The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-10
BOOTS DID NOT FIT.
Nordstr0m's Practical Evidence
in His Defense.
THE STORY OF HIS wANDERINos.
ERorts Of Accused Murderer - Prove
Alibi-Minnie Peltfer stays q
the Home-Blotter.

the testimony Of the witnesses. There
was hardly standing room in the court
room all day. and among the crowd Of
men were dozen or more women, who
sat for hours apparently as much inter-
esfed in the evidence as the men. There
was an almost dramatic scene when Attor-
ney Soderberg had the defendant try on
the boots which, the prosecution has tried
10 prove, made the tracks found near the
window where Mason was killed.
Judge Humes and the Jury and all of
the spectators were much disappointed
that the case could not have been given to
the Jury last night, but il is probable that
It will all be finished up and settled by
Monday night. although the prosecution
intends to offer some more evidence in re-
buttal, if witnesses can be gotten here in
time.
Thomas Lindsay testified that he had
lived near the Mason ranch for eight
years. lie knew Nordstrom by the name
Of Swanson and got acquainted with him
1t Mason's place. On November Is he
was with Nordstrom working for the CON-
pany at Gilman. On THANKSGIVING morn
mg Nordstrom came to him and asked
him for raincoat and said he was going
to Mason's. As near as he knew Nord-
r.rom left and did not return to Gilman.
Eordstrom had frequently borrowed his
guns to go out hunting. The witness Dor
rowed $3.50 of Nordstrom on the 18th and
On Thanksgiving morning gave back $50.
He saw hanging in Ismay's cabin on the
18th the cap which Nordstrom wore when
arrested. He also positively identified the
soft hat offered in evidence as the one
worn by Nordstrom.
I'd Johnson. who at one time worked
for the Masons. said that he heard Nord-
strom ask Willie Mason where his father
was and Willie answered that he was in
Seattle and would return the next day.
Eordstrom then asked when the father
was going to pay him, and Willie told him
"some day." The witness then went out
Of doors and Nordstrom came out and
told him that he was going to sue old man
Mason for his money. and if he couldn't
get it he was going TO kill him.
Attorney Soderberg interrupted the wit
ness at this point by asking him to say. in
the Swedish language. what Nordstrom
had threatened. The witness hest
tated and confessed that he
did not remember the language
very well. as he had been in America a
year and half. He finally did give half
in English and half in swedish---the ex-
preston which he said Nordstrom used
Christ Iverson testified that he had
known the Masons year and Nordstrom
for six months. He had heard Nordstrom
threaten to get the money Mason owed him
or "do something else" Nordstrom only
mentioned 'the Masons" and did not
specify any particular one. He did not
like to hear Nordstrom talk that way about
the Masons.
Thomas w. Mason, brother of the
murdered man. testified that he and Willie
hired kordstrom to do some clearing for
Asm. Eordstrom had not fulfilled his
ssstract with them, and had not come to
HIM with note from the
old man. Nordstrom told him
that he wasn't going to finish the
Job, but wanted his pay for what he had
done. The witness wanted him to finish
mp the work before he would pay him.
Nordstrom got mad and called him vile
name and went out; then came back again
and demanded his money. He was again
told that he must finish the job, as 1t was
no good the way he had left it. Nordstrom
went up and talked to Willie Mason and
then went away.
Mary Lindsy, 12-year-old daughter of
Thomas Lindsy, said that she knew
Charles Eordstrom. She heard him say
that he would kill Mr.. Mason If he did not
pay him his money.
Sheriff Woolery testified much to the
same effect in regard to the tracks as Jack
Mcdonald. He told of tracing the tracks
mp and identified the hat and boots 90 the
other witnesses had done.
At the conclusion of the taking of the
testimony Attorney Soderberg moved for
the dismissal of the case on the ground
that the prosecution had not made out a
case against Nordstrom. Judge Humes
denied the motion and Mr.. Soderberg made
his statement as to what the defense would
show He said that he would show that
an enemy of the murdered man committed
the deed instead of Nordstrom;
that there was no serious disagreement
between Nordstrom and Willie Mason,
and there was no bad blood againstany
member of the Mason family; that on the
18th Of November Nordstrom was working
ct Gilman. and on account of factions and
quarrels he left, intending to go east of
the Cascades; that he bought the gun in
Seattle with the intention of taking it
with him up in the Cascades; that on the
day Of the shooting he went from Rentou
TO Gilman, arriving at the latter place.
where he was intending to collect some
money that was coming to him; that on
the road he got sleepy and tired. and near
the Rechtenwad cabin lay down in the
brush and slept When he awoke, in his
drunken stupor he could not find his cap,
and thought of the cap in the fsmay
cabin and went and got that: that he
got 10 Gilman about O'Clock the night of
the shooting and visited several saloons;
that, as he had Quilted the employ of the
company, he could not stop at the bunk
house. and so went TO this deserted cabin;
that the prisoner made no attempt to con-
eeal himself, and did not know what he
was arrested for until he was told; that
the tracks were not made by the prisoner
because the boots said TO have been worn
by him were too small for his feet, and he
could not get them on; that the tracks
near the Sprague cabin were old ones and
were made on November Is by the de-
PENDANT; that Nordstrom was not ct or
near the Mason cabin after the 7th.
Thomas Rowley. Gilman saloon-keeper,
was the first witness sworn by the defense.
lie said that he knew John and Thomas
Lindsy, the sons of Thomas Lindsy. John
tosd him Nordstrom was there with gun,
ana he wanted Ben Stretch TO come and
arrest him.
Charles W. Nordstrom, the accused. took
the stand al 4 30 O'Clock in the afternoon.
lie betrayed no emotion whatever. and ap-
peared less excited than any one in the
room. His counsel wanted an interpreter,
Out Judge Humes fhought m at they would