Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-05-23
NUMBER T.
THE REIGN Of BLOOD.


A DeEe enecless Citizen Murdered IN HI,
own House Last Eventn8-The Mar.
uerer NJ atAarKe--Aaother Nathan Case
From the N. I. World Of Saturday.
Another murder was added to the list
OF crimes in this city, last night. Chas.
A. Phelps, q jewel1er, doing business
and residing at the corner of Thirty
ninth street and Sixth avenue, was shot
and fatally wounded by an unknown
man who was attempting to rob his
house. The particulars are as follows:
AS Mr.. John E. Palmer, who occupied
a room on the third floor of the house
above mentioned, was returning home
last evening, he saw two men standing
in the hallway of No. 1O2 West Thirty
ninth street. His suspicious were
aroused when he saw one of the men
pretending to read the number One
of the men entered Mr.. Phelps house
adjoining by the entrance on Thirty
ninth street, and Mr.. Palmer, knowing
that something was wrong, immediate-
" entered the jewelry store, where Mr..
Phelps was engaged in conversation
with gentleman named Coffin. On
being informed that there were thieves
in the house, Mr.. Palmer and Mr..
Phelps started up stairs, Mr.. Palmer
proceeding to the third floor and Mr..
Phelps searching the second floor. In
looking under the stairway Mr.. Phelps
disco cred two men crouching there,
and upon being discovered they rushed
out, and Mr.. Phelps seized upon the
smaller of the two and . struggle en-
sued: Upon this the larger of The two
men jumped forward, and Mr.. Phelps,
letting go of the smaller one, seized up
on the larger man. Then the smaller one
ran down the stairs, out of the house.
and escaped. The man with whom
Mr.. Phelps was struggling, seeing that
he was about to be overcome, drew 4
revolver, and placing it against Mr..
Phelps's left breast, fred. The assassin
then fed down the stairs, and was over
taken by Mr.. Palmer, who jumped
upon him, and they both fell and rolled
through the Office door into the street.
MIR. Palmer being muscular man held
the assassin down and called for help,
when the fellow raised She revolver,
which he still held, and fred back over
bis shoulder. Mr.. Palmer jumped TO
his feet and was again fired at by the
assassin. The man then fed toward
Madison avenue, pursued by officer
Morgan, of the mounted police, who
happened to be passing and heard the
'ry of "Murder! Stop thief" The
nan escaped and was lost to sight in
he vicity of Forty-second street. He
vas 5 feet 7 inches in height, dark COM
'lexion, gray pants, black coat. The
mans hat was knocked off in the strug-
lie, and is now in the possession of the |
'ollce. The shooting occurred at about !
:45 p. w., and it was not thought pos.
ible that Mr.. Phelps could live
trough the night. Coroner Young
ook his ante-mortem statement, and |
1r. Phelps made his will, bequeathing
lis property to his daughter. His wife
!as in Syracuse. N. T., at the time of
he calamity, but was telegraphed for
ast night. Mr.. Phelps was formerly 4
esident of Bristol, r. I. He has O.
upied the store at the corner of Twen-
y-ninth street and Sixth avenue for the
ast two years, and was the proprietor
t store in the immediate vicinity for
light years previously. On being shot
1r. Phelps threw up his hands, ex-
II am shot just a. Fisk was
hot"
Drs. Fisher, Blackman. and others |
7ere called Immediately, but they pro-
the wound fatal and without |
ny possibility Of recovery. Neither
dr. Palmer or MI. Phelps were armed |
r they could easily have taken the
life. Officer Morgan said that |
9 would have shot the man only he
'as not aware that he committed mur-
er; he though that he was some sneak
1ief: Although there is a hat by which
, identify the murderer. he will NO
oubt escape, for ~ one of tho police
'rce remarked, " It's another Nathan
ase, and the fellow will never be
aught."