Omaha daily bee., 1881-08-08
is IT MURDER?
A Question Which Coroner Ja-
cobs Wants Answered.
Did John Peterson's Death Re-
suit Naturally
Or Was IL Caused BY a Severe
Boating7

Or Was It Caused BY a Severe
Boating7
John Peterson also known rs John
Wilma VI, died yesterday morning at
a little b, fore ten o'clock. 1t Is al
legged by / is friends that his death was
tho result cof a fight between him and
q man nam ID Chas. Neistrom. The
fight occur ed on Wednesday last
about rsoon il Peterson's shop, which
is located on Sixteenth street between
Isardan Burt. Tho two men have
been working in adjoining shops for
some time past, Peterson having been
a wagon maker, and Neistrom a black
smith. 1t had been their practice to
work II sort OF partnership basis,
Peterson' doing the woodwork on the
vehicles. and Neisti ON the iron work.
1t is said that lately they have had q
good many disputes between them
selves concerning bu siness matters.
Upon the day before the fight oc-
Cured they had another dispute.
Neistrom it appears ordered some
beer to his shop and invited Peterson
in to take some with him. When
Peterson went in q few moments af-
terward the beer was all gone. He
asked where it was and Neistrom.
laughed at him. This caused some
bad blood but they did not come to-
blows Mt that time.
On Wednesday Peterson and Neis-
from, together with four or FIVE other
men, were in the shop of the former.
The party had some beer and then
engaged themselves in singing and
conversation tor some time. Finally
a nan came in who wanted a saw filed,
but for some reason it was not done
immediately. According to the testi-
mony of witnesses at the coroner's in
quest yesterday the row then COM
menced between the two men. Peter
sons and Neistrom's hats were both
laying on a bench in the shop.
| Neistrom took up q mallet and struck
Peterson's hat on the crown and then
his own. He then placed one hat
within the other and put both on his
head. Peterson objected to this and
called for his hat. This led to a sort
of s%cufle, and then into a fight. Pc
%terson, it is alleged by some people,
struck Neistrom with the file, but this
is denied, by Others. Neistrem got
his antagonist down and then beat
and kicked him with his feet and fists.
Peterson seemed dazed and stunned,
and offered but a poor resist
anco to the attack of Neistrom.
After the fight Peterson lay down for
some time ON the floor of the shop
with his head against a log. 1t is
said that Peterson was considerably
under the influence of drink at the
time of the fight.
From another source it is alleged
that the fight originated in u different
way. Neistrom's father went into
Peterson's shop, according to this
story, to have some work done and
Peterson kicked the old man out.
Neistrom then went into the shop,
words ensued and the fight between
the two followed.
After the fight Peterson bad done
no work up to the time of his death.
When his death resulted his friends
Immediately notified Coroner Jacobs,
who sent tor the remains and had
them laid out in his establishment.
A warrant was issued by Judge
Beneke as soon as complaint was
made and Niestrom was arrested by
city jailor Mcclure and Officer Black.
The coroner summoned a jury and
began an inquest in the afternoon.
DIR. L~eisenring, who held theI post
norton examination, stated that
there were several COMMISSIONS on diff
ferent parts of the body and they
were congested. He found the right
lung in a pustulated condition and ad-
herring to the side of the chest. The
deceased appeared to be at the time
of his death in a very Frustrated con-
dition. In answer to a question as to
whether the blows would prob
ably cause death he replied,
that death would probable ensue in
the condition the man was then in.
The nan who nursed Peterson from
last Thursday up to the time of his
death stated in his examination that
he complained very much of having
pain in the throat and lungs. Peter
son could not swallow, nor take sus-
tenance of any kind until Saturday
evening, when he ate a little oatmeal
broth. Sunday morning he was given
some milk with an egg broken in it.
He was very restless and would not
lie down longer than three or four
minutes at q time.
In the evidence of n witness it
was stated that the prisoner said that
if it hadn't been for Dave Redman he
would have kicked Peterson to death
at the time of the fight. 1t was
brought out hat both men were
greatly enraged at the time OF the
fight.
Peterson had lived IN Omaha four
teen years, and during that time had
worked both as a carpenter and wag-
onmaker. He was employed as a car
penter ON the Central block, which was
bnilt in 1867. He came to Omaha
from Stockholm, Sweden. OF late
years he had been given more or less
TO drink. Two brothers of his arc
now living somewhere in Utah. He
was a single man.
The inquest was adjourned at the
instance of the coroner and district at
torney in order that a further exami-
nation of the body might be made.
A telegram was also sent by the dis
NIL - NMIsllN-