St. Paul daily globe., 1888-06-17
THE ERICKSON INQUEST.
Inquiry Into the Shooting by Officer
Shelley Being Made.
WAS THE OFFICER JUSTIFIED
Casper Hansen, Erickson's Companion.
Arrested and Placed on the Stand---
Patrolman Shelley's Version.

Patrolman Shelley, fatally shot Ole
Erickson, young man residing at
2123 Third street south, early Friday
morning. The friends of Erickson
do not believe the story that he was
discovered stealing wood and was try
ing to escape when shot. Burt Rudd,
of 1918 Third street south, testified that
he had known Erickson for fourteen
years, and never known him to be dis
honest. He sometimes fndulged in
liquor, but could not be called hard
drinker. II. Peterson, a brickmasOn,
residing at 2S3 Cedar avenue, had en-
ployed Erickson six weeks, and found
him industrious and sober.
Patrolman Sievreling, from whom
Erickson was escaping when shot by
PatrOlman Shelley, testified that about
l O'Clock in the morning he saw two
men go into lumber yard at the corner
of Washington and Twentieth avenue
south, pick up couple of planks and
carry them off. He ran around the
block and met them face to face, saying:
fOr?' They said they would take it back.
When he told they must go with him to
the lookup, Erickson said with an oath:
"YOu' can't arrest u.s." They then
threw the lumber down. Officer Sievre
ling then made the arrest after a scuffie.
They went with him all right for block
or two, and then they made further re-
sistance. He finally got them under
control again. They made the third
fight in dark place at the corner of
Washington and Cedar avenues. Here
they got the patrolman down, and in
the melee Erickson got away. The lat
the stomach, and managed to escape.
Officer Sievreling then blew his whistle
for assistance. Officer John Courtney
came to his aid and the two pursued the
fleeing men, but they escaped. After
wards he heard three shots fired. That
was all he knew about the shooting.
Patrolman Shelley, who shot Erick-
son, next took the stand. He was at the
corner of Fifteenth street and Washing
ton avenue south when he saw man
running towards Cedar avenue. He
started to follow, and upon hearing
some one cry, ''Stop that man," he
man kept on running. Next he heard
police whistle blow three times, when
he fired in the air twice. The third time
he lowered his revolver and shot at the
fugitive with the intention of crippling
him. The man fell. but got up and
began to run again. When Shelley came
up he said: you've hit me, but l guess
I'm not hurt" He also said he didn't
want to be arrested, as he said he was
going away to California next week.
Erickson was then taken to the lookup
and attended by Police Surgeon Kelly,
who ordered him sent to the city hos
pital, where he died.
Casper HanSOn,s sErickson's companion
aid roommate, a young man of twenty
years, who was arrested at the Union
elevator where he is employed, yester-
day morning, was the next witness.
He said that Erickson and he had
picked up couple of planks and were
carrying them off when Patrolman
Sterling arrested them. They offered
to take the plank back, but the officer
said that they must go to the police
station. Then they jerked away and
ran, but did not assault the officer. He
ran directly home. He heard shots, but
did not know Erickson had been hit.
Drs. Burton, Kelly and Dunn testi-
fed that the bullet struck EricksOn's
left thigh and penetrated the alb
dOminal cavity, cutting the intestines
thirteen times, the wound being thus
necessarily fatal.
The inquest was then postponed to
2o'clOck Monday afternoon, when some
other witnesses to the shooting will be
introduced. An effort will also be
made to show that Patrolman Shelley
was acting contrary to instructions in
firing as he did.