St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-15
Celia Peterson, Aged Twenty,
Ruthlessly Murdered at
st. Louis Park.
Her Bpother-in-LaW Perpe-
trates the Deed for No
Apparent Reason.
The Murderer Takes to the
Woods for Safety From
His PurSu393.
He Returns, However, and
Fatally Shoots Himself
Near His Home.

An awful murder and attempted sui
eide occurred at st. Louis Park last
night at 10 o'clock. Hans Olsen, intend
ing to shoot his wife, killed her sister,
Miss Celia Peterson, and an hour and
half later sent two bullets crashing
through his own brain. The
murder was committed about
10 o'clock. Mrs. Alice Olsen,
the wife of the murderer, and two sis
tiers were returning from church, arm
in arm, at that hour, when Olsen came
upon them in the darkness, Just as they
were about to ascend the steps leading
to the porch. He fired two shots, the
bullets whizzing close to his Wife's
lead, wh@n her sister Celia
turned, placed her hands against his
breast and begged him not to murder
his wife. His answer was another shot,
and Celia fell upon the steps, which he
had partially assembled. She never
uttered another word. The ball entered
her chest a little above and to the
right of the heart, and the pistol was
held so close to her that her chin and
neck were disclored by the powder. Her
clothing caught fire, and, blazing 1.-The
murderer was seen skulking away
toward the underbIuSh in its glare. Her
father rushed from the house, and, eX-
tinguishing the flames, carried the
h0nSp
The reports of the revolver
had aroused the neighborhood, and the
people came fiOcking from all direc-
lions. After the body had been cared
for, there was an attempt to form
posse to capture the murderer, as it was
thought that he had fed. But as they
were about to set out, Olsen's voice was
suddenly heard a short distance from
the house. He called to the girls father
to come out that he wished to talk to
him, but the latter did not appear.
as Olson had previously threatened that
he would kill his wife'S parents. Sud
denly another report broke the stiffness.
The murderer groaned and cried out that
he had shot himself In the side. He wished
one of his neighbOrS to come to him,
but warned him not to come too near.
He said that he still had two bullets
in his revolver, one for the
first man that came near bin,
and the other to finish him
self He announced that he would soon
shoot himself again. as the first shot did
not do the business. The second report
came, and Olsen became quiet. The
neighbors now rushed up to him. The
last bullet had entered the right side of
his head a little below the ear, render
ing him unconscious. There he was
found on his side with his hands tightly
clasped and blood covering his face and
body. With the uncertain light of the
lanterns fitting here and there, the sight
was a CHASTITY One-the lamentations of
the bereaved mother at the
house mingling with the gurgling
groans of the PROSTATE muir
erer. A bedspring was procured
to be used as stretcher, and this deS-
perately wounded man was placed upon
it and carried to the school house,
short distance away. AS he
was carried by the home he
had so ruthlessly bereaved. his
wife came out to look upon his face.
"Why did he drink that stuff?' she
moaned, and that expressed in part the
whole trouble. Olsen had been
drinking for nearly two weeks.
Mrs. Alice Olsen, who so narrowly
escaped with her life, stated that her
husband was thirty-five years of age.
His drinking habits and perverse dispo-
sition had caused trouble between them,
and for four years they had lived apart.