The Daily Morning Astorian

KILLED BY A YOUNG GIRL.
Fatal Ending of a Row at Manhattan.
Peter Gunderson Shot by Emma Frishkorn Last Friday Evening.

Coroner J. C. Ross got a telegram from Clifton yesterday morning that an inquest was needed on the body of a man killed near there the night before. Sheriff W. G. Ross got another dispatch about the same time, as follows:

"Two men laid in wait for us in our house. We shot one and the other got away. Can you come and arrest him, or have we to make complaint first? Henry Frishkorn."

The coroner and sheriff went up on the Favorite, and got to Manhattan, close by Clifton, the scene of the murder, at five o'clock. Coroner Ross held an inquest, the verdict being as follows:

"We, the jury in the case, do find that deceased was a native of Norway, aged 32 years; that he came to his death on the 14th day of January, 1887, from a gunshot wound inflicted by one Emma Frishkorn. F. W. Surprenant, Wm. Dillon, J. W. Brown, J. W. McLeap, T. K. Johnson, A. Church."

The entire party, composed of a dozen persons, came down on the Favorite to this city, getting here at ten o'clock last night.

From the best sources obtainable the following is learned about the affair:

Some time ago a man and his wife named Frishkorn rented from Mrs. Phalangos a house at Manhattan, for four months, agreeing to pay $10 therefor. They have two daughters, Minnie, aged 22, and Emma, aged 15. Boarding in the house were Peter Gunderson, the man killed Friday night, and Julius Goodby, engaged in knitting nets. Gunderson is said to have paid the rent and was taking it out in board for himself and Goodby. Goodby was fond of the younger daughter and wanted her to marry him; Gunderson wanted the older girl to be his wife. Gunderson is said to have been quarrelsome and abusive to the Frishkorns, T. K. Johnson, and others. Last Tuesday night, the older Frishkorns having gone to bed, Gunderson, who was sitting in the lower room with the girls, asked Emma to withdraw. When they were alone he asked Minnie if she would marry him. She refused. He asked her why. She said she had been told he was cruel, and that he had already a wife and children. He denied it and asked her who said so; was it her father? She finally told him it was her mother who had warned her. He became angry, but on the younger girl returning he went away to bed. The next day he was very abusive to the old folks. On Thursday the whole Frishkorn family were invited to a dance at Thompson's, over on the island. The girls went, and shortly afterward Gunderson came in and drove the old folks out of the house. They fled in great fear to their daughters at Thompson's. On Friday night the Frishkorn family CAME BACK WITH FRIENDS from Thompson's, and entered their house at the west door. Goodby was sitting in the northeast corner, playing an accordion, and Gunderson was standing at one of the east windows. He said "Who brought all these sons of—here?" He started for the table in the center of the room and picked up a knife. The father stood in the door, the mother went toward a door at the northwest, the older girl walked toward where Gunderson stood at the table with the knife in his hand, and began to talk to him. Goodby went to an upper room, got a pistol and went back to his corner. The younger girl had on Monday, loaded a double barreled gun to shoot a shag, but the shag was too far away and she put the gun back in the closet, and taking out the shells, put them on the shelf. When, on returning Friday night with her father, mother and sister, and seeing Gunderson advance and pick up the knife, she slipped into the closet, put the shells in the gun and stood in the door. Minnie tried to get him to put the knife down, when he suddenly turned, motioned to Goodby and made a dash at Minnie; as he did, Goodby fired. As he fired, Emma fired at him and missed him, the shots imbedding in the window frame. Then wheeling, she fired at Gunderson, the charge striking him in the top of his head. He fell with his head under the west window and almost immediately died. The older daughter and the father and mother ran out and down to the wharf. Goodby ran also. The concussion of the shots BLEW THE TWO LIGHTS OUT. Emma made a dash in the dark for the north door, and finding it barricaded wrenched it open and ran to the wharf, white and trembling, and after being quieted down, the horror-stricken party went over to Thompson's, returning yesterday morning. The father, mother, two sisters, Goodby, the dead man in the coffin, and the others came down on the Favorite last night. The Frishkorn family are stopping at the Parker House. The body of Gunderson will be buried to-morrow.

THE TESTIMONY

At the coroner's inquest Julius Goodby testified as follows: "Last night Pete and I came up from Smith's at seven o'clock. I set in the corner and played the accordion. In came Frishkorn and the two girls and the old woman, and Geo. Nicholas and Alex. Mitchell, and Jno. Foster. Pete went up and talked to the old folks. He run over and took this knife and told them to get out. Pete stood in the door and waved the knife and told them to get out. He said if they didn't get out he would kill the whole lot of them. Just then every body was talking, and the shot was fired and the lights went out, and I couldn't see who had the gun. I lit the lamp and saw Pete lying on the floor."

John Foster sworn.
"Yesterday I saw the Frishkorns at Nagle's. The old lady complained she had no clothes on her, that she had been run out from the house. I went back with her, went before her and spoke to Pete, asked him to make no trouble as they only wanted to get some clothes and would go away again. He promised there would be no trouble. When they were landing at the steps Pete came out and asked where his was. There was some loud talk and Pete took a knife and ordered them all out of the house. Then I saw the girl have the gun and shoot, and saw the man fall. I went outside, got a light, saw he was dead. I stood beside him when he fell."

N. Johnson sworn. "I was standing in the door when the shots were fired. They rent the house from Smith."

Bertha Frishkorn sworn. "I came home about 7:30 last night. Gunderson says 'Where is Minnie?' He offered to help her up from the boat. She said 'I have nothing to say to you.' He said 'Why are all those men here?' She said, 'These men will stay here till I get my clothes.' Gunderson said 'Where is my I am the boss here and will show you. Get out from here.' Mrs. Smith told us we could move in here. She said the rent would be $10 for four months."

Emma Frishkorn sworn: "When I came in, Julius (Goodby) went up stairs and came down and took off his coat. I went into the closet. I saw Julius point his pistol toward my papa, and when I saw that and heard Pete tell Minnie that he was going to stab her and Geo. Nicholas then I took the gun and fired at Julius, but mamma was in the way and I could not hit him. Then I fired at Pete. He was looking around with a bull's-eye lantern when I fired at him. Then all the lamps went out and I was alone. I stood in the closet a few moments and heard a noise. Then I went out into that room to the big door, got the door open and went to the scow."

Sheriff Ross arrested Goodby and detained Foster as a witness. The girl was not arrested, but the matter will be brought before the grand jury, which is still in session, to-morrow morning. It looks like a clear case and it does not seem at all likely that the girl will be detained, as she appears to have been justified in doing what she did. Goodby will probably have a little hearing of his own before the grand jury.