News: Clark County
(Murder Conspiracy Trial 1983)
Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson
Email:
kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Brennan, North, Jacobson, Zwieg, McMahon, Gross, Ziegler
----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (07 October 1983)
NEILLSVILLE -- A Willard man was bound over Thursday for Trial in Clark County
Circuit Court on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
Judge Michael Brennan order that Marvin O. North, 36, be bound over for trial
following a preliminary hearing. No trial was set. He is accused of conspiring
to kill his estranged wife, Eldray.
Arthur J. Jacobson, 48, Stoughton, testified during the hearing that he, North,
and North's sister had discussed killing North's wife. The couple is now
divorced, and that steps were taken to bring about Mrs. North's death. The
murder, however, never occurred.
According to Jacobson's testimony, the conspiracy began in early December 1981
when he and North's rural Willard farm. Mrs. North was seeking a divorce from
her husband and Jacobson said he and Helen, his former girlfriend, often
traveled to Willard to help with chores.
During one weekend visit, North discussed the divorce and a pending court
proceeding. Jacobson recalled that North was angry because his wife was expected
to receive a $32,000 divorce settlement.
During that discussion, Jacobson recalled saying "Things like that can be taken
care of."
He said Mrs. North could be the victim of an "accident" such as a car accident,
robbery or fire.
Prior to the preliminary hearing, Jacobson made an initial appearance on a
murder conspiracy charge. He was transported to Neillsville from Dane County
Jail, Madison, where he is awaiting sentencing for the second-degree murder of
Helen North in January.
Jacobson testified that soon after talking with North and Helen, he contracted
an acquaintance, Richard McMahon, and talked to him about killing Mrs. North.
"Well, he always said that anytime anything needed to be taken care of, just ask
him," Jacobson said. "I just asked him to do a job."
Clark County District Attorney Darwin Zwieg asked what he expected to happen to
Mrs. North as part of the arrangement with McMahon.
"I suppose that she would have been killed," Jacobson replied.
McMahon said it would cost $5,000 to kill Mrs. North. Jacobson; $3,000 up front
and $2,000 to be paid after the murder was completed, Jacobson said. The initial
funds came from North's mother who, according to the criminal complaint, was
contracted by North who said he needed the money to cover lawyer's fee from the
divorce. Jacobson took North's mother, Oline, to a Stoughton bank where she
withdrew $3,000 and gave the money to him, supposedly to deliver to North.
Jacobson said he took the money to a Stoughton parking lot and gave it to
McMahon. Jacobson said he didn't know why the murder wasn't completed or what
McMahon did with the $3,000.
According to the complaint, McMahon did travel to Clark County and visited Jake
Barr's Tavern near Greenwood where Mrs. North worked. When he returned to
Stoughton he allegedly told Jacobson that Mrs. North's boyfriend was often at
the tavern and that he "may have to blow away someone along with her..." McMahon
said he planned to make robbery appear as the motive for the murder.
McMahon is serving a sentence in a federal prison in Minnesota for
counterfeiting.
When questioned by North's attorney, Gregg Gross of Spencer, Jacobson said
participants were "pretty well intoxicated" when the alleged conspiracy was
first discussed in December 1981. When asked to give dates or locations of
various incidents and meetings, Jacobson said he couldn't remember.
Gross attempted to show that Jacobson may have borrowed the money from Olene
North for his personal use, without North's knowledge. The questioning was
halted, however, by Zwieg and Brennan. A preliminary hearing,, Brennan said, is
held to determine whether there is "probable cause" that the defendant committed
the crime and should be bound over for trial. Questions to determine the motives
or backgrounds of a witness like Jacobson were not appropriate, he ruled.
The only other witness at the hearing, Dane County sheriff's investigator Melvin
Ziegler, said he learned of the conspiracy in early August while questioning
Jacobson. He said he came to Clark County September 27 and went to North's farm
with two Clark County investigators where the suspect was arrested following
interrogation.
North is free on a $30,000 property bond. Additional court proceedings have not
been Scheduled. a preliminary hearing for Jacobson also has not been set.
North and Jacobson face maximum sentences of 20 years imprisonment.
© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.
Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.
Become a Clark County History Buff
|
|
A site created and
maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke, Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,
|