The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-23
INQUEST COMMENCED
ON BODY OF NELSON
Testimony Is Being Taken Re,
Specting the Death of
Young Man.

For tho purpose OF determining the
facts surrounding the death ~ Leon Nel-
son OF Sandy. who was struck by Nun
ray car No. 10. under the management
OF Conductor G. Baltcrman and Motor
man j. H. wilkinson. and instantly
killed near the corner Of Eleventh south
aud State street Saturday night an in
uuest was begun in the justice court OF
Stanley \, Hanks by coroner's jury
Monday afternoon. at $3.50 o'clock.
Three witnesses were examined.
Conductor Il. II. Smith testified mat
he was on the car Quo 10 leayc MuIIaS
at 9:oj o'clock, and that "hlIc ne an"
Motorman Fred partncll We're seated IN
side the car waiting the lime 10 l"dN"'
Leon Nelson got on the rear platform.
lie then came into the car. SAID Smlth'
and asked the motorman 10 stop the car
at the third stop south Of Fifteenth south
street. as he wanted 10 put groceries on
the car. Smith testified that the car
stopped at the designated place. and thai
Nelson. who acted as though he had
been drinking, kicked the groceries on
tho car and then got back on the car
and said that he was going to town.
According to Conductor Smith. Nelson
rode 10 town and after arriving IN the
city was shaken hv Smith and told that
the car had reached the city. smith
testified that Nelson was asleep. but upon
being awakened. refused To get of the
car. and said that he was going back 10
get hls groceries lIc rode back as iaI
as Eleventh South street. where mum
bcr of passengers rot off the car. and
where Nelson got OF In safety. smith
said that he did not know the name" ol
The passengers, who mad LETT the car az
the Same time Nelson did. In answer 10
a question. Smith said that two other
BOYS had ridden into town with Nelson
but did not seem TO be acquainted Win
tho Young man. They did, however, tel
smith. he said. that Nelson was working
for a. y. Fcnton. contractor at Muir
ray. ~
torinan j. II, Wilkinson Of car No. 40.
which left Murray AT g:i5 and was due
Al Eleventh South street at 1905. lie
said that there were eight passengers on
the car. and that Nelson was killed n
little north of Eleventh South street. lie
also said that due To the rain and the
lights on the street he could not sec the
form of the young man until he was too
near TO stop the car before hitting the
man.
Al this point I'm the testimony OF VIII
kinsou. one Of the relatives OF Nelson
asked the motoTman II h" had slowed
down his car on approaching the crossing.
aud Wilkinson said that he was not re-
quired To slow down the car at intersec-
tous
Conductor Charles Halterman thon
took the stand and told practically the
same story AS the motorman. lie ad-
mitted making a list OF the names OF me
passengers on the car and said that he
had given tho list TO II T.. Hanson. the
claim agent Of the railway company.
Relatives OF the dead man who were
present In the court room during the
examination said that they would pro-
duce witnesses who would testify that
the Young man was not In an intoxicated
condition when he left Murray, and that
the testimony OF Conductor Smith was
false.
The jury was composed OF l. r. Han
son. 4. Q. Miller and j. J. Clayton. The
Inquest was continued until Tuesday at
% o'clock.