Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND002 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 03701
Title: Joseph Runions
Date:
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 11/2/1893
Summary: Joseph Runions - Beulah - April 1941 V. P. Wolf, 39, Mandan, field man for the Bank of North Dakota, and Mercer County Deputy Sheriff Joseph Runions, 47, Beulah, were killed as the result of shootings which took place at the Fred Sinirius farm six miles west of Beulah on April 1, 1941. Wolf and Runions went to the farm that afternoon looking for some items which Sinirius was believed to have taken when he was evicted from his homestead, which was owned by the Bank of North Dakota at the time. The two began their search for the items and shortly after, Sinirius ordered them out of the yard. In the argument that followed, Sinirius seized a.410 gauge shotgun. Firing at only a few paces, he hit Runions on the left side of the face. He started back to the house and as both men started running he fired again, this time at Wolf. The shot tore the front of Wolf's heavy overcoat but did not strike his person. Both men kept running. Sinirius went into the house, returned with a 25-20 rifle and as the men continued to flee, he aimed at the running figure of Wolf, some 200-400 feet away, and fired. Wolf dropped, a bullet through his brain. Runions dropped to the ground and, according to reports, feigned death. This act is believed to have saved him from immediate death. Sinirius returned to the house. After remaining still for a while, Runions crawled along a coulee until out of sight of the farm. He went to a nearby farm where the owners took him to the Beulah hospital and he was later transferred to a Bismarck hospital where he died the next day. Sinirius put up no resistance when authorities went to the farm to arrest him. He was taken to Beulah where he signed a full confession. Runions lived in Beulah since 1924. He was Mercer County Deputy Sheriff for 11 years. He was a veteran of war, member of the local American Legion Post and the father of two children.
Red ID: FND_I_77335 Image ID: 509156 Image Notes: 10950 00002 03701

Collection: FND002 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program
Date:

Summary: The North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program honors fallen officers with highlights of their lives and careers.

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