The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-07
GROSS OUTRAGE IS
REPORTED FROM EMERY
Joseph Nelson and Wife As
saulted and Beaten by Claim
ants of Stock ImpOunded.

According to a letter received yester-
day by Attorney General Breeden, the
little town Of Huntington is in state
Of excitement over an assault that III
is alleged was made upon an old couple
living on a farm. Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Nelson, about two weeks ago. The
story. as the letter reads. sounds more
like n tale of some border raid than
a happening in peaceful Utah commu-
nifty, aud Major Breeder declares that
if, upon investigation, he finds the
story true one, the guilty parties VIII
be punished with great severity
The letter IN fun is as follows:
Huntington. Emery County Utah,
Hon NJ. A. Breeden. Attorney General:
Dear Sr.-About TWO years ago 'ns
State collected and sold to Amelia Nell
son tract Of land lying about two miles
north OF Huntington. consisting ot ~
acres
on Sunday the 24,h of February. 1907:
some stock was trespassing on the land
aforesaid and doing damage 10 Il sta'S
OF hay belonging, TO Mrs Nelson ana ana
them I'm the corral and held them Tor
damages. sending word To some parties
by the name OF Brown that they We're SO
TO belong to them. Late In the afternoon
Chris Nelson and Joe Brown rode up to
the cabin Of the Nelson's and called
yon soS do o"f fos a" CHRIS Gf Neilson % offered 10
shake hands with Joseph Nelson, and
upon Nelson offering so to do. Chris
struck him blow In the face. knocking
Mrs. Nelson and did the same 10 her:
He then jumped on Mr.. Nelson and
stamped him into insensibillty. Joseph
\ l,1fyl ATra Natt n
threatened her with instant death If she
attempted 10 rise or utter n word Chris
also took a rake from a boy and struck
Joseph Nelson on the head while the
latter was on the ground. After Joseph
Nelson came to. they marched him and
his wife over TO the CORA! and ordered
them 10 put down the bars and turn out
the stock on pain of instant death II they
refused. Tney also made each promise 10
throw their rubbish into their wagon
and leave that land and never return or
they would Kill them. stating that they
had always had the land for herd ground
and that they intended to continue TO
have It. They further said that If the
Nelson's dared to go to huntington M and and
they would kill them on sight. They then
drove off the stock that had been turned
out of the corral.
The Nelson's came TO town on Sunday
night and went before the justice of the
peace and made a complaint against
Chris Nelson and Joe Brown. but the
Justice "oulu not 90 SJlS lnIIlS On lHc
plea that no complaint could be made or
filed on Sunday.
These parties dared not return to their
homes that night, and remained in town,
On Monday morning, when Joseph Neil
son went 10 the office OF the Justice of
the peace he was Informed that Chris
Nelson and Joe Brown had both been
there and had complained on themselves,
and that. as they had appeared first on
Monday morning, nothing more could be
heard from the parties who had been so
shamefully assaulted. and the justice
fined one 81 and the other So
Now, we respectfully ask, In the name
OF God. whether this is all the protection
the State can or Will give to people who
purchase land from her, These people
are living now in mortal fear for their
lives and unless they are afforded pro-
lection will have TO leave their land
that they have bought and upon which
they expected and have been endeayoring
to make a home
The letter is signed by a citizen OF
Huntington.
The story is certified to by Joseph
f. Nelson,