The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-03-06
ACQUITTED OF ARSON.
John Rasmussen Clears Him.
self of the Charge.
a CHARGE OF MANsLAUGHTER.
James DoueIson, who Accidentally
Shot His Father, is Freed Frons
the Charge-Other Business.

the Charge-Other Il usiness.
In the Third District Court yesterday
morning, the trial of John Rasmussen,
charged with arson. was begun.
The first witness was
oLoF RASMUSSEN.
who testified that he was the son of the
defendant; purchased house and five
acres of land, situated in Sandy, from
the defendant some four months before I;
the house was destroyed by fire, on the
night of July 29th, 1887; the house was
occupied at the time of the fire, by his
mother and brother as tenants; was in
Park City at the time OF the fire, but re-
turned to Sandy the next day; had a
conversation with the defendant in the
county Jail three days after the fire
when he said that he had burned the
house, and intended to plead guilty a;
the house was worth about $3.50.
AXEL RASMUSSEN
was called and testified that he was q
son of the defendant; lived at Sandy !;
the house in which he and his mother
were living was burned on the night
of July 90. 1887; both his mother anG
himself were sleeping at Veniston on
the night of the fire; the reason they
did not stay at home on that night was
because the defendant came 10 the
house the day prec siding the. fire, and
qugrreied with his wife; he said he
intended to come back and make it
warm for them; defendant was drink
Ing at the time; witness first heard Of
the fire at about am. on July %, and
soon after met his father; asked him il
be had burned the house and he re-
piled. What il | have it was nay
OWL"
The prosecution rested.
The defendant
JOHN RASMUSSEN,
took the stand, and testified that the
two preceding witnesses were his sons
had had no trouble with them regard
ing the house: was in Sandy the after
noon before the fire; had no dispute or
quarrel with Mrs. Rasmussen, and made
no threats; never told anybody that he
burned the house; always lived plea
sanity and peaceably with his wife; the
house was owned by his son; intended
going 20 Alta the morning after the
fire, and slept on the platform near the
railroad station during the night, anG
did not visit the house at all; never told
his son, in the county Jail, that the fire
might have been started by fire from
his pipe.
This was all the evidence offered. The
case was briefly argued, and went to
the jury on the judges charge.
The jury, after being out about fifteen
minutes, brought in verdict of not
guilty, and the defendant was dis
| charged.
Court then took recess until . pm.
Upon reassembling in the afternoon
the case of James Donelson, charged
with manslaughter, was taken up. Th
defendant was represented by w. Vac
Colt, while District Attorney Peters and
! Assistant District Attorney Clarke con-
| Quoted the prosecution. The first wit
ness called was
JOHN FRANK,
who testified that he lived in Stockton
Tooele County; was acquainted with
the late James Donelson and his son,
the defendant; saw the defendant and
his father in front of Narmoyle's saloon
on September 5th; they were talking,
| and defendant had his left arm around
his fathers shoulder; heard defendant
say he would not let any one abuse his
father. and that he would die for him
he had revolver in his hand, and Just
as he said that the pistol exploded, and
the shot took effect in the fathers alb
father" Mr.. Donelson fell, and the
father" and asked for a pistol with
present Two or three others who wit
messed the shooting. Mr.. Donelson
died from the effects of the wound at 8
o'clock the next morning; knew of no
trouble between Mr.. D9nelson and his
son on that day.
Cross eXamination- ball ranged
downward; did not see any one pull tn e
defendants shoulder.
This closed the evidence for the prose
cution, and the defendant,
JAMES DoNELsoN:
took the stand. He testified: l was in
Stockton On the 5th of September last.
got up at 8 O'Clock in the morning,
strapped on my revolver and went out;
knew that Jerome Paxton had a horse
belonging to my folks, and went to
Stockton to get 1t, but did not
put OF my revolver because l expected
to have Il ouble W tt Paxton; saw him
in front of Narmoyle's saloon; my
father had replevied a horse from
him; l was tying this horse in front of
~, caI0nn ubor Dovfo,, oo1oo 4