LIGGETT, WALTER (1886-1935)

Newspaper Editor Murdered for Exposing Organized Crime

A former North Dakota newspaper editor was murdered -- gangland style.  On December 9, 1935, Walter Liggett was shot in the alley behind his apartment shortly after emerging from his automobile.  Even though his wife, who was a witness, positively identified the assassin as Kid Cann (the Al Capone of Minneapolis), he was not convicted of the crime.  Liggett was the second newsman in Minnesota who was killed, in similar fashion, just as he was about to reveal damaging information about the administration of Minnesota Governor Floyd Olson.  Adding to the intrigue, former North Dakota governor William Langer told authorities that he had a telephone conversation with Liggett the day he was murdered, and that he was planning to come to Bismarck the next day.