Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1902-08-08
Nick Nachtsheim is Murdered in
Cold Blood for His
Money.
BODY FOUND IN HIS CELLAR
Crime Evidently Committed Ten
Days Before 1t Is Dis.
covered.

Probably never in the history of
Ramsey county was there more
atrocious and cold blooded murder to
be recorded than the one unexpectedly
discovered last Sunday night in the
hollow just south of the Great North
ern round house in this city, the de-
tails of which are almost too horrible
to describe.
About O'Clock on the night stated,
Hans Allworth, laboring man, we'll
known in this city, decided to secure
bottle of beer, and to this end start
ed for the little dwelling near the
round house, owned and occupied by
Nick Nachtsheim, lone German
bachelor, who frequently kept beer for
sale. On reaching the house, Alworth
wrapped at the door several times,
without, however, getting an answer
from inside. Being well acquainted
with the occupant. he went to the op-
posite side of the building and rails
ing a window, found that the place
was deserted. He went inside
through this opening and struck a
match to ascertain, if possible, the
condition of the interior The house
is small one, and has but two rooms,
one about 1Ox12 feet, and the othe,
still smaller. Under both these apart
ments are "dug OUTS" which served
for cellar purposes, and in which the
owner usually kept his beer. On find
ing that no one was in the rooms
Allworth raised the trap door covering
the hole in the larger room, and wa'
almost overcome by stencil that
eminated from below, before he could
light another match to find the origin
of the terrible odor. The sight pre-
sented, and the impression it made
upon Allworth, the latter may never
forget.
There, at the foot of the steps, lay
the body of Nachtsheim on th'
ground, with it's head entirely severed
from the shoulders, and in bad stat
of decomposition. The finder of th'
terribly mutilated corpse hastene'
back to the city and notified the frs
person he met of the matter. The
he went home and told his wife, an
after considering how to procee
further, the two started for Sheri1
Rutten s residence to notify him, al
irving there about o'clock in tn
morning. The latter arose and hastil
dressing himself, summoned Corone
Nimmo, and together they proceede
to the scene of the frightful tragedy
The officers found Allworth's stor
only too true, and early in the morn
ing a coroner's jury was empanelle
and the examination of the bod
made. It was necessary to raise tn
headless body from the cellar to tn
floor above, and the unsightly hea
was also brought out of the hole fc
examination. DR.. Ruger made tn
discovery of a bullet hole in the crow
of the head, and the bullet, whic
was delivered from a 3S-calib1
revolver, was found lodging in. II
. lower jaw. It was plainly evidel
that most foul and bloody murdt
D had been committed, and the scores
I men who viewed the mutilated r.
! mains of "Old Nick as he W:
) familiarly known in lifetime, were av
! stricken and stood aghast at the terr
BILE deed.
! The murdered man was last see
alive on Tuesday morning, July 2;
! at the jewellery store of Herman Hue
) gen, for whom he did chores about tt
house and barn. He failed to sho
} up the following or the succeedin
} day, and on Friday of that week M,
Huesgen called Sheriff Rutten an
, stated that he had fears of somethin
! being wrong, as Nick was alway
! prompt in his work when we'll. tt
two gentlemen decided upon maxim
D an investigation and went to tt
house of the deceased. Everythin
! appeared intact, the door being locke
the window curtain pulled down an
one of the windows, which wei
= screened, partly raised. Sheriff Ru
D ten removed the screen from this OF
and entered the premises. He faile
z to observe anything suspicious, an
: although he opened the trap dot
| which covered the nlace of the hOlv