On This Date in Minnesota History: April 17

April 17, 1907 – A sensation was caused at Grand Rapids today when the autopsy over the body of Thomas Willis, by Coroner Russell of Itasca County, brought to light the fact that he had been shot twice and that death was not caused by the bullet that entered his head at the base of the skull, as at first reported, but was caused by another bullet that entered his thigh and lodged in the backbone.

Willis was killed by his son, Keaton Willis, 32, last Saturday at Deer River, after a family quarrel, and it was claimed at that time that the young man did the shooting in self-defense.

Birds Eye View, Deer River, Minn., 1910¹

The autopsy, however, brought to light the fact that the bullet that entered his head at the base of his skull followed the bone of the skull around and lodged in his forehead, causing simply a scalp wound. The second bullet entered the thigh, the flesh wound caused by it being so slight as to cause no notice, and lodged in the backbone, causing death.

It is now alleged that the young man shot him first in the head, rendering him unconscious, and then deliberately shot him again, the last shot being the one that caused his death. Keaton Willis will be given a preliminary hearing tomorrow, at which he is expected to be bound over to the grand jury on a charge of manslaughter, and possibly murder.

The people of Grand Rapids are very indignant over the result of the autopsy and some talk of lynching. He is a very large man, well built and in good health. The old man was very feeble and weighed about 125 pounds.

According to the family, Mrs. Willis, two daughters and Keaton were sitting in a room when Mr. Willis entered with a quantity of bed clothing that had been in a camp in the woods all winter.

Mrs. Willis told her husband that she did not want the bed clothing in the house, but the man insisted on coming in, when Keaton pushed him through the door.

Mr. Willis then went to town, bought a revolver and returned to the house. The occupants were first attracted to his presence outside by seeing him point a gun at them through a window. One of the sisters then ran into another room, and returned with a revolver that she handed to Keaton, telling him at the same time to defend them.

Keaton, then, it is claimed, took up a position near the back door, and when his father approached, shot at him. The old man reeled for a moment, then fell. He got up, however, whereupon his son fired another shot, the bullet striking his father in the back of the neck, killing him almost instantly.

On July 11, 1907, after deliberating about 12 hours, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and Keaton Willis was discharged from custody.

Itasca County Courthouse, Grand Rapids, Minn., 1908²

The Minneapolis Tribune; “New Facts Brought Out at the Autopsy; Sensation Caused by Inquest at Grand Rapids. Aged Mr. Willis May Have Been Deliberately Murdered. Did Not Die From Bullet in Head, But From Wound in Thigh.”; April 18, 1907; p. 2.

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Keaton Willis Murder Trial at Grand Rapids; Work of Securing Jury Drags Tediously.”; June 27, 1907; p. 1.

Duluth Evening Herald; “Not Guilty of Charge of Murdering His Father.”; July 12, 1907; p. 9.

¹http://www.lakesnwoods.com/images/DeerRi266.jpg

²http://www.mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/Itasca/CourthouseHistory.aspx

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