Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-15
Two Syrian Brothers Found
Guilty in Second Degree For
Murder Of Their Cousin
JURY pe:LlBERATEs LONG TIME.
Remains Out For More Than Thirty
Hours in Effort to Reach Agreement
5, Defense Files Motion for New Trial
and is Given Ninety Days to Prepare
for ARG umsnts.
special to Times-Republican.

returned verdict of guilty of murder
IN the second degree against Joseph
ana Solomon Hassen, Syrian peddlers,
for the murder Of their cousin, Fred
{ Nawfl, In January last.
The trial consumed four weeks and
the case was given to the jury SAT-
urday night. The long deliberations
+ Of the Jury indicate that the verdict
OF second degree murder, as finally
reached, was compromise.
The defense has filed motion for q
new trial. and was given ninety days
by the court to prepare the motion.
The convicted men are two broth
ers. Joseph and Solomon Hassen, and
their alleged victim their cousin, Fred
Nawf. It is alleged that they took
Nawn TO q secluded spot on the nlght
Of January last and shot him and
then beat his brains out.
Story of the Crime.
Thu three came from the town OF
Albefir, Hassbya county, Syria, a town
OF 1000 people, fifty miles southwest
OF Damascus. The father Of the HAS
sen bows came over as a peddler ten
wears ago, and was about in this To-
cality. He returned homo with some
money made and his boys Were impa-
tient to try their fortunes in the wes-
tern country. Joseph. who Is now
about 20 years old, came over when
he was not over Is, and Solomon fol-
lowed when IL. Solomon was accom-
panied by his cousin. Fred Naw1, who
was 10. They came to Fort Dodge,
here Joseph had his headquarters,
aAd where there were a number OF
ayrians IN business. Joe taught them
both to read and write the Syrian
language and also to speak English.
Soon they went out on peddling trips
together and finally alone, having q
meeting place arranged about once in
two weeks, IL not oftener. Joseph was
the leader and stood responsible for
the goods furnished his brother and
Nawfl., The younger men had only
been In this country a little over a
year when the awful night Of Jan. s,
1907 ENDED the earthly career Of the
Meath Of Nawn was evidently on
Hay night. The following Sun
ning his horse and wagon were
Ian the right of way OF the IL
- Hntral a short distance north
Of Deiil1Hn. The rig had been hit in
the night by a passing train, and the
injured horse was so hurt that he died
in few days. The finding of the
horse was the first indication that
there had been any foul play. The
horse and wagon were recognized as
belonging to one Of the peddlers who
had been seen In town on Saturday
night. On Monday some hunters in a
pasture far off the wagon road saw a
strrnge object and on investigation It
was found to be the body of q man
VINO had evidently been murdered. The
field was three miles northwest Of
Denison.
County Attorney Klinker and 9TH
ers went out and began to look up evil
dence % to who were the guilty par
ties.
Ten or twelve feet from the body
were blotches Of blood, mingled with
the grass and hazel brush. In the field
were the tracks of two wagons. The
pockets had been rifled and few Of his
belongings were found. The hunter
had been in the field on the previous
Friday and at that time had noticed
base ball bat under a tree near where
the man was afterwards found. The
bat was not there when he was there
later on after the murder. He said
1t was painted black. A black hat was
found covered with blood near the
bridge over the Boyer near the Illinois
Central depot in Denison, which is on
the west side Of town. The blood was
found to be that of human being
by experts at Iowa City.
OF course the people We're aroused.
The fact that the Hassen brothers were
seen. with the man on Saturday made
sus-,icion point to them, and Joe being
in town on Wednesday and not being
able to give a straight account Of him.
self, was arrested. Later it became
known that the eHassen brothers had
borrowed a light wagon of a man
named Johnson on that Saturday night |
ana. came back with it at 2 in the
morning and when blood was found on
the wagon, people felt sure the Has
sens did the killing. The younger one,
Soloman. was arrested near Sac City.
He had been peddling along thru the
country, evidently not trying to get |
away rapidly. The coat worn by Joe
when he was arrested had blood on it,
which has since been said by those
giving it a scientific examination, to
be human blood.
NEGRo's BOLD DASH FAILS.
Hail Of Bullets Follows Jail Escape.
Plunses Into Icy River.
Special to Times Republican.