Telegram-herald., 1890-03-14
BRUTES on TRIAL.
Ths Hearrlsss Lynchers Of Hans
Jacob Olson ~ Bal.
TIE sIoRY or The HORRIBLE CRIxE.
Is j. Told by Members Of ths no0 who
Haze Iurnsd IBfornarrs snd sea
Mercy - h~kias CSa-
fess4sAs-
u.vcrD ~ - xsisHBoss.

HASGED 81 HIS SstGHBohs.
WHgrEHA1L N.s., March la-Ihe
trlal II the lynchers Of Hans Olson IA
he circuit court Is being largely ~
tended TIE town Is al eKcitemen-
Tue attorney Tor the chief prisoner, Ole
Sletso, on Tuesday withdrew tae plea u
insanity and asked 70 have tie case pro-
oeed On its merits A jury Was secured.
composed mostly Of intelligent farmers
TIE State prod uoed ia court the rope
BY which Olson w4s hung Heary Han
son. - yecrs old, who turned States
evidence, w4s called Charles Johnson.
"a lay. Novem Der %, he said, asked
him 20 70 Olson's house the next day
TO run Olson out oi the country; Sunday
night, In company with four other boys,
he drove from Blair 20 the old Baker
farm, a short distance from Olson's
house, where a crowd OF thirty was con-
gregated. They stopped on the way al
Peter j. Logas' for the rope. Al the
house of c. johnson the ringleader ap-
pointed a committee OF four. consisting
OF John Mckiyerging, Dick Martin,
James Nelson and the witness, 10 get
Olson from his home. The crowd con
tinued 70 Olson's with the committee
OF four in the lead. who entered
the house and dragged Olson out OF bed
onto the snoW-covered ground with only
bis shirt on. Olson begged for his
clothes, which his wife handed ont
piece by piece. He put on his pants,
vest, coat, scarf, mittens, nocktie aAd
boots Olson was shown the rope and
asked il he would leave the country, %
which 40 replied: This is my home,
and l am going TO stay here till God
calls re away
Olson was then hustled TO a tree and
the rope adjusted about his neck The
other end was passed over limb and
the rope pulled taut, but let down i'm
mediately, and Olson was asked as be-
fore il he would leave the country. He
answered in the negative, and was
again suspended several feet in the
air for few seconds and then let down,
falling helplessly in a heap. He was
again requested to leave the country,
and replied; ~ can't now, I'm so sick" p"
Olson was then taken back TO the house
drink Of water, which was given him.
As witness came from the house ne
heard vote being taken by the mad
dened crowd and cries of Hang him."
though some objected. Witness said
defendant Sletto had said: Let him
hang" Then he was raised a second
time. Eight or ten men entered
the house and hurried Olson
TO the tree, around which about
twenty men gathered to string
him Up. The rope was put around his
neck and the crowd quickly pulled him
within foot of the limb, eleven feet
from the ground. Some of the party
had fled before this occurred. The
crowd thought some one should be
appointed TO stay all night with
the Olson family and Ole Sletto and
Charles Densmore volunteered. The
crowd quickly dispersed, each going
his own way and with little
manifestation Cross-examinationc called
out the fact that witness understood
that the intention of taking the rope
with the crowd was to scare Olson out
Of the county. He did not suppose that
it was intended 70 kill Olson. Witness
swore that on the way to Olsons the
night OF the murder Ole Sletto said
Olson ought to be hung, as he was such
terror in his family and the commu-
nifty
Charles Densmore, who is charged
with riot in the case, corroborated the
other witness. Witness and SlettO
stayed in the house of Olson till the next
morning. In conversation Sletto said
that they had got into bad job, but it
was better TO kill one man than to have
a half dozen killed or burned. Mrs.
Olson got supper for her guests and
showed no signs of grief except to cry
once.
The trial was resumed Wednesday
morning with increased interest and at
tendance. Ebert Olson, the l7-year-
old son OF the murdered man. said the
day Of the lynching he heard his brother,
| Ole, state to his mother that a mob was
coming to drive his father away. Mrs. Oh
son had said she wished the crowd would
take Olson away but not harm him.
other witnesses told the horrible
story OF how OlSOl was c2tccDlSeO anu
abused by the mob before being hung
up. The State closed its case with
these witnesses. and, after motion by
the 4 fendant's attorney 70 quash the
/ indictment was overrgled, the defense
opened with the testimony OF Ole J.
/ Olson. eldest son of the murdered man,
and one of the defendants. He was fol-
lowed by Bertha Olson. the murdered
mans wife and also defendant. They
repeated the oft-told story Of the com
ing of the mob and described the bloody
incidents connected with the hanging.
Both Of them resolutely denied that
they hsd any idea that the father and
husband was 70 he killed. and also de
MED any participation in the crime
The defense then rested.
Ar~est of a Pollceman-s Murderer.
CrrvFLAxD, O. March 13-Bucb
I Murray. who sh0s and killed a Detroit
police officer last week, having beer
/ Surprised by the officer while engaged
/ IN drilling = safe in a Wholesale grocer !
store. was arrested here Wednesday
Murray. who is also known "a james
Hill served three years in Joliet fol