Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-05
Strange Case of Francis Rich
ardson Still Far From
Satisfactory Solution
EVIDENCE OF NELSON'S GUILT
Many Were Convinced That Recent
Suicide Did Murder the Wealthy
But Eccentric Richardson, But
Body Could Not Be Found or Tan
aible Evidence Secured.
.nec,a1 70 Times-Republican.

Special to mes-Repubican.
Harlan, April 5.--The tragedy enact
ed by N. M. Nelson at his home IN the
west part of Audubon county near
Ponlar postoffice last Friday when ne
murdered his two daughters and COM
mitted suicide, has revived interest," III
the mystery surrounding the disap-
pearance of Francis Richardson during
the latter part of August, 1896. Rich
ardson was a wealthy and eccentric ola
gentleman who spent his time among
the farmers In the west part of Audu-
bon county and the east part or Shelps
county. His habits of life We're very
simple, and he frequently spent sever
al DAVIS or weeks with some farmer ana
his disappearance was not known untll
abollt two months after 1t occurred,
according to the best information OBJ
tainabla later. Richardson spent his
time in the country looking after his
several farms and lending money to
the farmers. His business affairs were
known to none but himself. Some
times he LOON JIIoI USoESot csAANA
times he loaned on personal notes and
it was quite generally understood that
he usually carried a large sum OF
money on his person. This Waa espec-
tally true at the time of his disappear
ance, as a number of banks had rallied,
and 1t was supposed that he had with
drawn most Of his money from the
banks.
The last trace that could be found of
the old gentleman was when he came
from the Nelson home near Poplar to
Harlan one day during the latter part
of August. 1896. Mr.. Nelson always
admitted that Richardson came to
Harlan with him on that day. but also
claimed that he left him in Harlan and
did not see him afterwards. Accord
ing to his story, when they came to
town the old gentleman got out of his
wagon at the northeast part OF town
and walked straight west into town,
while Nelson drove south and put his
team up at q feed barn. Some two
months later, when the disappearance
had been noted and Richardson's
friends were searching for him, a far
mer about six miles east of Harlan and
OIL Tile eI1ODldI IOetu, 4SScllSSt liz Law
that Nelson had stopped at his place
one night about midnight during the
latter part of August, and requested
permission to put his team in the barn
until morning claiming that he had
had a runaway and broken his wagon.
The permission was granted and Nell
son was invited to come into the house
and go to bed, but he declined and
said that he would sleep in the barn.
1t was also noted that when Nelson
watered his horses he washed his
hands, and washed bloodstain from
his cheek.
Richardson's relatives lived in
Wayne county, New York. and they
We're notified and appointed w. j.,
Clapper, Of Woc,lcot, N. Y, admins
traitor OF the estate of Francis Rich
tardson. Mr.. Clapper came west at
once and made every effort to UNI
ravel the mystery. Deputy Sheriff g.
S. Rainbow of this county worked on
the case necessarily for a number of
weeks and arrived at the conclusion
that Nelson was the guilty party, but
as the body of the murdered man, If
he had been murdered, could not be
found no arrests We're made. Later
the administrator employed noted
Pinkerton sleuth to work on the case,
and after spending some time in ex-
anlining into the case thoroughly, he
also gave it as his opinion that Nell
son had murdered Francis Richard
son for his money, but as all efforts
failed to locate the body it was i'm
possible to get evidence that would
i,ic fro TOW
drove thru the territory where Mr.
many months and followed up every
clue leading to information concern
ing the old gentleman's business aft
fairs. County records were searched
for mortgages and many obligations
due the estate were located where
notes had been given without security.
The administrator thus succeeded in
finding in addition to what was given
on the records and what papers were
found among the old gentleman's eff
fects, obligations amounting to sever
al thousand dollars.
1t is not known and probably never
will be known how many people might
have owed Francis Richardson, and
whose notes We're lost or destroyed.
After the lapse of about seven years
the court finally ordered the estate
closed and it was divided among the
heirs of Francis Richardson. The es-
tate is said to have amounted to about
S150.0o0 and. it probably will never be
known what amount the murderer or
murderers of Francis Richardson Sc
cured in cash or notes. The notes, of
course, being valueless to them, would
probably be destroyed. To those who
were most interested in the Richard
son case there seems to be but one
conclusion, and that is that the re-
vival of an effort to find the body OF
Francis Richardson drove Nelson tn
suicide. 1t is claimed, however, by
others that the immediate cause Of
Nelson's suicide was his financial con
dition. The report that Des Moines
medium had located the body is with
out foundation and the mystery of the
Disappearance of Francis Richardson
eight and q half years ago does not
seem to be nearer solution than it was
at that time.
ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE.