Omaha daily bee., 1901-03-01
SITTING PETERSON MYSTERY
Countrymen OF the Dead Girl Take Part in
the Investigation.
Jury INsptcTs THE SCENE OF DEATH
Police Department and Coroner Are
Cooperating In Emort to solve
the Extraordinary Death of Mr..
Collins HoUsekeepcr.

The large crowds that attended the Peter
son Inquest in the rooms OF the coroner
Thursday afternoon were poorly paid for
their trouble. as the witnesses told very
little that has not already appeared in the
columns OF The Bee. Seven witnesses we're
examined or these the most important
was J. 3. Collins, In whose home the dead
woman had been employed, and Drs Gil
bert and Powell, who conducted the post
mortem examination. When the last wit
ness left the stand the inquest was ad-
journed until $3.50 this morning.
In the expert testimony given by the
physicians they expressed the opinion that
Mary Peterson had come to her death as
the result OF blows in the face, or from
having fallen and struck her face against
some hard substance. causing a conclusion
OF the brain. They had reached the con-
clusion, they said. as the result OF a proc
ess OF reasoning known as elimination. All
the other vital organs OF the body were
found to be normal, there was no evidence
OF poisoning and no evidence that the
woman had sustained any violence save to
the head. SO the deduction was that the
brain had suffered the injury Indeed. the
condition OF the blood in the brain indi-
Gated that there had been concussion. 1t
was brought out that Il is possible for the
human brain to sustain an injury from a
blow so severe as to cause death and still
leave no traces upon the organ that would
be apparent ut an autopsy
The physicians testified that in the nat
ural course OF events the woman would have
become a mother In about five months
which point was verified by the testimony
OF DR.. A. F. Jonas, who had examined her
about two weeks before death.
Jury visits scene of Death.
Tho coroner's jury was sworn in shortly
after 3 O'Clock. and. In charge OF the cor
oner and County Attorney Shields and &C.
companied by Mr. Collins, repaired at once
to the Collins home, I'LL Burt street
where the body had been found. The prem
ises we're subjected to rigid inspection.
The lock OF every door and window was
carefully examined. Mr.. Collins conducted
the party to the east room on the second
floor, where he had first seen the dead
woman. and pointed out the exact spot
where she lay, describing her position. also
her location with reference TO various aI'.
tcles OF furniture. II was observed that
the woman's attitude was that of one who
had just risen from the rocking chair and
while In the act had fallen forward upon
the carpet Had she taken two more steps
her head would probably have struck the
edge OF a table, which was standing near
the middle OF the room. AS 1t was. how
ever. her face could have struck nothing
harder than a well-padded Brussels ca:-
pet. The stain made by the blood upon
the fabric was still In evidence AMI Mr..
Collins said that the articles OF furniture
in the room had not been moved since the
fatality.
Having finished the inspection OF the
house the jury was taken back to the coro-
ners ONCE and Mr.. Collins was placed upon
the stand as the first witness. He related
his version Of the AFFAIR substantially as
published In The Bee Of Monday. though in
greater detail. He and Mary Peterson, who
was his only servant. never ate at the same
table. he said and his relations with her
were never other than those of master and
servant She had frequented dances and
once had remained out all night. So far as
he knew she never had men callers.
DR.. A. F. Jonas had treated her for
minor disorder and while doing so had dis
covered her condition with reference to
maternity. She had denied the latter, say
ing that he must be mistaken.
Bert Stone, about % years old. living at
2711 Hickory street. testified that ne had
been acquainted with the deceased for
about FIVE weeks. having first met her late
in January at a dance given in Germa mia
hall. lie had seen her at dances four or
five times since. Once he had escorted her
TO a dance. but had not taken her home
He had never been formally introduced to
her, but had simply walked up to her In
the hall and asked to see her dance pro-
gram. She had never bailed him out OF
Jail he said, nor had she promised to buy
him an overcoat. Asked the names of her
frta do h.,
only as Clara, Nell and Mary.
He's Married Now.
The other witnesses were E. j. Hamlin,
drug clerk, and wan Pamp of Irvington
who said he knew the deceased two years
ago but since his marriage had lost track
OF her. Hamlin's testimony was not i'm
portant.
Now that part OF the truth about the
death Of Mary Peterson has become public
large number OF representative Swedes
OF the city have expressed deep interest
and a determination to sft the matter TO
the bottom. Yesterday a movement was
on foot to employ an attorney to represent
the relatives of the dead girl at the in
quest. and II necessary take action to bring
the guilty party to justice
II was thought at one time that the testi.
mony OF Ida Carlson would tend to show
that Mary Peterson had committed suicide
but the coroner has since had an interview
with her in private and he now thinks that
the evidence she will give will be without
significance in this direction.
Miss Carlson said she had talk with
Mary Peterson on saturday" said he, "and
that Mary bade her goodby. with the re-
mark. This may be the last time | will
see you She says she thought nothing OF
this at the time, as Mary had been talking
OF going to Chicago TO have a surgical
operation performed, and she thought the
deceased meant that that would be the
last time they would meet before she
started on her trip And think, perhaps,