On This Date in Minnesota History: February 5

February 5, 1910 (Sunday) – The bully of Walker, Minn., is dead.

Walter McDonald, saloon owner, pool room proprietor and notorious “bad man” who shot and mortally wounded Howard Sexton, day clerk at the Chase Hotel Thursday afternoon, paid the penalty for his crime early this morning by shooting himself through the head.

Walker, Minn.¹

Sexton, the young victim of his attack, died this morning about 11 in spite of every effort made by several well-known physicians and surgeons to save his life. Four bullets penetrated his body, any one of which would ordinarily have caused his death. His widowed mother and brother, who arrived from Duluth on Friday, were at his bedside when the end came.

The shooting was unprovoked, and the victim defenseless.

Thursday afternoon about 2:30, McDonald sauntered into the bar of the Chase Hotel. Bert Chase, the proprietor of the hotel, had stepped out and asked Sexton, who was clerk to attend to the bar while he was gone. Sexton was serving drinks when McDonald entered and asked for a drink.

Sexton asked him to wait until he had finished serving the men with whom he was engaged and he would wait on him. McDonald began cursing and swearing in a loud voice and fearing that ladies in the lobby might hear, Sexton told him to be quiet.

“You mean that do you?” asked McDonald.

“Yes, I mean it,” said Sexton.

“Say, have you got a gun?” McDonald asked.

“No,” said Sexton. “If I had one, I wouldn’t know how to use it.”

“Well, you get one,” McDonald said, “and I’m going to get mine and we’ll settle this when I get back.”

He went out and Sexton didn’t pay any more attention to the matter. When McDonald came back in five minutes, Sexton was alone in the bar. He greeted McDonald affably and asked him what he wanted.

“A bottle of beer and get it quick,” said McDonald.

Sexton turned around to the back bar and got the bottle of beer and a glass. He turned around with one in each hand and looked into the threatening muzzle of the revolver in McDonald’s hand. Then he made the futile attempt for his life. The first shot entered his hand and the next two penetrated his abdomen. He never had a chance to fire the revolver he picked up after three shots had been fired. He fell to the floor and the murderer walked over to where he lay. “I guess you’ve got enough,” he said. “I won’t give you any more.”

James Valentine, who was in the lobby and had heard the talk between the two men rushed into the barroom when he heard the shots, McDonald turned the gun on him, but didn’t fire. “I won’t kill you, Jim, you’re a friend of mine,” he said. Removing the empty shells from his revolver, he reloaded the gun and walked back to his house where he barricaded himself and defied the officers.

Since Thursday afternoon, McDonald, with doors locked and window shades pulled down, had defied Sheriff Robert DeLury of Cass County and his posse of over a dozen hand-picked men, all noted in the northern country for their ability with a rifle. The fugitive served notice on the sheriff that he would shoot the first man who attempted to enter the house, knowing the man, there was little doubt in the minds of the sheriff and posse men that he would do exactly as he said he would so.

Cass County Sheriff Robert DeLury²

Until Friday evening, Mrs. McDonald remained with her husband in the house, refusing to desert him, even when begged by her brother M. J. Sitzar, who came over from his home in Cass Lake, to do so. Sitzer intended to save his sister from possible violence at the hands of her husband, who on several occasions had threatened her life or accidental death from a stray bullet should there be a general shooting up of the place. Late Friday afternoon she decided to leave, and, in the company of her brother, walked through a cordon of guards about the place and boarded a train for Sitzer’s home in Cass Lake. At that time she felt confident McDonald would soon tire of his vigil and give himself up.

Early this morning the sheriff and posse raided the house, broke down the door and entered without firing a shot. No sound was heard from any portion of the building, and after a brief search of the rooms the dead body of McDonald was found in the bathroom. He had placed the muzzle of his 44 caliber revolver in his mouth.

The body was barely cold and it is presumed that he ended his life during the early morning hours, probably about 5 a.m. The coroner’s inquest was held an hour later and the remains taken in charge of the local undertaker who will prepare the body for burial at Cass Lake.

The remains of Howard Sexton were taken to Duluth, his former home, by his mother and brother.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Walker Desperado Ends Own Life With Bullet. Sheriff and Posse Raid House and Find Body of Walter McDonald. Murderer’s Victim, Howard Sexton, Dies and Double Tragedy Is Complete.”; Feb. 6, 1910; p. 5.

The Duluth Evening Herald; “Murder of Howard Sexton Most Brutal of Crimes. Shot Down as he Stood With Arms Above Head. Brother and Mother Return to Duluth With the Body.”; Feb. 7, 1910; p. 3.

¹https://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/walker_mn.gif

²The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Minnesota Sheriffs Gather for Meeting. Headed by Sheriff Dreger of Minneapolis, President of the State Association, a Big Delegation Is Assembled in Bemidji.”; Aug. 14, 1907; p. 1.

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