The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-25
RELATED by AN EYE WITNESS
STORY OF THE PLEASANT GROVE
KILLING.
Brother of the Prisoner Described the
Encounter Between the Father and
Son and the Formers Death.


Provo, Sept. 24.-District court re-
sumed session this morning for the con-
tinuation of the Poulson case. The
first witness called was Mrs Mary
Hacker. She stated that on one occa-
sion, some Is years ago, Mr.. Poulson
asked defendant to go get some fire.
wood. Defendant did so, but got one
/ o. two sticks too long, whereupon the
father became furious with anger and
struck the boy in the face with his fist.
At another time the witness heard the
| deceased threaten the defendant with
pitchfork, saying that he would fix"
| him DEFENDANT if he ever crossed his
| (the father's) path. She further said
that the deceased was very easily
aroused.
| Joseph H. Armstrong and A. w, Mil
Ter testified TO the ungovernable temper
of the deceased and the good reputa-
ton of the defendant.
Charles Jepperson related an incident
wherein the father numerically
thrashed his son. the defendant.
Nels Poulson, defendants brother,
related several instances where the
father beat his son on small provoca-
ton and threatened to thrash him if
he didn't pay him small debt.
In the afternoon NelS PoulSon was
unoffensive nature of his brother, the
defendant Also. that once his father
collared defendant while the latter was
lying on the lounge asleep and with
out any cause threw him up against
the wall.
The defendant, James G. Poulson,
was next called to the witness stand
and gave his story of the whole, sad
affair He corroborated the other wit
nesses. When he was married, some
few years ago, witness borrowed from
his father the sum of 500. This debt
it was that seemed to worry the father
and several times he threatened to
take it out of the defendant in a good,
sound thrashing if he didn't pay it."
So. on the day of the accident, the de-
ceased called his son to him near the
barn which he had been cleaning and
asked defendant when he intended to
pay the debt. Defendant replied that
he would pay as soon as possible.
Whereupon the father said, you pay it
now or I'll sue you
Sue away, then" was the reply.
You pay me now or I'll sue you, you
son of a gum
Sue and be damned" defendant an
Swered again.
Then the father raised the shovel
with which he had been cleaning the
barn and struck his son on the ear,
knocking him against the barn. He
struck the second time, but the son
fortunately caught the descending
shovel and wrenched it away from the
incensed father. Whereupon father said
he would get his gun Ga double-barreled
shotgun in the house, and kill him
at the same time starting to run for the
house. The defendant ran after his en-
ragged father and when the latter was
just opening the door to enter the
house the defendant, as a last resource,
raised the shovel which he had carried
with him while running and struck his
father. The blow was aimed with the
fiat part of the blade, but in descending
the shovel struck the screen door and
turning the blade the edge entered the
skull Of the unfortunate father De-
PENDANT then ran away for fear his
father would get up and get his gun
Soon. however, someone came to his
home and told him to go for the doctor
as his father was badly hurt Defend
ant went and did all in his power to aid
his parent
This ended the testimony given to-
day. The case will be continued Mon
day, there being three or four more
witnesses to examine