The record-union., 1896-01-31
PIERO0N'S EXAMINATION.
Witnesses Tell of His Assault on Nels
Carlson.
His sister-in-Law Had to Keep Him
From stabbing the Latter the
Same Afternoon.

The examination of ]. Pierson for as
sault to commit murder was held in the
Police Court yesterday, Nels Carlson,
the prosecuting witness, having sufti-
GENTLY recovered to testify.
Carlson swore that Mrs. Pierson in
vited him to dinner last Sunday, and he
accepted the invitation. After dinner
he was sitting at the table, when Pier
son came in and said: You are here,
are you?" Witness answered Yes, .
and Pierson said, You must be living
here"
Il said nothing" said Carlson, ''and
the first thing 1 knew he hit me over
the head with an umbrella, and when
jumped up he said: I will cut your
throat, you - - and I saw
a big knife in his hand" Witness de-
tailed how he struggled with Pierson
and how he tried to get out of the room,
but found the door locked. They strug-
gled, and Pierson stabbed him and cut
his hands badly while he was trying
to defend himself The knife was a
big pocket-knife, with a long, sharp
pointed blade.
Pierson had come to the house shortly
after noon, earlier in the day, when wit
ness was there. and abused him and
threatened to cut his throat. Mrs. Pier
son at that time jumped up and caught
hold of Pierson and begged witness to
keep away. He was going to have Pier
son arrested, but Mrs. Pierson begged
him not to make any notoriety. Mrs.
Pierson is Persons sister-in-law.
Mrs. Ann Pierson corroborated the
testimony of Carlson as to the occur
renee at noon. He asked her when she
and Carlson were going to marry, and
she told him it was none Of his business.
Then he called her a. vile name, and she
saw him put his hand in his pocket and
take knife out, as she caught hold of
him, and he told her to let him CO. so
that he could cut the throat of the -
---. She struggled with him and
called to Carlson to go away, which he
did. When the struggle was over at
night in which Carlson was cut, the
room and furniture were all spattered
with blood.
DR.. H. L. Nichols testified to the
character of Carlson's wounds.
Mrs. Mary Francs. Mrs. Persons
mother, corrobrated her daughters tes-
ttmony as to what happened in the af-
ternoon. As Mrs. Pierson had to go out
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Pierson might come back, and asked
Carlson to come and stay.
Her story about what happened in
the evening tailed with that of Carl
son. In the struggle the lamp was
knocked off the table and broke on the
floor, but did not catch fire. Carlson
did not attempt to strike Pierson, either
in the afternoon or evening, before the
latter drew his knife, but sat perfectly
still until he saw that Pierson was GO
ing to cut him. She was so much
scared that she could not tell much
about the struggle.
Bata Pierson, an eleven-year-o girl,
testified that when Pierson came in he
struck Carlson, who was in a chair,
over the head with an umbrella; she
thought he had knife up his sleeve, be-
cause he got it out so quick Then she
ran out to get help and saw no more.
The case was continued till this Morn
ing, at request of E. c. Hart, Persons s
counsel, in order that he might deter
mine whether he would put in de-
fense at this time.