Omaha daily bee., 1884-11-10
A DRUMMER'S DEATH.
SuCita Of v. B. Nelson, a Travelling
Man, Upon Being Arrested in
Sioux City,
Adversely, Caused by Drink, Sup,
posed To b. the Causc OF
the Rash Act.
A STRANGER SUICIDES.

A STRANGER SUICIDES.
Sioux City Journal, November s.
w. b. Nelson, a stranger in tho city,
suicided yesterday afternoon, about 3
o'clock, in ths rear IT the mayors Office,
corner Of PaGl and Fifth %slreets. Tbs
circumstances attending the tragedy we're
these: Mayor SwSrts, yesterday fore
noon, received the following telegram:
LINCOLN, Neb., November You
will find at express Office two packages,
marked S. r.. Newton. Goes by w. j.
Nelson here; short, heavy, full beard.
Arrest whoever calls for packages. Hold
and telegraph.
L. b. BEACH, Chief of Police.
1t happened that the mayor, on his
way down Fourth street, met q gentle
msu who answered tho description, and
who asked the mayer whore the express
Office was. The mayor pointed QUO the
United States express office, and at once
concluded that he was the man wanted,
and went to look for q policeman. The
nan was accompanied by d lady, and at
the express office door the man went on,
the lady going in to ask for an express
package for S. h. Newton. Previously
the pair had called at the American ex-
press office and asked for a package
addressed to f. M. Morrison. Officers
Petty and McGottin were found, and
starred in a buggy to look for the
man. He was sighted, walking with
the lady, On Sixth street, near
Pearl. Officer McGofin went to him
and asked him to go to the mayors Office.
He consented, and the officers, with the
man of many aliases and the lady, went
to the foot of the stairs leading to the
office, where the lady was dismissed by
her husband, and continued her way to
the Pacific house, where they had been
stopping. In the mayors Office the
prisoner said that he had done nothing at
Lincoln to be arrested for. He seemed
cheerful and confident, and while
the mayor went to the Western
Union office to telegraph, he asked
the officers to go with him
to the saloon below and have cigars.
They went with him there, and then he
asked that Officer Petty allow him to go
to the water closet. They went and
while the officer was standing at the door
he heard a shot within, and pushing his
way inside found his prisoner weltering
in his blood on the floor. He had shot
himself through the head with a 32.cali.
bre Colts revolver. The body was car
1icd into the assembly hall back of the
mayors Office, and the coroner, DIR. LII.
B. Clingan, called.
Since arriving in the city the deceased
has acted strangely; started negotiations
foc the purchase of youog cattle, and that
SORT of thing. He was not in liquor when
arrested. On his person was found 81 O6.
Mrs. Nelson, who 10 a lady of some forty
summers, has hut S15, only enough to
pay the hotel bill now due. The deceased
wus a member of the Masonic order, and
Lis funeral will be looked after by the
members of that order in this city. Tel
egrams cent to Lincoln bought no an.
swar, excepting al order to hold the eX-
press packages, which will not be done.
HIS CAREER IN NEBRASKA.
Lincoln Journal.
A few days ago after the first of Sep
tember, W. j. Nelson with his wife and
step daughter, came to Lincoln. Little
was known of them as Nelson did not go
into business and they lived quietly.
About the first of this month thev rented
a house of MIR. Harlow at 1921 n street
and moved in.
Half OF the house was furnished and
the other half unfinished. On Thurs
day Ct last week Nelson went to Wilson
81 Co.'S and purchased about $50 worth of
goods, most of the bill being for E carpet.
He exhibited government bonds to the
sum of 81, 800 aud Mrs. Nelson's pocket
bookH was seen to contain several
large COLA piecas. Nelson said he had
sent So, 600 in bOnds to he cashed and
had houghta team for $500, which made
him a little sholt but be would come in
with the cash in the course of a few days.
AS he aeemsd to be ~abundantly able to
meet ali his obligations, no obi lection was
made by the frm. He bought, as was
subsequently ascertained, about $50
worth of goods from BALDWIN Brothers
s. stG9e and fixtures-apd alsO made acme
purchases of Ka'2enstein.
On Friday Mrs. Nelson went to Will
sln 81 Co., and said that she was anxious
10 got the carpet down. She said her
husband WAS expecting the money for
his bonds in a day or two, and she was
allowed 10 take the carpet away. AS
she did not come around IN Monday Mr..
Dobbins called at the house. She said
that her husband and his son had gone
out hunting with the team and would be-
gone a day or two. He called on Tues.
day and WAS informed thot they had not
returned yet.
On Wednesday q boy came to Wilson
~ Co. 3 with a telegram for Mrs. Nelson,
and asked where she lived. He was told
where to go, and no more was thought
about it until Thursday, when Mr.. Har-
low came down and announced that the
woman had disappeared, and showed a
note which she had left. The note
stated that she was sorry she couldn't pay
the rent, but that her husband had had
trouble in settling up his affairs, and abe
was unable to pay up. She said she WAS
going back to Illinois, where they came
from.
The firms who had sold Mr.. Nelson
goods and who have not received any
consideration therefor Immediately be-
gan to look for the goods. The carpet
and stove, with the trunks containing
other personal property, had dis
appeared and were doubtless hauled
off by the two teams with which
Nelson and his sons-or, at least,
the two boys with him-left Sunday
or Monday. Upon questioning the ex.
preasmeR. one was found who had hauled
a roll of carpet to the express Office.
Upon inguiring there it was found that II
had been clipped to Omaha, to S. S
Newton.
The defrauded merchants telegraphed
TO Omaha aud found that the goods had
been reshipped to Sioux City. They