Gunness sent for him and he returned in January, 1908. This time he helped to bury the body of Andrew Helgagien of South DakoI ta. Coming east again, Truelson says he married Belle Vreeland, and that i a short time later he wrote to Mrs. Gunness, asking her if he might bring his wife. She answered him to come alone, as She was being suspected.

He went back to the farm, met Lamphere, and when told that there was danger of detection the two de cided to kill Mrs. Gunness and her three children, burn the place and Skip out. Heaaya they tossed a «v»in to see which should do the work and that the job fell to Lamphere. Truelson went to Chicago and finally wandered to Texas. While in jail there on a- forgery charge he wrote his confession and secretly mailed it to Sheriff Smutzer. Truelson’s family lives in New York City. Harry Truelson says his brother Julius is insane, his affliction resulting from a trolly accident five years ago. State’s Attorney Smith says he will prove or disprove the above confession before Ray Lamphere is brought to trial. y