Ronald Hated Being little,

Ex-Wife Says

By CHARLES HANNA and DAVID LEE

Minneapolis Tribunes staff Writers

Ronald O'Kasick, 24, one of three brothers responsible for the Aug. 17 slaying of Patrolman Robert Fossum, was described by his former wife Saturday night as "a little guy that wanted to be: a big man with plenty of cash,"

This ambition, apparently, is what led him and his two brothers to their deaths in a barrage of police bullets north of Minneapolis yesterday afternoon.

MRS. O'KASICK said her husband was a "nice quiet guy when he was away from his brothers. When Roger came around something always seemed to turn in Ronnie. He would get real funny and everything was hush hush around the place."

Mrs. O'Kasick, the mother of two girls, 19 months and 8 months, said her marriage didn't go very well.

 She said they were short of money and Ronald's painting and redecorating business did not bring in much money even though he sometimes worked 12 to 15 hours a day.

 "Ronnie was very sensitive about his size ' Mrs. O'Kasick said, "He wanted to be big and important. He often said if he could only get some big money he'd be on top of the world."

"I DIDN'T like Roger," Mrs. O'Kasick said. "He would always start something between us and then he'd take Ronnie out for the rest of the night."

At the beginning of their marriage, Mrs. O'Kasick said things went smoothly. Then things started to happen.

"I never did know what really went on when he was out with Roger and Jimmy."

She said the first thing she ever knew Ronald to do was to overdraw on his checking account.

She said she couldn't believe the reports that Ronald and his brothers were involved in the Fossum - Canfield shooting.

"RONNIE MUST have gotten scared and just shot without knowing what he was doing. He didn't have it in him to kill."

 Mrs. O'Kasick said she did not know James too well.

"He was in the marines when we were married and I met him only once when he was home on leave."

The O'Kasicks were divorced May 28 after several months separation.

On the Sunday before the night which claimed the life of Patrolman Fossum and critically wounded patrolman Ward Canfield, Mrs. O'Kasick said Ronald came to her mother's home to see the children. He promised to return the next Sunday to visit the family.

 She said she thought it strange that the initials on a metal plate used as a bullet, shield by gunmen in the Aug 17 shooting were "R.O.," but

she did not suspect that Ronald or Roger might be involved

AT SEVERAL points in the interview she broke down and sobbed.

"I just can't understand' it, my head is in a whirl. Ronnie was so good with the kids. He played with them often," she said

 Neighbors described the three O'Kasick brothers as "quiet and real nice guys." They said that Ronald and James were real sharp dressers.

Others said that they were not surprised that they were involved in the Fossum killing.

Most of them reported that the brothers had not been seen around the neighborhood after the shooting incident.

ONE YOUNG man said, "We never knew them very well. I use to say "hi" to Ronny and Roger, but they never answered. They were real quiet, Still we use to have some pretty good snowball fights in the winter."

Mrs. O'Kasick said Ronald told her many times about his early home life. His mother died when he and his eight brothers and three sisters were youngsters.

SHE SAID the family lived "down in the flats, a b o u t Thirteenth avenue S. and twenty-third street. Ronnie told me they didn't have much money and that they all were hungry many times."

 A girl who was engaged to Jimmy said she broke off the engagement after he beat her, up,

Joyce O'Kasick, 22, a sister of the brothers, and an escapee from the state reformatory for women at Shakopee, was arrested by patrolmen Ray Hanson and A r n o l d Gustafson about 11:30 p.m. last night in a parking lot at 206 S. Third Street.

When the officers arrived at the Dugout bar they were told the O'Kasick girl was in the room. She saw them and they chased her to a parked car. When the officers drew their guns she jumped out of the car and ran before she was caught.

 She was serving an 18-month sentence for second degree forgery when she escaped,