St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-28
MINNESOTA.
The CIaremont Tragedy.

The authentic details of the tragedy at
Claremont, as forwarded by the GLOBE
correspondent, are as follows: sit appears
that about 1890 o'clock a. m. a farmer,
William Van Reiden, arrived in Claremont,
stating he had shot and killed his neighbor,
John Lehman, claiming it had been done in
seIf-defense and surrendering himself to
the authorities.
A short interview with the prisoner and
the officials was had, the prisoner by advice
declining to say very much until he had
seen his counsel, Judge Hickman of Owa-
tonna. whom he had telegraphed to come
to ClaremOnt.
He, however, stated that in the morning he
and Lehman had quarreled, and Lehman
threatening to shoot him he had shot and
killed Lehman.
1t was further learned that an old feud of
many years, resulting in frequent and at
times violent quarrelS, had existed between
the parties, and that morning had been re-
newed, eliminating with this tragic result.
Procuring teams we visited the scene of
the tragedy, about four and One-half miles
northeast of Claremont and from the wife
of the prisoner and neighbOrS of the two
men CLEANED the following;
John Lehman, the victim, was an I'M
married man and was living alone in hut
and about forty rods across the county line,
in Steele county, while William Van Reiden
was living about ten rods east of the line in
Dodge county, his family consisting beside
himself of wife and two small children.
A small grove of brush interveneS be-
tween the latter's house and the line, while
Lehman had lately cleared his to the
line
Mrs. Van Reiden states that Lehman had
been in the habit of shooting their chickens
and this morning had been down by the
grove and she had told HIM to be careful
shooting as he Knight hit the children. J"
Lehman replyied that he could shoot as he
pleased on his own land and abused her and
finally shot past her down in the pasture,
which brought her husband home, who had
been to neighbours on business.
She told her husband of the occurrence
between herself and Lehman, when an
angry alteration occurred between the two
men, and her husband went to the house,
loaded his gun and came back, when
further words ensued, and, upon Lehman'S
threatening to shoot him, her husband shot
and killed Lehman.
When asked how long after Lehman had
shot her husband had shot Lehman, she
replied, ''about five minutes" but it
doesn't appear Lehman shot more than
once, and after which Van Reiden went to
the house and got his gun.
There are several contradictory state
ments also between hers and that of her
husband which may all be explained upon
investigation.
From the position of the body, as seen
lying where it fell-the death being instan-
taneous- parties could have been only
about twenty feet apart. the body being
about fifteen feet from the line, in Steele
county, while indications show Van Reiden
to have been about five feet from the line,
both being upon their own premises.
Lehmans gun was laying by his side
evidently having been lately discharged and
in such position as it could not have fallen
if he had been attempting to shoot his OPP
ponent. Lehman is reported by his neigh
bors as of very quarrelsome disposition,
and the family say has often threatened to
kill them and did attack Van Reiden with
Ratchet about three years ago, and was
arrested and fined for the offense by Justice
Rand of Claremont, all of which is corrobor-
ated by the neighbors, and little regret is man
ifested for him, while all the neighbors
cnaak mnathi1inU1v of Van Raidan