Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-25
the OLSON MURDER 4 s

Father Last june.
There were elk witnesses examined in
the Olson murder case on Saturday. An
drew Erickson testified substantially that
he was at the ruins of Hans Olson's house
on the 18th of June last that no timbers
or charred Goals lay near the body. buttha,
it was covered with dirt and ashes. The
skull was crushed 10, exposing the brain +;
the right leg burnt of; also the left foot
and both hands. There was blood on the
pillow, which had soaked through. The
body lay ON the bed on It's back IN the
south east corner OF the eouth room. The
house was about 10 feet north and south
by II feet vide. Witness also saw the
body buried and was present about ten days
afterwards when i, was oisinterred at the
time of the %coroner's inquest and post NOR
tenn examination.
J,K. Barseth testiied:to the same state
of facts as Erickson, and further that he
picked up a piece Of bone, perhaps an inch
wide aud four inches long, which lay be.
tween Ohon's head aud the wall, and placed
It in the cavity Of the head, the whole front
part of which was crushed in. Also saw
the pillow and that the same was. saturated
with blood The trunk of the body wss
intact, portions of, the Clothing still sdher.
ing to it.
Peter Larson testified that be was
present when tho body was taken
from the ruins. His testimony was
: manly %corrobative Of Erickson's, Lunde's,
Borse,h's and Helgerson's evidences.
Witness Jaw the defendant after the death
6 of A. Olson, when de!endent asked witness
d for q hammer to kill a deformed calf owned
b by Olson. Witness asked defendant Il
take Olson's axe, when defendant said tn
. az was not there. Defendant got the ham
d ner from the witness 10 kill the calf. Olsol
sent money to Christiana, Norway. to pa!
Carl Johan Hauson's fare to the Unite
States. Olson did not have much or an,
money at the time of his death.
b Nels Nelson testified to finding Olson
az in the jim River, on or about the 27tl
e of August last. The river was low then
Jacob Lunde, O. D. Logstadts and O. NJ
Loes,adt we're with him when the AZ va
i, found. 1t was found up stream from tn
house, IS steps from the house. 81 steps from
: the bank, In the middle Of the river. il
9 about IA or Is inches Of water. The az wal
z produced and Unidentified BY witness. TIL,
az was brought to Ysnkton and given 4
Coroner E,tsr. 1t was also identified b.
q Hans Helgerson, Peter Larson sad Jaco'
Lunde. a. Olson's axe.
DR.. j. N. Miller was called and exhibits
q the skull of Hans Olson, showing the entir
s front crushed In and a CASH or fracture 81
tending along the right side of the bead an
temple into the orbit of the right eye whicl
he said 10 his opinion was produced BY 4
sharp heavy instrument applied sith srea
. force. He gave other interesting
medical testimony with reference to th'
case. He had been present at the post NOR
TEN examination ordered BY the coroner.
DR.. z. T. Daniel corroborated the test
mony Of DR.. Miller fully. He had beer
present At the c%oroner's inquest, in his pro
fessicnal capacity. Found . pillow neal
, the ruins of Hans Olsen's house which va.
saturated with blood, and adhering to the
coagulated blood were tufts of hair cut al
both ends.
At the conclusion Of Dr.. Daniels testi.
nopy, court adjourned until Monday morn.
ing, the 25th inst.
The shove testimony il but the substance
of the voluminous evidsscs Of the above
witnesses, which occupied all Of Saturday
in it's introduction to the jury. Mr.. Cal.
Valentine is setting - stenographerin taking
the evidence, which greatly facilitates mat
ters. The prosecution will probably intro
duce fourother Witnesses, and then rest the
case. We understand the defendant will
call few witnesses. The evidence in this
case is all circumstantial, and nome of it Of
strong weight in showing the commission Of
. deliberate murder.
DISSOLUTION OF COMPREHENSIVE.
Notice is hereby given That the co-part-
-H III. r. 49,.