The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-04
SAW SHEETS JUST
BEFORE MURDER
Teamster Testifies as to Seeing Him
Within Eight Minutes of
Death.
EVIDENCE AS TO INSURANCE
REPORT OF STRANGER HANGING
AROUND HOUSE.

Nephi NJ. Sheets movements have
been traced at last to the scene of the
murder. His identity has not been pos
itively established, but the description
of a man seen by James Durand, a
teamster, 656 Third East street, in front
Of the residence of J. D. H. McAllister
at $3.50 p. m. Thursday night. answers
it in every detail This was brought
out at the inquest yesterday afternoon,
held before Justice of the Peace Dana
I. Smith.
Il drove up In front of the McAllister
residence at SIS p. m. to deliver four
sacks of coal to John 3. Mckee, who
occupies the west part OF the house."
James Durand said to the jury. Il got
the coal at James ThompsOn's bins at
80 East Third South street, and had
orders to deliver it g. o. D. After I
backed the wagon up to the sidewalk
/ got out and went around to McKee's
door. I knocked and Mr.. Mckee came
to the door. He told me where TO put
the coal, and he Immediately went to
Thompson's office to pay for the coal.
When ] took the last sack out of the
wagon and stepped up on to the side
walk, L almost ran into a man. I
the gate. l paid no attention to him.
although he turned and looked at me-
L had the sack on my shoulder and did
not get a very good look at his fea-
lures. Just as / set the sack OF coal
down in McKee's back yard the clock
In the city and county building chimed
$50. L am positive about this because
1t was late and 1 was anxious to get
home When I dumped the coal I hur-
ried around the house and jumped into
my wagon. The man that had passed
me but moment before was standing
just above McAllister's double gates
picked up my reins and drove off
glanced back and the man started to
walk slowly west on Fifth South street.
MN much attention. I drove UP Fifth
South to Third East, and then turned
south toward my home.
Description Like Sheets
HE was a man of medium height and
weighed $50 pounds. He wore a Derby
hat and a dark oyercoat, which was
buttOned up. The collar was turned up
and his head was down. / am positive
he had a heavy moustache. He had his
hands in his Overcoat pockets. I did
not know Sheets, but have seen a pic
ture CT him since the murder was COM
United. From the mere glance I got
of the man who passed me I could not
say 1t was Sheets, although l believe
there was~a striking resemblance"
This evidence is perhaps the most i'm
pOrtant that he been introduced for
several days, and it Will be followed up
today by both the police and county
authorities. Durand is positive, how
ever, that he saw nobody else in the
vicinity. He left the scene Just six
or seven minutes before the shot was
heard, but did not hear it himself. II
is probable that Durand had turned
down Third East street in his wagon
when the shot was fired. County At
tOrney p. P. Christensen, who is con-
Quoting the inquest, conferred with
Chief of Police William ]. Lynch in re-
gard to Durand's story, and every effort
viii be made to secure some more, evil
denCe about the vicinity Of the murder
Julius Gauer voluntarily came before
the inquest yesterday and told of
conversation he heard in the Cont
mental saloon, West Temple and First
South streets. While in the saloon on
New Years day Mr.. Gauer overheard
the conversation between two men
standing at the bar. One of them was
talking about the Sheets case, and said
that on Wednesday morning, the day
before the murder, Roy Sheets and his
father had a quarrel. The fellow said
that some members of the family inter
fered. Efforts will be made to locate
the men who We're engaged in this con-
versation and bring them before the
jury.
Insurance Held by Sheets.
The amount of insurance carried bv
Nephi NJ. Sheets was also inves tigated
at the inquest. F. A. Timby, agent for
the Preferred Accident Insurance COM
pany, was called. He said that Nov Is
he wrote out a policy for 81 500 for
Sheets in favor of his wife At the
time Sheets asked if the policy covered
accidents from the result of being held
up. Mr.. Timby told him 1t did This
was about all that he asked in regard
to the policy.
A. T. Tfbbs, secretary, of the indie
pendent Order of ForesterS, said that
on Dec. % Sheets came to his office and
paid his dues up to Jan. % He handed
him SO. 40 and took a receipt. Sheets. he
said, seemed TO be in good spirits
A. c. SpierS, secretary of the A. o. Z.
w, said that Sheets came TO his office
about Il o'clock noon, Dec. %, and paid
his private secretary $3.50. He was
given a receipt for the money. Sheets
carried $4,000 insurance in the a O. L.
w. and the same amount in the For
esters' lodge.
w III VI. FdTTells an insurance aSeC[.
stated to the jury that he had talked
with Sheets about taking out life in
surance policy. This, he said, was
about a month ago. They talked about
insurance in general and Sheets said
that he ought TO have more but could
not pay for it on his present salary.
The witness said that he sent Sheets
to Mr.. Timby to talk over an accident
policy, and that he had one written for
81. SEQ.
Mrs. Dianthia Morris. $50 Second East
street, took the stand and testified that
she saw a man running from that Vi
cinity about Sis o'clock Thursday even
ing. At first she said she thought it was
later in the evening. but after think
ing over 1t concluded that it was about
S:15.
William Hepburn, a. neighbor OF
Sheets and clerk at Auerbach's store
Continued on Page 2.