Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-07-22
ERICKSON 6hSE.
The Erickson Robbery Case Takes Peculiar
Turn Sairom StrangeIand oontesSss To
The Crime -Implioates Nelson And Smith.


ual criminal cases that was ever
broueh before a bar OF justice for adj
Indication is the Erickson robbery.
Here are two confessed criminals
each pleading guilty to the same
crime. yet denying by their confession
that the other is in anywise implica-
ted, one stating that he was with GER
tain accomplices committed the
crime, while the other states that he
with certain other accomplices did
the awful deed
1t is unnecessary for us to repeat
the history OF the Erickson robbery
case. Our readers remember it only
too well 1t was certainly an awful
occurrence. One Of the parties con-
victed. Jim Smith, was sentenced to
Is years in the states prison, but a
short time ago died from the effects
of Imprisonment. Joe Smith was in
turn convicted last March but the
verdict OF the jury was set aside.
But now one Sairom Stangeland, who
is in Jail. confesses to the crime and
duplicates one Ole Nelson and one c.
l.. Smith His statements are corrob-
Grated by his brother, Andrew STANCE
land and the latters's wife, Carrie
Stangeland. The case was started by
Joe Kirby who swore out a warrant
based upon the atfidavits Of Andrew
and Carrie Stangeland. The prelimi-
nary hearing begins this Thursday
morning before Justice Carter at the
court house The preliminary hear
ing of the Smith boys and Kroening
was also held before him. Ole Nell
son, Andrew Rolston ane Sairom
Stangeland have been arrested and
1 are now in tie hands of the sheriff.
States Attorney James is puzzled
over the case but finds sufficient evil
dence to warrant the arrests and a
preliminary hearing The two con-
fessions cannot be reconciled Either
Kephart or Stangeland Is a liar and
no punishment could be too severe for
this one The case is strange in the
extreme. Kirby is afflicted with
munomania, while an opinion is ex-
pressed that the StangeIands, having
been accused of other bad deeds, care
, not to which they confess. If it be
proved that these latter parties are
the ones. the Smith boys have been
done a terrible wrong. irreparable,
but the hearing will undoubtedly
throw more light on the case.
Sairom Stangeland makes a com
plete confession Of his connection
with the crime. He says, .'that on
Sunday afternoon, the 10Th of Janu-
airy, 1896. one Smith came to his
place near the city of Dell Rapids AID
told him that Ole Nelson was at the
home OF his brother Andrew STANCE
land; that he went to the home of
Andrew Stangeland and remained
there in company with said Ole Nell
son and Smith until the evening of
January ~, 1896; that he and Ole
Nelson and Smith left Andrew STANCE
lands place, near the city Of Dell
Rapids, for the home of Andrew Erick-
son, in Moody county. for the purpose
and with the intention Of robbing
Andrew Erickson and his family;
that upon their arrival at the home
of Erickson, Ole Nelson went into the
house Of Erickson and proceeded to
hold up the Erickson family; that
they were in the house for consid
cradle length of time, there were
good many shots fired during the
time that they were in there; that
during this time he (Sairom STANCE
land) remained outside and Ole Mel
son anu loiniAi ldiohIhC1 bAlf ipNoCi
that all they got from the house was
one watch; that after the robbery
they returned to the home Of Andrew
Stangeland. arriving there at the
hour OF one O'Clock that night; that
Nelson and Smith left the house and
that he, Stangeland, remained and
returned to his fathers place near
Dell Rapids the next day; that before
leaving for the robbery they all were
armed with revolvers; Nelson and
Smith had 80 caliber. center fire.
He further says in the first person:
u had a 30 caliber center fire reyol-
yer. Ole Nelson carried tho watch
away and told me that he had thrown
the same away. We got no money