Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-01-02
A TRAGIC DEATH
T-~is EA'9fIt Gan-Nlisd iGsIlt'4
Lars Axelsen, OF Oakfieid Township,
Found Dead, Skull Crushed In. 2"

1850 FHN~sS$us VI SoNhbSha
Found Dead, Skull Crushed In. no
lal' A Mystery Surrounds itiiiiN
Tuesday about noon Lars A4elssii
who lived five miles west OF Extra, was
found lying on his bed i'm his ow n h3use
with his skull crushed IL, dead sis'fn,
J. Petersen, who lives in the same
peighborhood, was passing Mr. ASel-
sens on his way to Extra and. as was his
custom. he stopped to see il Mr.. Axelsen
wanted anything. He could not find
Mr.. Axelsenr about the barn. He then
tried the house and, on looking in at
the window, saw him lying on the bed.
Hethen called his hired hand, s. e, Scr.
ensen, who was with him, and they both
looked through the window. They then
concluded to call nsighbors, Hans, E,
Hansen and some other neighbors sopn
came and they entered at the back dper.
which was unlocked, aud found MrgAx,'
elsen lying on the bed dead. Without
disturbing things they then sent for the
CORONER tsifai tsnL obi eean 1e,a
County Cofoher' 9A.R tIersmai, and
deputy sheriff Sherm Humphrey, also
physicians Koob andLauritzen,- arrived
About 8 o'clock that ssvenipgN They
summoned a coroner's jury consisting Of
A.. p. Hansen, Knud Kuudsen and Nels
@. Jensen. They Investigated surround.
ing conditions as carefully as possible
that night and the jury's verdict is now
sealed and ii the hands OF the clerk OF
court and will be opened when the au-
thorities are ready foriit! Sheriff An
dersod and County Attorney Blume'
spent most OF yesterday in that vicinity.
5pbepdeceased was % years old and a
wido~er!i He had for ID long time beer,
living at ONE alone. He had the repu-
tation OF being an honorable mar, and
the family, consisting offour sons aud
one daughter, stands we'll ia the neigh
borhood. Mr.. Axelsen might have been
inclined to want his own way, but fur
Their than that, nothing is known against
him, and he was not known TO have been
in any trouble. His children are all
married except Rasmus, his youngest
con. The boys are Martin, Peter, George
and Rasmus.
The road runs east snd west past the
place, the house being on the south side.
The entrance from the road to the prem
ises goes south. passing within few feet
of the east end Of the house. From the
outside Of the east door Of the house three
steps decend to this wagon track com-
ing in from the road. The barn is south
east of the house. Quite lot Of blood
stain and blood clots were found close
south east from the front OF these steps,
and marks in the ground looked like be
might have fallen and lain there awhile.
His cap was found about twenty feet to
the south from this point.
Hisclothes indicated he had lain on the
ground, face down, ss they were muddy
in front. His hands were cIutched, and
the fingers contained dirt. The back Of
tho head was crushed in. One
piece of skull almost two inches across
was 30 lose that when the surgeons rails
cd up ono edge it broke off all around.
Four fractures extended upward and
sideways from this place, one running to
the top Of the head. The blood had run
forward into the beard, and the face was
bruised, indicating that the body had
fallen Harvard and had lain awhile in
that way. When found on the bed the
body was reclining on its back. the
feet being on the floor. The coat was
on and buttoned, hut the pants wore
down to the knees. Some blood was on
the bed.
About 500 in gold was found on the
body. About $500 in money and deposit
certificates were found in the house.
Mr.. Axelsen owned an 80 acre farm
and had some other personal property.
He had recently made sale and had
also sold or bargsined to sell his farm to
his son Rasmus, but had not given po-
session.
The last time he was seen alive by his
neighbors was Monday evening. Indi
cations at the barn were that the chores
had not been done Tuesday morning
The two horses and the COW were in the
barn and the doors properly shut.
These are the facts az far az we can
learn them now. As to what killed him,
that is mystery. Could he have fallen
down those steps and accidently broke
his skull in the back Of his head, lain on
his face and then walked m TO the bed to
die? Could he have been kicked by q
horse in the barn. shut the barn door
and gone to the house himselfs Did some
one strike him from behind, knock him
down and afterwards carry him to the
bed?
TIA crime has been committed we
hope the facts will be brought to light