Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-21
JESSE HEADLEY HELD FOR MURDER
Younger Brother IL Discharged on
Motion of County Attorney.


Younger Brother IL Discharged on
Motion of County Attorney.
TEKAMAH. Neb., June 2O-lspecisl)-
The court room was crowded TO its utmost
capacity this morning with spectators,
mostly from Craig and vicinity, who are
here to attend the preliminary trial Of Jesse
Headley, charged with, the murder OF his
father, Jacob Hesdley, who was found in
Bell creek on the morning Of June IN such
a condition that identification was impos-
sible except by the clothing on the dead
man.
On motion OF County Attorney Taylor,
Noah Headley, the younger boy was dis
charged as the state could find no evil
dence whatever that would Justify It trying
TO bind him over to the district court
All OF the evidence taken I'm the forenoon
pertained TO the finding and the identifca-
ton of the dead man the principal wit
nesses being Coroner sward. DR.. Clark and
Robert Adams, who first found the body.
DR.. Sward testified that he first saw the
body OF the dead man about 10 a. M on
the morning of June and that Il was
hanging TO a wire fence by the left shout
der of the coat His legs and trunk were
partly out of the water but the head was
completely submerged. He further testified
that the flesh had been eaten of the face
and the hair was gone. The skull was
cracked across the top, and when II was
being raised out OF the water il opened
like pair Of huge Jaws Witness said he
severed the skull from the body, took Il
home with him and after leaving II in
strong solution Of formaldehyde for a week
thoroughly examined 1t. He said he was
positive death was caused by shooting, as
-. 4
which could only be caused by small shot
Mrs. Headley was the next witness and
testified that the clothing found on the
dead man was that of her husband. She
also said that on her return from a visit
at Bertha Neb.. Jesse told her that his
father had gone 10 Tekamah.
Noah Headley said that he was IN tho
heid narrowing on the morning Of May IS,
and between 3 and o'clock he heard a
noise in the direction OF the house that
sounded like shotgun. and that n was
about II o'clock before Jesse came into
! the field to work.
Joseph johnson, a neishbor. also testified
10 about the same thing regarding the re-
port OF the shotgun.
recess was then taken for dinner.
DR., Clark was The FIRST witness called
after dinner and was asked n, IN his opin.
ion, the wound the dead man received
could have been Helf-inhicted. 70 which hs
answered no. He also testified that ths
shot, when nred, was at close range, prob.
ably two feet, as the shot all seemed Ia
hit In one place. but on cross-exa NINA tior
the witness said he was not a shotgun ex
pert and did not know the difference be-
tween straight bore gun and one with 4
full choke
Victor johnson testified that he was har
rowing in field about eighty rods from
the Headley house on the morning OF IN,
18th Of May, ana that he saw a persor
leave the Headley home and supposed A
the time II was Jesse, as the other b.,
was In tho neld next 20 where he was
The party was pushing a two-wheeied car,
about four feet long south toward Bel
creek. On eross-eKaminRtion witness sal,
he had known the defendant by sight onl,
for the past three years but could no
swear positively whether Il was Jesse q
Noah, as they were each about one-fourtl
OF mile away from him
Sheriff Philips was placed on the STAN
ana asked to repeat as nearly as posslbl
the conversation which took place betwecr
the defendant. the county attorney an
himself a. the county jAii on the mornin