Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-08
THE ST. HELENA MURDER.
Details of the Affair which illuminated
in an lncxcMsable Homicide.

4" an lncxcmsable Homicide.
Cedar County Bulletin, 9th
A brutal murder took place in this town
lSt Helena, IN the LIST day Of lhi, month.
The murdered man, Nick Munhofer. a wag-
on maker, doing business ut this place, was
stabbed to the heart by a farmer of this
county named Conrad Scherber, and died in
a short time after.
The deceased was Il German, "a years
old last September. He has lived here
about three years. He moved here from
Ponca, Dixon county. He has cousins in
Clinton, Iowa, being all the relatives he
has in this country. Mrs. Munhofer has an
aunt living near Minneapolis, Minnesota.
This being all the relations this unfortunate
widow is known to have in this country.
There are four orphan children deprived Of
a fond and loving father by this unfortunate
occurrence.
The news spread all over town and a large
crowd had soon assembled.
IL. j. Aberly, coroner, soon after held an
inquest oyer the deceased, and made the
following commitment:
STATE OF NEBRAsKA,)
Cedar County. SO
10 the &e,!Ug Cedar County:
VIAEhE1As, ~ Ill IliutSt Uelu III Tile rel
Der House, i'll st. Helena, Cedar county,
Nebraska, on the frs. day Of February, f.
D., 1878, before me, H. J. Aberly, coroner
Munhofer, lying dead before the jurors duly
summoned and sworn.-The said Jurors upon
their oaths do say that said Nick Munhofer
came to his death by being, on the first day
ofFebruary, A. d., 1878, stabbed feloniously,
by Conrad Scherber, through the heart
You are hereby summoned TO take said Con-
rad Scherber and bring him before S. San
ders, a justice Of the peace OF said county,
for examination forthwith.
The length of the evidence precludes US
from giving the whole as it lrapspired,
but will try and give the gist of the same.
1t appears that Conrad Scherber cameto
this {. place on the LIST. inst, to sell a loadof
grain, in company with three or four 9th.
ers. In going up Nettc street I )ward Mr..
Felber's hay scales, had 10 pass Mr.. Nun.
hoter's wagon shop, where Mr.. Munhofer
was at work. Scherber had a dog along
with him, which got in trouble with Mum
hotcr's dog, when the latter came out of his
shop, a quarrel ensued, and high words
passed between them. Munhofer following
Scherber, threatening to slap him, and fl
nally took up a stick and struck him "
or three times over the head. At this time
Scherbcr is said to have pulled out a peck
ct knife and struck him on the arm and
then in the breast. After this last blow
Munhofer dropped the sick be held in his
hand and ran towards Mr.. Felber's saloon
with his hands IN his breast, where he
dropped down on his face, and died in five
minutes. Scherbcr III the meantime stand.
ing BY when the Sheriff took him in charge.
awaiting the result of the Coroner's In.
quest.
The coroner shortly after empanneled a
jury, when the above facts were ascertaiped.
and issued a warrant %remanding him 10 the
custody of the sheriff.
Judge Saunders being absent, a courier
was despatched to notify him of the trap.
edy, who arrived here that evening. The
following day, February I'd, an examination
took place before his honor, when several
witnesses were examined who had been eve
witnesses 10 the tragedy, the prisoner way-
ing examination, he was committed to await
his trial at the next term of the district
dourt, to be held next May.
Cedar county having no Jail, the sheriff
left Monday morning the 4th inst, with his
prisoner, on the Dakota Southern railroad.
for Omaha, where he will be incarcerated 10
The Jail there, until the meeting of the next
court, when he will be broueh,
back here to answer to the complaint now
against him.