The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1900-07-13
ON ATTEMPT TO KILL
A Stranger Named Anderson Got Into
an Alteration With Vim. Metz
Ser Monday Morning.
Anderson Was Bound Oyer to Circuit
Court on a Charge Of Attempt
to Kill.
One Of the christopher Boys Was Sent
One Of the Christopher Boys Was Sent
to the Reform School for
Stealing.
GOES TO CIRCUIT COURT.
Seyert Anderson Will Answer to
Charge of Attempting to Kill
in Circuit Court.


most difficult cases to decide of the
character that has ever appeared be-
fore him while on the bench and he was
very much at loss to know what to do
in the premises. The whole difficulty
grew out Of ~ very small affair and in
the opinion of many the charge should
not have been SO severe.
Monday afternoon Severt Ander-
son was arrested by the sheriff on
charge of assault with intent to kill.
| He was brought to town and late in the
afternoon his examination was held be.
fore Justice Mckinley. The complaint
was made by VIM. Metzger, who ap-
peared in court with his head bandaged
up and there was evidence that he had
bsen used rather roughly. In the
morning, as the evidence went to show,
Metzger started to work at a place
south OF town snd in going along the
roAd saw 3 stranger with picket rope
in his hand. Metzger lost picket
rope few nights before and thoug ht
perhaps That the rope belonged to him,
evidently having been stolen by this
party. Metzger stated that he said
that the rope, after examining it, did
not belong to him and on turning to go
away Anderson struck him with the
iron stake. inficting q serious wound.
The whole affair lasted but few nom
ents and there we're only two people
who saw 1T, H. Carlson and the wife OF
Anderson. Carlson's testimony did not
throw any light on the question of An
derson striking Metzger with the
picket pin, rs he stated that he saw
Anderson have the pin in his hand
partially upraised but just then the
horses started to run.and his attention
was withdrawn from the scene. Mrs
Anderson swore that her husband die
not strike Metzger with the pin bu
admitted that be did use his fists. An
derson testified that he saw a saw {
knife Ia tbs hands of Metzger and tolc
him no5 t draw knife on him, anc
this ...rt OF the conversation was hearC
by Carlson. While Anderson held thu
picket rope in one hand the horse at
tached to the other end started to run
and The ignt between the two met
commenced.
States Attorney Winsor appeared TO
the state and A. e. Hitchcock appeared
for anderson and they presented th'
testimony 10 the court. The justice
, did not feel, evidently, like holding
the prisoner to the circuit court OF
such "a serinus charge OF intent to Kill
when the i.dications were more that i
was ONLY I. . assault and battery, How
ever. the c0urt held Anderson to tn
circuit court in the sum OF $50 whic]
the defendant gave by mortgaging hi
horses and wagon.
The case is rather peculiar one
Anderson stated that he had lived i
Beadle county for several years an
operated farm. His crop was entirel
gone from the dry weather so far thi
wear and he left hiss farm and starte
out to find something to do He ha
come to Mitchell to make his hume an
endeavored to find work when this fus
occurred. He was accompanied by hi
wife and child and had stopped out 0
the prairie in camping outfit, II
said he naturally resented being take
= for a thief and acted under the i'm mpul5
, of any honest man. He felt grieve
= that being a stranger in town he shoul
I be taken uo on SO serious charg
when he had not the slightest intentio
OF doing any injury to the man wh
made the charge.
In the minds of many who heard th
evidence it was thought that the charg
with attempt to kill with deadl
weapon, when the evidence did nj
show that the plaintiff was struck wit
the pin, was rather strong and that
would have been better to have arres
ed Anderson under q charge of assau
/. and battery.