Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-06
CAUSE 0F DEATH
BEING PR0B[D
Inquest Brings Out Mass ofCon-
tlicting Evidence Concerning
Fatal Accident Of Fourth
JURY UNABLE TO DECIDE
JURY UNABLE TO DECIDE
The Jury, Attempting to Fix the Re.
sponsbility for the Acc dent, is
Confronted With Startling Testi-
mony-one Witness Claims to Have
Seen Wescott Assault Eric'.son-'n-
yestieation Not Concluded.

case, found, late this afternoon. that
Sam Erickson came to his death by
fan, whether caused by intent or acci-
dent, the jury could not ascertain. The
iury recommended that the grand jury
investigate the case further.
Confronted with an enormous mass
of testimony the coroner's jlry We'd
nesday afternoon began it's attempt to
get at the facts surrounding the death
of Sam Erickson. the McCallsburg,
farmer who was killed by falling down
the stairs at the resort over No IL
North First Fourth of July
afternoon. The investigation was con-
,tinued this morning and was'not COM
.phsted until late this afternoon.
Seeking to find whether Erickson
was thrown down the stairs with MUIR
derous results or whether he fell while
drunk the sheriG's officers had
rounded up more than a score of wit
nesses, and today served notice on q
number more Attorneys representing
Wescott, and the Ross won an are in
attendance at the inquest.
Testimony Most Conflicting.
From the mass Of testimony which
was introduced in the case, there are
scarcely any two. stories bearing upon
the more important details Of the case
which do not conflict Positive testi-
mony has been introduced from
Thomas Fl. Payette, that he saw Erick-
son in the place, and saw Wescott
throw him out. This is der led by all
the inmates Of the house put on the
stand, who Swear, altho their stories
disagree greatly in detail, that neither
Wescott nor the Ross woman, who IS
the madame" of. the PLACES and the
sweetheart of Wescott, were at the re-
sort at the time Erickson WIS injured,
Their testimony, convinces hose who
heard it as an effort to shield Wescott
and the Ross woman. Other tes-
timony, that of Archie Clark and John
Drew, both of this city, tends to show
that Erickson fell down the stairs.
They claim to have been slit ng on the
HawlSeye Mercantile Compat VS. ware
house platform when he vert upstairs
and testified that he had about time to
reach the top when they saw him fall
down.
Payette's Story.
Payette testified that he went to the
place with Erickson, about 30 o'clock
after the parade was over. He met
Erickson first on To- corner of First
avenue and Main street. Ell ickson. he
claims, went up the stairs first After
getting inside Erickson bot ght beer
and paid for 1t with q $40 bill. He
said Erickson received no change. He
also stated there were thre or four
women in the room at the time. He
said he saw Erickson pinch one Of the
girls on the cheek. Then Vrescott at
tackled him and threw him down the
stairs, Wescott went in the opposite
direction down the hall, bit Payette
could not say whether he W ent out Of
the building or not. Payetlte further
hair he did not know her name, wash
ed the blood off the steps. Payette
then came away, and did net tell any
one.
Ben Haskins' Story.
Ben Haskins, of McCallsburg, who
was seen with Erickson before the lat
ter was killed, testified to going to the
house with Erickson and Passing in
side. He did not know whether Erick-
son went inside or not, as he, Has
kins, passed into another room. He did
not hear any sounds of fighting.
HAZEL Lee, one of the women of the
place said she was in another room at
about the time Erickson was supposed
to have been in the house. She said
she heard sounds Of scuffling, and
curses, but did not know what it was
about.
Several things, however, have been
conclusively proven. That Erickson
was drunk a number testified, and that
beer was being sold in large quantities
in the resort others, even the inmates
of the house, have stated to be fact.