The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-10-02
MURDER Ate SOUTH BEND.
Elias Gustavison Dies From the
Effects of Blow With Club
In the Hands of Chas.
Brown.
The Murderer Has Fled for Parts
UnknOwn.-The COr0ner's
Inquest.

liQueSj.
While the body of Elias Gustavison
lies cold in death at his late home at
: South Bend, his murderer is at large.
On Friday last Gustavison and a
man by the name of Brown, both en-
ployed in Flanagan, Mather x Glib
bons' brick yard in West Mankato got
into a quarrel, and the latter struck
his victim over the head with a club
which caused his death two days
later.
Coroner James Shoemaker empannel-
led jury, consisting of D. P. Davis,
E. r. Kennedy, A Barney, Gilbert
Hall, S. Pond, L. Hook Monday morn
ing at nine O'Clock, and after viewing
the remains Of the murdered man,
went to the upper room of Davis
grocery store at South Bend and called
them to order, announcing that they
were to hold an inquest over the re-
mains of Elias Gustavison who died
Sunday afternoon at 4:3O O'Clock.
The first witness called was DR.. c.
f. Warner, of Mankato, who after
being duly sworn testified that he
visited the deceased on Friday after
noon and after an examination he
found he had been hit with a blunt
article on the left side over the ninth
or II ri 10 oil on ], o6
been hit on the skull over the left ear.
The wound on the side was more pro-
minent than the one on the scalp. In
conclusion he said: 81 am of the
opinion that the deceased came to his
death from conclusion of the brain"
Albert Johnson was the second wit
ness. He was present at the brick
yards of Flanagan, Mather & Glib
bOns' when the ARRAY took place on
Friday. Gustavison had stick about
4 feet long and as ChaS. Brown and
Elias Gustavison came near each other
Ehas. Brown seized the stick and hit
fGustavison one blow on his head.
Gustavison dropped after he was
struck by Brown. After he got up he
walked about four rods. and that is
the last l saw of him or Brown.
At this time in the proceedings an
adjournment was taken until 1:30
p. m.
At 1:30 O'Clock, Monday afternoon,
afterCoroner Shoemaker had taken his
seat, Frank Turner, of West Mankato,
was called as witness and said he
was employed in the brick yard where
Gustavison received his fatal blow.
He saw the alteration between Wal
ter Brown first and then with Chas.
Brown as against Gustavison. When
Gustavison got within rods he pick
ed up a club and struck at Walter
Brown, but did not hit him. Chas.
Brown cried out" you let the boy
alone" After some words between
Charlie Brown and Gustavison, Chas
Brown pushed Gustavison from him
with his hand. AS Gustavison start
ed for him again, Charlie Brown grab
bed the club away from him and struck
him on the left side, and as Gustavi-
son stopped over seemingly to pick up
something, Brown struck him on the
head which blow felled him to the
ground. The injured mans little boy
came over and took his father by the
head and raised him up. He walked
about or rods to the sand house.
The stick that figured at the morning
session was shown the witness and he
thought it looked like the one used
by Brown. On the crOSs-eXamination
lawyer Smith asked the witness what
he would have done under similar cir
cumstances. Coroner Shoemaker ruled
the question out.
Herman Eichsteadt was the next
witness and testified as to the quarrel
between Walter Brown and GuStavi-
son and corrobOrated part of what
the previous witness had testified to,
but did not see ChaS Brown strike
Gustavison:
1t seems that the deceased had
an alteration at dinner time with
Walter Brown, a young brother of
Chas. Brown, on Friday last. Charles
Brown there had some word with him
with the result as chronicled above,
Both men were employed at the brick
yard of Flanagan, Walter & Gibbons,
all summer The deceased was about
80 years of age. Chas. Brown, who
struck the blow, is about 10 years old,
and it seems has been well thought
of, by those who know him. Chief of
Police Yates, and one of his men have
been searching for Brown, but up to
the hour Of going to press he has not
been arrested.