Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-05
CHARGED WITH MURDER.
Of H. P. Hanson, Charged with
the Murder Of S. C. Sorenson.

9aS, it}
In our Thursday issue we stated that it
was rumored that 81. r. Haneon,S the last
person seen with s. G. Sorensen, the man
murdered on the west fork Of the Vermil-
lion river in Bramble county in March last,
and who is suspected of the crime, had been
arrested in Cedar county, Nebraska. The
rumor was correct, and Hanson is now in
the Yankton county Jail.
When Charles A. Sorensen, brother of the
murdered man arrived in Yankton, and re-
lated the facts 60 far a. they were known in
regard to his brothers death. and that NJ.
P. Hanson was believed to be his murderer,
it was ascertained that Hanson was known
to many of our citizens and that he resided
on a farm across the river in Nebraska.
Sheriff Baker took charge Of the case, pro-
cured a warrant and on Wednesday sent
Deputy Sheriff Elliot to Nebraska to find
the man, and if found to arrest him. The
deputy had no trouble in finding the man
he was after, arrested him and lodged him
in the Jail at St. Helena. He also identi-
fed the horses which belonged to the MUIR
dered man, which were in Hanson's posses
sion, and brought them to Yankton. To
bring Hanson to Yankton and within the
jurisdiction of the courts where the crime
was committed would require a requisition
upon the governor of Nebraska, but Sheriff
Baker thought that Hanson might come
voluntarily, and thus relieve him of the
time and expense Of procuring a requisition
and accordingly yesterday morning sent
Deputy Eliot to St. Helena to see if Han
son would come without a requisition. To
this Hanson readily assented, saying that
he might as well be in Jail in Yankton as
where he was, and was brought over yester-
day afternoon anu lodged in the Jail in this
city.
This forenoon a reporter for the Press and
Dakotaian called at the Jail and had an in
terview with Hanson. He is a man appar-
emily 80 or 35 years old, about five feet eight
inches high, and will weigh in the neigh.
borhood of $50 pounds. He has light
hair aud a sandy hued mustache. After
being informed Of the object Of the visit, he
stated that last winter he went 10 Sioux
Falls with his team and was engaged in
hauling lumber for the United States lum-
Der company from Sioux Falls to Flandreau.
While in Sioux Falls he stopped at the
hotel of Knut Thompson, and there be.
came acquainted with s. c. Sorenson.
About the first of March they agreed to 60
to the Jim river, and TO take some freight
to Round Lake, which lay Oh their road 10
the Jim river. Sorenson, he said, had a
team of horses but no wagon. and that he
(Hanson) bought a wagon and loaned it to
him. On reaching Round Lake they en-
countered bad weather ard bad roads and
concluded to tup back. After travelling
several miles on their return journey, Sor.
enson discovered that he had lost q sack
which he thought had been stolen, and re-
turned to get it, while Hanson went on with
the teams to Dell Rsplds, where he waited
until Sorenson overlook him. which was
the following day. They then, he said, i'm
mediately started back for The jim river and
struck it ut Midtown. From there they
went to Rockport and from thence to Crow
creek where they traded for ponies.
Here he said be traded for Sorenson's
horses. giving him in exchange for them
fifteen ponies. They then started back for
the Jim river and reached Firesteel at
about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. but does
| not remember the date. Sorenson stopped at
Fir esteel, while he (Hanson) went directly to
Rockport, where he remained that night,
but does not remember the name Of the man
with whom he stopped. When Sorenson
left him at Firesteel he said he would go
from there to Minnesota and from thence to
Yankton with the ponies, and Hanson said
that he had been telling his neighbors in
Nebraska that a man (meaning Sorenson)
would soon be in Ysnkton with a drove o.
ponies for sale. He did not see or hea,
from Sorenson after he parted with him al
Firesteel. From Rockport Hanson says he
went to Olivet and Finlay, and en- route
sold two ponies Che had five left after trad.
ing with Sorenson). From Finlay he went
to Sioux Falls, and kept on to a point about
20 miles north of the Falls, where he met
man who had lost his homestead. Thi
man, whom he had never seen before ant
whose name he does not know, only that h
went by the name Of Pete, had a yoke o
cattle, and he asked Hanson to take them Il
Sioux Falls and sell them for $S5 and h,
would meet him in Sioux Falls and get tn
money. Hanson says he took the cattle t
Sioux Falls, sold them for $50. and afte,
wards met "Pete" there and gave him tn
money. He then came to Yankton and lei
at Olson & Wilson's boarding hous
opposite the Excelsior mill on Capita