The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25
MI. PLEASANT TRAGEDY.
Peter S. Nelson Charged With
An Attempt to Murder.
THE PRELIMINARY HEARING
Evidence Not All Concluded and An
Adjournment Until Tuesday.
His Bond Fixed in the Sum of SIG, 1000
The Condition of the Wounded
Man, His Father, Very
Precarious.

Mt. PLEASANT, Utah, Dec. 24.-
Especial. IA preliminary hearing was
held today in the case OF the People VS..
Peter S. Nielsen, charged with an at
tempt to kill his father. Several wit
nesses were examined before Justice
Lund by the prosecution, the principal
part OF which was offered by the sheriff
and marshal. The evidence showed that
Soren j. Nelson on the night of the at
tempted murder had gone to his mother S
house and that while reading was shot
stood very near the window.
Tracks had been examined and meas
ured and found to correspond with those
OF the defendant. Examination of rifle
usually kept a. the bank on that night
showed il to have been recently dis
charged and the only keys known in ex-
istence by which the bank could be
opened were in the possession Of the son.
The young man was Frustrated on the
night of the tragedy and had made no
suggestion as to trying to find the culprit.
On Wednesday night when arrested he
was overcome and had to be assisted to a
bed.
Several witnesses testified to the I'M
usual and unnatural action of defendant
since the tragedy and not due to the fact
that his father had been shot. The bull
let which had passed through the
wounded man and which was imbedded in
the wall, was introduced in evidence.
Compared with one taken from car
fridge used by the rifle It was found to
tally, being 45, 70 slugs. A bank state
ment which young Nelson was preparing
for publication on the night of the shoot
ing was produced and shown to have been
prepared very tremblingly and incor-
rectly, a thing unusual in his work. The
testimony of the prosecution was given in
court today when it adjourned until next
Tuesday afternoon at O'Clock. Bail was
fixed at $40, 200.
So far a complete chain of circumstan-
tial evidence has been produced to be
followed by additional links and little
stronger evidence, and, horrible as it may
appear, it begins to look very much as
though it would be enough to bind him
over to appear before the grand jury for
what might prove to be the murder OF his
father. Tonight the woun led mans con-
dition is very precarious, and by some it
is asserted his recovery is impossible.
The motive may appear later, but family
affairs are supposed to be the foundation
of the crime.
Peter S. Nelson is the Oldest son of the
four living children of Mr.. and Mrs.
Soren J. Nelson and has been literally
educated. He has been employed by his
father up to the time of the tragedy as
assistant cashier in the bank here.
Dan Hunt Of Provo is representing the
defendant and Ferdinand Erickson and
Judge Jacob Johnson the prosecution.
AS the further delay will very likely prove
advantageous to the prosecution it is ex-
pected that next Tuesday will witness
some important devel opments.
The injured man is an old resident of
Sanpete county, and at the age of about
45 years has become quite wealthy and
has his life heavily insured. He is the
cashier of the bank here.