The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-08
FROM THE EFFECTS OF WHICH
THE VICTIM SOON BLEEDS
TO DEATH.
WOMAN MIXED UP IN THE CASE.
Complete Mystery Regarding tn
Assailant and His COM
panfOn.

street.
At the hour above stated, John
Rhodes, a small boy residing in the
immediate neighborhOod, saw two men
apparently fighting. Beside them, but
taking no part in the alteration, stood
a woman of medium size with a gray
shawl over her head and shoulders.
An electric light on the corner made
everything about as light as day. AS
the blows were struck the bright light
/ of the arc lamp cast a reflection on an
instrument in the hands Of the larger
man, and the smaller staggered and
almost fell. The murderer made a
third attempt to strike his victim, but
the woman jumped to the rescue and
caught his arm
The smaller man then turned and ran
to the opposite corner. appealing to
Rhodes who saw the whole affair from
the time the first blow was struck, for
aid. For moment the man and wom-
an stood on the other corner, the
man apparently wishing to follow his
victim and the woman holding him
back. Suddenly they turned and ran
| down Nineteenth avenue to Washing
| ton, turning the corner to the south.
In the meantime Rhodes was doing
what he could for the injured man.
| Get a doctor,
I'M GOING TO DIE"
he kept repeating, while Rhodes led
him towards Washington avenue
When half way between Second street
and Washington avenue, Rhodes
needed the appeals of the dying man,
! III
while he went in search of medical
aid.
During Rhodes absence, George
Budds, residing at 220 State street east
found Benson endeavoring to make
his way toward Washington avenue
Thinking the man was drunk, Budds
approached him to lend him a helping
| hand, and was Mortified to find blood
| streaming from a cut in his head,
covering his face and dripping down
onto his clothes.
| Edward Langam, residing at 1902
! Nineteenth avenue, was passing on the
| opposite side Of the street, and was
| called by Budds to assist him. AL
| though still able to stand alone, Ben
! son was growing rapidly weaker from
loss of blood, and just as the three
men turned the corner onto Washing
| ton avenue, and Immediately in front
| of 1874 Washington avenue, he COL
! lapsed and fell to the pavement At
| this juncture Rhodes appeared in COM
pany with Sergeant Fox, whom he had
found, while in search Of a doctor. A
| crowd Immediately surrounded the dy-
ing man, who appeared to have be-
come unconscious. Willing hands
raised him tenderly from the pave
ment and carried him across the square
into Peterson's drug store at 1901
Washington avenue south.
There the unfortunate man was laid
upon the floor with his coat for a pill
low, and for the first time the effects
Of the murderous blows he had re-
ceived were made apparent Across
his forehead was an ugly cash. as
from a sharp instrument Another one
was found upon his throat, and from
them both streams Of blood were flow
ing and forming little streams upon
the tiled floor Of the store.
DR.. A. Anderson, who had been sum-
moned, pronounced the wounds fatal.
The jugular vein, he said, had been
wholly severed, and at best the man
COQlQ 1--WE Uul d lew minutes. line
doctors words proved true, and in less
than ten minutes after he had been
carried into the store Nels Benson had
breathed his last, and another awful
MURDER HAD BEEN DONE.
From the time Nelson appealed to
| John Rhodes for aid until the time of
his death not word escaped his lips
which would aid the officers in any
way in ferreting out the perpetrator OF
the crime. Get a doctor, I'm going to
de-" was all he said to amy one. This,
too, was his answer to all questions
| propounded.
1mmedia tely upon the arrival Of Po-
lice Sergeant Fox at the drug store,
| police headquarters were communi-
Gated with by telephone and in a few
minutes Detective Joe Lawrence was
on hand. Those who had seen the en-
counter and who knew anything of the
murdered man were admitted to the
| store.
William Stevens, of 1923 Washington
avenue south, was the first one to posi-
lively Identify the murdered man. He
had known him for the past four years.
Until one year ago he had roomed at
| Stevens place. Stevens had seen him
three or four days ago. but not later
than that. He was quiet, peaceful
man and temperate, seldom indulging
in liquor to the point of intoxication.
| He had not been regularly employed,
| Stevens said, but did odd jobs, and in
| this manner managed to make a fairly
| good living.
Stevens statements as to the identity
of the man and as to his character
were confirmed by many others who
were questioned by the police
Further investigation by the police
developed the fact that John Rhodes
was not the only one who saw the fatal
blows struck. Emil Lindquist and
Frank Gardner, two small boys about
| Il years of age, the latter living with
his parents on the opposite corner from
the scene Of the murder, were specta-
tors also.
YOUNG GARDENERS STORY
conflicts somewhat with those told by
the other witnesses. He said he was
standing in front Of his house, q short
distance from Rhodes. when Benson
was attacked. He differs from the
others in that he says there was nc
woman present, but instead, two men
besides Benson. He saw the two blows
struck and saw a. flash as of a reflec-
ton upon a bright surface. He was
somewhat frightened when Benson ran
across the corner to where Rhodes
stood and had then followed the two
until Rhodes went for doctor When
Budds and Langam appeared and as
sisted the man down the street he
had followed to the drug store, where
he told his story to Detective Law
| renee.
Emil Iifnquist's story agreed in every