Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-09-21
PROVO.
Provo, UrAr, Sept 81, 1888
The Erickson Case.

Julge H. W. oulllh p'N7'N
First district court yesterday, anl
Judge King hell couf' In Osdes. a
Jury was empsuelci In the case Of the
United States VI MagBus Erickson, Of
Ephfaim, Sanptte county, onsIsoj
with adultery. The offence u chatked
10 nave been committed on the IAN
dav Of Anil, 1894, Ia Ephralm Cityi
with Harriet Hanson, 0f that place
E,,ch.on vas city marihal Of Ephfaiu.
Mi. and Mrs. Hanson livoi near tue
cItv on a farm, aud also had house IN
me- CITY, Mr.. Hanson had Tor some
time bpeB suspicious Of tue sections OF
Efiek.on and Mts. Hanson. The two
were NAtuteI on the night OF tie laths
and found together Ia the city iail
about IL o'clock. ,
The ntst wltnosa called was }. i,
Hanstn, husband VI MIR. HatfloI
Hansen.
M. Warnst, for the defense, Inter.
po,ed an objection ~ the testimony OF
Hansen, M he was the husband OF the
oo.re.pondent, who II also Indicted.
MIR, Thurman argued ia Opposluon
10 Mr.. Warmers objection, aud held
mat the witness was com petent
MHMIUNI IaIlNAHNhH aNN WAhHhH
ever, was withdrawn temporarily, hnu
Bennie Hanson, q btoihefi was called
lie testified that lie had watched
Efiokson and Mfs. HansOn TOT some
time before the IAN; on the 1th he
had seen Erickson come out 81 tue ci1
Iail about 1880 O'CLOCK. He appeafed
90 look around aud take obsert ati0nii
then he went hack ~ tue jail anu
Mrs. Hanson came out aud went home
~ her house In town. On the night Of
the iith he and others who were
watching saw Mrs. Hanson 10 into
the city Jail; che did not come out Lf
sons hours. Tue watchers thtn urd
the Jail uo0r on the outside And awaited
Developments. A short time htof-
wards some one trio1 the doer nom the
inside, anu when II was found to bc
secured Erickson asked 10 bu lc1 out
J. 4. Hanson said; mo, -- We
have got you anu Will keep you there
TIL morning." Erickson Kicked panel
OF tho door out Andl put his handa
through; witness anu J. II. Hansou
each TOOK hold Of n HAND; Me. Han
son had hold OF Erickson and wa
screaming. Erickson pleaded with
his captors 10 DO allowed 10 l0Avs; tboy
told hlil, "uo." lie tnen aisei iOr a
pistol with which 10 blow his brains
0ut; hr said he wanted time 10 leave
the country. This was refused And
Erickson aud Mrs. Hanson were kept
under guard dufing The hight. Euck'
son admitted several times that bOth
were guilty, anu often pleadod 10 he
allowed 10 leave tho country an "a
when ho found this would not DO
granted had pleaded for Mrs. Hausou
10 ue alloweI To 10, saying that lac was
20 blame. He hAa not said that Mfs.
Hanson had come 10 see him ~
friend IN regard to family trouble.
There was bod ON the door Of tho
room wnere Erickson aud Mu. Han
son were found, II BOXED ~ u u hsd
bucu upisd; there were no lights IN
tne room. Lhute was an empty
whisky bottle In window. Erloks1n
said. after the arrest, that " no wa
indicted lac would plead guilty.
CTOss-rxAmi nAilOn talivd 10 chang
tue effect the itslimoDy OF ibis witntti
Mayor Thompson, VI EPufaim, wa
next cnliee, and cafrUbfatsd ths Prev
Gus witness Ia regard 10 the action
and language Of Erickson alter tn
arrest
AiIsr the noon recess Prosecuting
Attorney Thurman moved TO dlsmisi
tbs case VI adultery against Mrs. Han
ton, giving As his reason that lao de
sired 10 have Mt. ]. T.. Hansoh's testi
mony In the case. Thv defense object.
ed 10 the case against Mrs. Hanson
being ulsmisstd on that gtound; thel
had no objection TO the case being dis
missed ON the ground That there wa
not sufficient evidence 10 convict. Mt
Thurman would not consent IN thai
anu the court refused 10 dismiss on Ia
ground named.
The defense called sheriff Burns, {
sanputs county, who testified tbs
Etiekson's character had been cot
sidefed good.
Mayor Thompson then testlfe
further that Mts. Hanson had pist,
when ahe was discovered IA the ial
lilo had taken II away from her. IA
cross.rIaminalion brought ouI TIL
witness had helTed Hanson TO M
evidence against Erickson, by AppOin
log special police anu going OF
with them. lie disclaimtd havlu
any enmity towards dofondAn
in redirect examination no testiflr
that Hanson ana Erloks0n were bot
Democrats, And that Hanson ha
first asked witness 10 aid In disooye
Ing II Erickson was guilty.
David Beal,one VI thospeolal polio,
who found Erickson anu Mrs. Hanso
on tbs night VI the lith, oOrroUOrAtt
the previous witnesses.
Attorney King then stated the cal
for the defense, aud Mts. Erickson Wi
the INST witness. Sno testified that Il
Telationa between tho two iamiii
were friendly. She had told Nj
Hanson 20 10 10 the court house
mud Mr.. Erickson, ON the evening
April IL, 1894. Mrs Hanson had W
viously told wituoss and her husbar