Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-29
AND THEN MAKES HIS ESCAPE.
Police Round up Thirty-Six Con.
vlcts and Suspicious Charact-
ers in a General Drag Net.
MANNER OF DEATH A MYSTERY
May Have Been Slugged and Then
shot--skull Badly Fractured---His
Own Gun Found Today.

Shcets's gun was found by the police
this afternoon. II was buried in the
snow few feet from where his body
fell. On examination 1t was founu that
one shot had been very recently fired
from 1t. Tn make II was n ~ caliber
Smith q Wcsson. The theory Is now
suggested that the shot that was heard
came from his own revolver In a life
and death fight and that he was
slugged by his assailants.
The autopsy over the remains of Mr..
Sheets which was held this afternoon
revealed the fact that he was killed
by "a gunshot wound, the fatal bullet
entering the back of the head ut the
base OF the brain near the right eur
and lodged In the frontal bone just
above the left eye. The entire top
Of the skull was shattered ana gem
orally fractured in frightful manner.
The bullet recovered Is considerably
battered and Is not less than one of
,Ss calibre-possibly moro.
The actual work Oh the AUTOPSY was
performed by Assistant County Ply
slcian James Ostcrmann while County
Physician Il. W. Whitney took numer-
GUS measurements and notes.
This afternoon the coroner's Jury
will be Impaneled when IL VIII re-
view the remains. The inquest before
Justice Dana r. Smith will be held
some time tomorrow at an hour yet
TO be named.
The funeral Of MFR. Sheets will be
held I'm the Waterloo westinghouse on
Sunday at 2 p. m.
One OF the most shocking OF crimes
ever committed in Sal. Lake was per-
petrated shortly after O'Clock last
night when a murderous thug killed
and robbed Nephi M. Sheets, welb
known citizen.
The assassination was directly in
'front.' of the residence OF J. ID. II. Nc.
A'lister. 241 east Fifth South. Mrs. Nc
Allister Is a sister Of the murdered
man. Up to late hour this afternoon
the murderer has not been apprehend-
ed, but the police have hopes OF run
ming him to earth. They have many
clues, slim ones to be sure, to work up
on, but they are confident that event
ually they will land the guilty man.
mar tpu1 lNf tha ts,=a
police force was put to work on thu
case. Rumors have been received at
the police station thick and fast all
day. Each one Of them has so far as
possible been run down carefully but
without any definite results.
MANNER OF THE MURDER.
The unfortunate man WAS probably
struck on the head and then shot by
the assassin. The top of the head shows
evidence Of fearful blow. and at the
base OF the brain there is wound over
an inch long. and about a quarter OF
an inch In width, from which the brains
ooSed. In the opinion of the county
physician. death came instantly.
ROBBERY FOLLOWED KILLING.
After ruthlessly Staying his victim.
the robber took everything OF value
from the body save S. cents In small
change which was found in the watch
pocket OF his trousers.
The attack was made from behind.
Whether there was struggle or not
may forever remain a mystery. Those
who knew Mr.. Sheets say that he would
most probably put up fight II given 4
Chance.
But did he have chance? There
Is no one to answer that question.
That n blow was struck and then
bullet fired the officers say there can be
no doubt. Sergeant Hempel, who was
on the scene shortly after the dlscov-
cry, says that the hair was powder
burned and that q crushing blow was
landed on top OF the head. The skull
was badly fractured and a great
amount Of blood was lost.
MANY HEARD THE SHOT.
That shot was fired Is beyond ques-
ton. Sergeant Hempel Is responsible
for the statement that no less than a
dozen persons, residing in the neigh
borhood heard a shot OF about o'clock
last night. Members OF Mr.. McAllis-
ters family heard the shot but paid no
particular attention 10 IT,
DISCOVERY OF DEED.
The discovery OF the awful crime was
made by John Foote an employe OF the
city and county building who was on
his way home, 50i south Third East
street. He observed the body lying on
the sidewalk, the head toward the east.
Al FIRST he thought he had found A
drunken man but. upon striking
batch, discovered to his horror a pool
Of blood, and at once saw that the
man was dead. Foote rushed BACK TO
The city and county building and tele-
phoned to the police station.
The patrol wagon loaded with sever
Al officers rushed 10 the scene nc once.
By the time they arrived there was