The morning call., 1890-11-29
The IVETT MURDER.
Preliminary Examination Of
August Olsen.
Several Witnesses for The Prosecution Give
Their Testimony.
But Little Light Thrown on the MERGED
EySteTy-The ACCuSed's Conviction
Thought to Be Doubtful.
Special to THE MORNING CALI.

Olsen, the man arrested for the killing of
John Ivett, the wealthy farmer, on Novem-
Der 9th, preliminary hearing. The de-
PENDANT was accompanied by his attorney,
W. II. HattOn of Modesto. District Attor-
ney Breckinrdge asked that the court re-
porter, Ostrander, be appointed to serve as
reporter in this case. and that B. F. Fowler,
the District Attorney-elect be recognized as
associate counsel for the prosecution.
The defense then asked for an order to be
made excluding all witnesses from the court
room. A his request this was granted, and
the trial of the case began by about thirty
FIVE witnesses being sworn.
The first two witnesses were Mrs. j. W.
Gibbons and Miss Vacaro, who testified that
they knew August Olsen, and that they met
man on the road near the Mugier ranch on
the Sunday evening Of the murder.
Miss Yacaro was positive it was Olsen.
and described :his dress and horse. She
passed him at Mugler's place. He was at
fireplace and had companion with him.
Olsen was-on horseback, and wore a white
hat with abuut.a three-inch brim, an over
cearAnd blue Overalls. She noticed nothing
tied Ito his saddle. She did not notice
Olsen companion, and conld rot describe.
him.. 0lirh's orercoat was Of dark mate
rial. Witness was certain he had an over
coat on: He rode a small pinto horse. She
= was p, Sit!Ye he had cveralls on. She did
not sec any bundle. Olsen's back was
turned 10 her. She was sure it was Olsen.
Mrs. HQtsley, wife of the Postmaster at
Smelling. swore that Olsen came to the Office
: after dark on Sunday night, November 9thi
and asked for. Ivett's mail, but she, not
knowing him, made him wait until her hus
bard eame:from the rear Of the store.
=. MI. HurSley said he waited Oh Olsen but
he. had no mail. he said Olsen wore light
slOucl: hat and cashmere pants and long
!, oyeTtGat:
:. j. P. Jcnes, an employe of Ivett, was then
;SYorn and testified substantially as follows;
al am a lJbcring man and have resided at
:. Kett's fora long time. l was there Sun
:day; November 9th, the day previous to
finding the body. / saw Olsen there that
day: at:'the. lower house. where the men
STOPPED Pile men all played cards. drank
wine and had good time that day, Olsen
Included, He had on a broad-brimmed
white lat and lehtplnts and long overcoat.
He did not have on the same clothes Mon
day at tbe:fnquest. About o'clock Sunday
afternoon Olsen said he would leave, and l
did not sec him afterward that day.
J. - i WaS@quite. familiar with Ivett Mrs.
Ivett was, away, and he ate at the lower
.:hOuse Wilh' tie men and slept at his resi-
..dence on .the HILL. He left the lower house
about dark and started for home. He for
I: got his dpgf that generally Slept at the upper
house with: bin. The dog was locked in the
ceFtaf and she forget her. was the first to
>: find Iyet{3s. body. He. did not come to
sbTeaE fast and Lad some business with him,
:: SO Event UP to. his house and found him
:. dead; with his head crushed, lying on the
. cellar. door, with one foot caught under him.
:: ! called to the men, and Charles Wench and
: the rest came Up i saw bloody footprints
on the porch and one in the yard between
:the house and tank. LETT the ranch then
! and: Rent to Lagrange 10 Notify Mrs. Olsen,
:. iIVeifS mother -iu-Iaw, and did not get back
: until af[er the body had been removed.
! = nd mot see. the Chinese cook Sunday
afternoon. Weate supper by caudle-hght
.WeAkd Gatds, music. dancing and general
:. goud' tirle:. Sunday, but all were on coed
,teftftS eId- there was. no Quarreling. The
.:fanelTt IS 'a;kiAd' of a public place; people
:. eonre there, eat, feed their horses and go
away aRd;no questions are asked. About
:; twenty HI en- were present Sunday"
p" TEe-coilft at this point adjourned for the
fioof rGpess: Meme Of DiSen's relatives were
present: iii court except his brother Jake,
= u no did not consult With his brother or the
e. attorney.
placed een.:tse stand after the noon recess.
He .testiEed substantially az follows: a
;. haYe:feSiaed at lyettS and been in his en-
:: nl0y for a l!Qat, thirty years. OF and on. l
. :Wasy rtI Olsen all day. Saturday. previous
to the :filtsrtef OF Iyett,: i helped him dig
Fat-ta a.tt-bo Il TlA oh
on + Efday.: He stayed Saturday night and
: Sunday until: about4 o'clock, when he left
;: for Shifting. lyett ate supper with the men
: at the: lower: h61Se, and after support
:: thinS itwas about s. o'clock-he started for
the; raps:T *house, where he slept. l
beard some one say: Mr.. lvett we want
some wine,;5. don't know if they got it. l
: left htn:f0r my cabin, which is between the
:. upper and lower house.. On Monday morn
-lfng,:9n f .: 70 the upper house, found
north side of the house, in a pool of
blood anfthere was blood all over the wall
and. gate. SWEET was lying on his side, with
: one f0@t caught in the cellar door. His
!; head was mashed in. l went into the
" house, and found letter to his wife, half
!. finished. His spectarles were on the letter,
: and "a lamp. was still burning; found bloody
tracks on the porch and on the ground near
the. ht dy heard no disturbance at the house
:: that night. Efound a small lamp and the
.eellaf-toor key lying near Iyett. His hat
: was :Ilear-him in the blood. / remained
:. with tho body until the Coroner came; COW
> cred the body up with sack, but did not
= touch it,: i allowed nothing to be disturbed
'-Dntl the Coroner came, and left every
thing. as we found it, except blowing out the
! lamp. i did not notice piece of whip lying
under Iyett.".
}. >. (THteutso PoIteo. q Mexican, was then
:: swpirn. He said he talked English, but
could: not always explain himself. The
= District Attorney said he thought he could
get8elenR without an Interpreter. 81 reside
;: at New I ears diagings; started for Hornitos
:. Sunday and stopped over at Ivetts all night
Sundaynight, l arrived there at about
!. O'Clock and stayed until Monday morning.
: L got up early: and went to MERGED Falls;
stopped there awhile and news came that
!. 1vett wassdead. l did not know he was dead
:; until Twas told so at the Falls. l didn't go
:. To Hornitos. but returned TO Ivett's. | saw
!: .Oiecn al TIE ranch Sunday. lie wore a
!: large siUuclr. hat with broad brim. He
wore q blown oveTcoat and light wooden
: pants. j ;saw: him with his horse. He had
. bundle. about Six inches thick and fifteen
=. Inches long tied TO the saddle. l could not
tell bat 1t contained. The saddle had a
e. broken. hoFn.:; Olsen went to the cellar and
: got q drink ofwine. He had not been at
" :Iyett's, for a A1enth before"
:! NiineSs then: described the mysterious
: bundle. He gave the dimensions as above,
and said lit Hooked like pair OF oyeralls
: wraRped up.
5 Thomas c. Adams was then sworn. Said
!. he had been at tbe;Iyett ranch two days
when. Olsen came on Friday. "Olsen came
:: to see me:and stayed with Ivett at the upper
house;-: was in Olsen's company nearly all
: day Saturday. He wore a large, broad
brimmed7 white COW boy hat. At the inquest
hew0fe a different hat He also wore
Iona: oSefenar and brown pants. He left on
Sunday evening, and said he was going to
Smelling and then home. Ivett told him to
tell his mother that he had got letter from
Sophie, 1vetts wife, and if she got better
she would be. back Soon. Ivett and Olsen
then left; Olsen went away and Ivett went
% his house. We were all having a Jolly
time drinking wine, playing cards, music
and dancing. / saw Frenchnan at the
ranch Sunday morning."
Thomas Search, another old-tfmer on the
ranch. testified to about the same facts as
Adams had, =.
II. NJ. Lanley testified that he saw Olsen
Sunday evening. and that lie had bundle
on his saddle similar to the one heretofore
described.
Henry Latour said 81 am blacksmith in
Smelling. l know Olsen. | saw him in
S.atfin1 Nv, tho 7fh inst EaDDd p,ipar's