Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-05-13
The sjoblom Poisoning Case.

which attracted very little attention at
the time of the tragedy, is now the sab
ject of much comment, and the authori-
ties are doing all in their power to clear
up the mystery. aud to punish the muir
derer, il murder was committed. In
compliance with an order from Coroner
Blachly, DR.. Fisher, of this city, went
down to Hermosa last week, and Sc
cured the stomachs Of the two little
ones who were buried there a day or
two after their violent death. The
stomachs were turned over to Dr. Blach-
ly, and by him sen. to Ann Arbor,
where they will be given the most skill
full analysis possible, and the character
OF the poison which caused their death
will be determined. As soon as the
result ofthe analysis is known. all the
facts which will tend to throw any light
on the terrible affair will be submitted
to the grand jury, now in session at
Custer, and careful and thorough in
vestigation will follow.
The story told By the father Of the
dead children, and the nature of the
newspaper comments, have very natur-
ally placed Captain Spearin, the former
owner of the ranch on the defensive,
and his explanation of his visit TO the
ranch, and the remarks made while
there, were very promptly given to the
public. Captain Spearin is at present
an inmate of the Soldiers Home at Hot
Springs, and apparently well known
and highly regarded in that locality.
The ranch in question has been the
cause of considerable litigation during
the past two years, and Spearin is one of
the claimants. He has not been in pos
session Of it for some time, and since he
was ousted several different parties have
resided upon it, among them James
Ferguson, Chas. Sheldon and w. l..
Stanton, characters whose names will
be found in conspicuous places on the
court records of Custer county. Sjoblom
and his family had taken the place for a
season, but made no claim of owner
ship, being simply tenants. Sprearin
says that few days prior to the poison
ing he and his wife paid visit to their
daughter who resides in the Spokane
neighborhood. On the Saturday in
question Spearin, his wife and number
of friends, while on the way to neigh.
bors, drove passed the ranch, and a
momentary stop was made to give the
former a chance TO talk with Sioblom
| Spearin entered the house but did not
go near the cellar where the carrots
were stored. All parties agree on that
point 1t is claimed by Spearin that in
the course of the conversation Sjoblom
remarked that things had gone wrong
| since he moved on to the ranch and tn a,
he did not wish to remain there. His
reply was that the curse of God rested
on the place, and he referred to Fer
guson, Sheldon end Stanton, calling at
tention to their present circumstances.
This statement differs radically from
the first report, which was to the effect
that Spearin had urged Sjoblom to leave
the ranch, warning him that misfortune
would overtake him and his family if
he did not do so. If Mr.. Spearin's state
msnt is correct, it puts a different as
peet on the case, and one that is much
more favorable to him. He says that it
is a common thing to put out poison for
rats, and that it is probable that carrot
loaded" with strychnine by some Of the
nsighbors had been carried into the
cellar by mountain rat. The analysis
of the stomach and the examination Of
the other vegetables in the cellar will go
to prove either the truth or the falsity of
this theory. Considered from any
standpoint or in any light. the sad affair
is as yet shroudsd in mystery, and it
will be relief to the people of Custer
county to have it cleared up. To accuse
any person or persons of conspiring to
take the lives of the members of the
Sjoblom family would not now be justi-
fable, but the circumstances related
naturally create suspicion, and to con-
firm or remove it, ia it lies within
their power to do SO, is the duty of the
authorities. 1t is possible that this is
one of those affair about which the
truth will never be known, but it is to
be hoped with all sincerity that 1t may
be clearly proved that 1t was an accident.
terrible yet unavoidable, for which
no one is responsible, or on the other
hand that it was foul murder and
that the guilty ono or ones shall be ap-
pretended and punished as the law
provides.