The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-29
.NEPHI M. SHEETS Is
SHOT DOWN BY R0BBER
Killed From Behind by HighWayman as He Enters
Cate of Brother-in-LaW
Body Is Found on Sidewalk by Passerby-SkuI May Have
Beeu Crushed by Blow as Well
as Bullet

Iy sight, and did not visit the spot
again. - 80
Meanwhile, James B. Mckee, who oe-
! cupies part of the McAIlister residence.
| had discovered the body. Mr.. Mckee
/ Informed Mr.. McAllister and thew
went to the body together. BY that
time the patrol wagon with the police
ofncers. and several other persons had
arrived.
Mr.. McAllister was shocked TO learn
thaL the dead man was his brother-in-
law. He informed relatives and accom-
panied the remains to the undertaker's.
Mrs. Sheets and Hyrum Silver, an
other brother-in-laW of the dead man.
came quickly to the undertaker's. Mrs
Sheets grief was great She was not
permitted TO view the body.
Had No Appointment.
Mr.. McAllister says he had no an
pOintment with Mr. Sheets for Iast
night, although the dead man was an
occasional caller at the NcAIIistar
home. Mr.. McAliister thinks that nos
slbly, Mr.. Sheets had been visiting
property in the neighborhood owned bv
the estate of Mr.. Sheets father. the
late Bishop Elijah F. Sheets and de-
clded TO visit his relatives while watt
ing for Waterloo car to bear him To
MS home. 1907 Fifth East street. Phis
is merely speculation, however. Name
or the relatives had been with AR
Sheets after he left home in the even
ing ana they do not know the nature OF
the business that called him up-town
circumstances favored the man who
did the killing. The air was frosty an
atmospheric condition that minimizes
the sound of a shot, and probably in
cuced the McAliister family te remain
indoors, instead OF rushing out when
glimpse or the dead mans assaiIsut
might have been secured. The kiIJ,,,s,
took place near the middle Of the hiaalz
Where the light was COMPARE ivelv din,
SO mat several persons may have
passed the body. giving 1t no thought
iurlhef thah a reflection that an intox-
icated man had fallen down. II is h.
IleVed, indeed, that many did this g
the time was early in the evening ana
the BODY lay for some minutes before
MI Foote discovered it. The etrAat ia
one much used by pedestrians. making
II impossible TO gather anv eVi1An.6
from footprints.
The fact that the man who did tho
killing took time TO rife his Victims
pockets IS taken to indicate that The
ROPER possessed unusual co,Iness and
daring. '-''3
Not Private Quarrel.
Mr.. Sheets relatives and friey,ds do
not attach any weight to a suggestion
Ihat MS death might have been the
result OF private quarrel and that
the BODY was robbed to divert sus
plclon. He had no enemies, thew saw.
but was man Of quiet. genial nature
much loved by those who knew him.
MI Sheets was 80 years of age and
would have celebrated the thirty-fourth
anniversary of his marriage TO Miss
Ellen McAlltster had he lived until
Jan. l. He was a son Of the late
Blshop Elijah F. Sheets and Susannah
Musser Sheets; was born in Salt Lake
and lived here all his life. He con-
Quoted feed stable in salt Lake for
many years and at the time OF his
death was employed as a solicitor by
the Utah Independent Telephone COM
pany He leaves a widow and eight
children. the youngest q girl OF about
TO years. The children are Roy Ella
irene, Louise. Don. Scott, Katie ana
Florence. the last named being the wife
of Police Officer Charles J. Leaker. ~.
The family is a pioneer one OF the
state. Among the brothers and sisters
Of Mr.. Sheets are Edwin. z. l., Joseph,
II. S. Elijah, Ray, Samuel Milton and
Frederick Sheets. .4rs. T. r. Wilson
and Mrs. Frank Davis. He was a
member Of Eagle Gate lodge No. 10.
A. o. u. w.
Mr.. Sheets is spoken of as a man OF
excellent habits and the grief among
his relatives and friends is sincere. He
was almost worshiped in his home.
Mr.. Sheets was in the prime OF life.
so far as physical condition was con-
cerned. He was about five feet ten
inches in height, weighed about $50
pounds and was an unusually strong
and active man.
So far as members of the family
know Mr.. Sheets had little of value
on his person except the watch. This
was a gold watch Of the hunting case
type and had been in his possession for
many years. The cash in his clothing
was ineonsiderable. the relatives be-
lieve, consisting merely of a few dol
ars in pocket money.