The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-18
ALIBI FOR NELSON'S
Father and Mother of the Defen-
dants and Other Witnesses
Take the Stand.
Henry Nelson Denies All the Evi-
dente and Circumstances Con-
Meeting Him With Crime.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Owatonna, Mimi, June 1S.-The state
closed it's evidence at 4 o'clock yesterday
afternoon in the trial of the Nelson BOYS
for the murder of Harry Krier Harlan
e. Leach, the attorney for the defendants,
opened the case and said an alibi would
be proven The boys, he said, went to,
visit their parents in an opposite direc-
ton from the scene Of the crime and were
gone from $3.50 to $50 o'clock on the af-
ternoon Of the murder.
The defense has theory that the muir
der was done by two men, one short and
the other tall. The short one, it is said
was seen cutting across lots to the scene
shortly before Krier was shot The Nell
sons and young Sutton spent the night in
the railway station and there met several
strangers, one of whom answers the de-
script1on OF the mysterious short man.
The defense believes that the big rub
bers found near the body belonged to the
big man and the footprints in the field
were by tho small man. Evidence was in :
troduced showing that the Nelson's were
seen going home at $3.50 and returning at
$3.50. Mrs. Bisher, living near the scene
of the crime, saw a strange man cut
across her place just before the train
went out The stranger was nervous and
finally disappeared on run into the
woods.
In Proof Of an Abb.
When the case was called this morn
| Ing the defense called in turn several
witnesses upon whom it is relying to prove
an alibi. Frega Zimmerman, a girl of Is
! or IA years, who lives a short distance
from the home Of the Nelson boys, tes-
tined that she saw them going home
about $3.50 o'clock the afternoon of
Kricer' smurder. She asserted that she
looked at watch at that time and had a
| distinct recollection Of all the circum-
l stances.
| Mrs. Kovars, who resides on Mineral
Springs avenue, near the home of young
sutton, testified that she saw Sutton and
another boy go to the formers house
some time between 2 and 3 o'clock on
the afternoon Of April 10. Mrs. Bertha
Arndt, resident Of School street, in the
neighborhood of the Nelson house, also
sWore that she saw the Nelson's pass her
| house some time in the afternoon. She
could not swear definitely as to the hour
The defendants attorneys attempted al
this juncture to get from E. w. Richter
the attorney Of young Sutton, the lette,
which he IS said to have received from
Sutton when the boy was in Jail at Wa
SEGA. The state objected on the ground
that It was q privileged communication tc
lawyer and the objection was sustained
| The defense took an exception.
A. c. Nelson. father Of the boys, ant
Mrs. Nelson, the mother, were then place.
on the stand in turn, each testifying tina
the boys were at home when the murde
was committed, and that supper was pre-
pared for them. The boys returned hom
!; about o'clock and remained about al
hour. The witnesses were explicit as t.
details, but when questioned as to othe
} days. could remember but little or moth
!: Ing about home happenings.
To discredit the evidence Of young SUIT
| ton as much as possible, the defens
. swore Guy Wentworth, to whom Suite,
. said he gave So of the money, taken from
the body OF Krier. The witness said h
} never received any money from Sutton.
} One Of the Boys Sworn.
Henry Nelson,: one of: the defendants
took the stand just before dinner an
made a denial Of the charge against him
explaining at length his whereabouts o
the day Of the murder and denying tina
he had at any time made the damagin
: admissions to which witnesses Of the stat
l had testified. The handkerchiefs and rub
bers found on the spot did not belong t
t him, he said.
The case will probably be finished to
I morrow, as the evidence will be we'll GU
of the way to-day.