The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-31

Efforts made yesterday to trace the
movements of Nephi NJ Sheets, the
murdered man. from o'clock Thursday
evening until his dead body was found
four hours later IN front of the resi-
dence OF his brother-in-law, j. d. H.
McAnister. 241 East Fifth South street.
proved futile. There is not even a
rumor as to his whereabouts during
this time. and in this the police believe
lies clue which might lead to the So
luton of the murder.
After Sheets left the recorders office
at the city and county building at 5
o'clock he dropped from sight. He
went there to look up the payment of
the taxes on a mortgage given by II.
C. Hoffman TO the Sheets estate, of
which he ives one of the executors. He
satisfied himself about the matter and,
according to the clerks in the recorders
office, Sheets was in a pleasant. jolly
mood, and talked considerably. Detec-
tives George Chase and Joseph Burt
worked on rumor after rumor, no mat
ter how remote, to trace down his
movements. but nothing tangible re-
suited From the fact that Sheets was
almost impossible that he could spend
four hours downtown and not be seen
or heard OF by some Of his acquaint
ances Where he could have gone or
what business he had to attend to is
only a matter of conjecture even with
the members of his family. The con-
tracing cards for the Utah Indepen-
dent Telephone found in his possession
indicated that he had done no soliciting
on the day of his death. The irrelevant
clues picked up by the police so far
have thrown but little light on the case.
Talked Of "Preearious Business"
Some time ago Sheets spoke confden-
TALLY to a friend of his about precari-
Gus business in which he was engaged
He said that 1t was never safe for him
to carry any valuables, and that he left
everything he had at home. Sheets
talked strangely about it, and every
effort is being made to find just what
he meant. He had been out late at
night once or twice a week for some
time past, but his family thought moth
ing about 1t. He always said that he
had been working and that he had
eaten downtown. The police have been
unable TO learn what he did when
downtown at night, and he had no par
tfcular places where he spent his time.
This is being closely followed by the
police with the hope of turning up
something which will help materially in
clearing up the case.
Blood Stains Traced.
The bIoodstains which bore some ev-
idence that might lead up TO the solu-
ton Of the killing fell through yester-
day afternoon, when ii was found that
the stains came from a dog. This was
clearly brought out in the testimony
OF Detective George Raleigh at the in
quest. The drops Of blood were traced
in the snow to Seventh South and
Eighth East streets where the dog
went through a lot and left the stains
in his tracks. When this was made ap-
parent 1t left the police without any
thing whatever to work on.
The authorities are determined to
spare no labor or expense in hunting
down every clue. Thirty-seVen wit
nesses have been summoned before the
fury holding the inquest and exhaustive
testimony will be taken from every
source.
The inquest adjourned about o'clock
last evening after Bishop f. 5. Sheets
had given an accurate account of his
dead brothers movements while they
were together during the afternoon
They had attended TO some personal
business and also some matters in re-
gard TO the estate. but IL was not or
vital Importance. The dead man had
drawn a check for SIS at Walker Bros ,
bank. which had been made out to him
by Hyrum Silver. Here is where Bishop
Sheets left him. It was shortly after
ward that Nephi Sheets met his daugh-
Ter irene. and handed her the money
he had drawn. He spoke to her of some
business he had to attend 10 which
would keep him away and that he
would not be home until late. After
.hts he went to the city and county
building. That is the last seen of him
ana fine authorities have nothing that
wjlJ show his movements after this
time. -, 1T
This is the stumbling block which
saeros 10 have stopped all progress in
the unraveling of the case. The efforts
of the police end the county oh'eers
are turned in this direction
The inquest will be taken up again