The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-09-22
THE NELSON MURDER
Coroner's Jury Finds Shooting Was
Done Felonously.

| The coroner's inquest held over the
body Of j. L. Nelson, who was killed
| Thursday evening, was conducted Fri
day afternoon in the Office of Justice
III. R. Kendig, who is acting coroner
during the absence of Coroner Chas.
Foehlinger. The body of the young
man had been removed from the Ma
tion home to the HcCurdy undertake
ling rooms, where it was prepared for
linterment. The evidence of witnesses
was heard before jury consisting of
C. Woodruff, S. j. Dutton and Andy
Baker, and witnesses were question:
ed by County Attorney Jas. A. Dewitt.
The witnesses were Herb Steen, Jas.
Ballinger, Edris Jones, Fred Walker,
John Dunmire, Joe Winders, John Sla-
ten, w. 7. Martin, j. l.. Nelson, ,Chas.
Carpenter and DR.. Barnes.
The evidence recited was substan.
TALLY the same story that was given
by the Herald of Friday evening up
to the time of the shooting at the Ma
tion nome. John Slayton, a son Of
Mrs. Nation, stated that he was re.
turning to the house from some stable
work when he heard couple Of
shots fired at the front of the house.
He stepped into the kitchen as his
mother made in quiry concerning the
noise. He went to the front door, and
as he did so the wounded man came
| in at the kitchen door and fell in 3
corner Of the dining room, where he
remained until he died. James Sci
fert came to the door and asked:
who is the son of a gun, anyhow"
Mrs. Nation met him at the door
and said: "He is in here, but you can
| not come in here"
II do not want to follow him into
the house." returned Seifert, as he
retraced his steps to the buggy and
| returned to his home. This and other
statements of witnesses tended to
show that the boy believed himself
| following Carpenter instead Of the
| man he killed.
Fred Walker testified as to seeing
the boy leap over the fence into the
Nation yard and follow his victim.
He saw him break his gun, throw out
| the empty shells and reload. Walker
was on his way to the Nation home
and was at the Friend home just
across the road at the time of the
shooting.
John Dunmire stated that ne had
tried to stop young Seifert from driv-
ing after the man, but the boy would
say not one word. He drove ahead
and down the road.
Chas. Carpenter, one of the Irinci-
pals in the tragedy, was placed on the
stand and some of the statements
made. are at variance with the dying
statements made by Nelson. Nelson
I it willsSe remembered, said In a dying
starcSreaF rs Todnry RtryrSEs Ssgy lsssl' I .dsl
that he did not know Carpenter " II
knew nothing Of the trouble betwe.
him and the Seiferts, Carpentef
| states that the man was a cousin OF
his wife and that he has known the
lad for the past ten years or more. He
said he came to him during carnival
week and made arrangements where
by he (Carpenter) was to drive him
about the county in his work of solic-
fting. He came to the Carpenter
place yesterday with the team and rig
they used in the afternoon. He said
this belonged in Eddyville. They STOP
| ped at several places here and there
in the country in the afternoon. Mel
son was trying to get up class in
music and seeing if there were any
instruments to be tuned. They also
came to the city. AS they came back
he said Nelson asked: VINO lives
over there?' ais they passed the Sci
fert lane He told Nelson it was the
Seifert family and they should not go
in there He said Nelson knew Of
the trouble he had had with the Sci.
ferts, for he had told him previously
and they had talked about it to some
extent Nelson was determined to go
into the place and did so against the
wishes Of tqe witness. Nelson told
him it would be no harm and that he
could stay at the foot of the lane and
need not go to the house. Carpenter
says he stayed there quite little
whilo When he heard loud voices COM
ing and someone said something
about killing, They fired shot gun
at him and he whipped up and made
for the road. He turned south and
drove up the hill. He saw young Sci
| fert drive into the road and turn
across the Spring Greek bridge,
Having heard and considered the
Testimony in the case the jury stated.
I'VE do find that the deceased, j. l..
| Nelson, came to his death from a gun
shot wound. That the wound was in.
flicted by shot gun held in the hands
Of James Seifert, and that the shoot
ing was done feloniously.
Signed: G. Woodruff,
S. J. Dutton
A. Baker"
i Another Version of the Affair.