The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-09-10
GEO. SOMERV|[[E
IS SHOT DOWN
FORMER STATE SENATOR PROB
ABLY FATALLY WOUNDED BY
ANGRY CLIENT.
IN HIS OFFICE AT SLEEPY EYE
Trouble Over Land Deal Prompted
Act.-Assailant Fails in Attempt
to End His Own Life on the
Spot.

Sleepy Eye.-Hon. George w. Som.
erville, former state senator, was
shot twice by John S. Hayner. in
his private Office on the principal
street here.
The first shot passed through his
left forearm and entered his side un-
der his arm pit. The other passed en-
tirely through his body from chest
to his back, piercing his lungs.
Little Hope of Recovery.
Physicians in attendance hold out
but little hope for his recovery. A
hurry up call for the Drs. Mayo of
Rochester was sent and one of the
brothers reached Mr.. Somerville's side
in few hours. The utmost will be
done to save the patient, but it is re-
allied his case is desperate.
Mr.. Somerville's assailant fired a
third shot, intending to take his own
life. He might have been successful
in this, had not the city's marshal, at
tracted by the reports of the first two
explosions, entered the place on run
and struck the mans arm as he held
the revolver to his head. The bullet
passed few inches from the mans
head and entered the ceiling of the
consultation room in which the men
had been standing. ..
The assassin had no chance to e.
cape and apparently had planned
none, even though he was prepared to
shoot the former senator. The wea-
pom was taken from him and later he
told the officers his name was John
S. Hayner.
Hayner was Immediately taken by
automobile to the county seat at New
Ulm and placed in Jail in the care of
the sheriff.
Assassin Gives His Version.
Trouble in the settlement of a deal
over property was the motive for the
shooting. Hayner believed he had
been deceived by the former senator.
The only statement he has made since
the shooting was secured soon after
he had been taken to New Ulm. He
said:
Il worked for several years for the
Cuddy-Cavanaugh Company, which
county under contracts. 1 have had
Headquarters at Sleepy Eye and New
Ulm and have known Somerville a
long time. A business building at
Sleepy Eye came into my possession
some time ago, and I was induced by
Somerville to trade it for some land
which he said he owned in Missouri.
in tUo
ton, to be valueless. and appealed to
Somerville to square the matter. We
had some correspondence. but finally
he refused to reply to my letters.
II then determined to have a per-
sonal interview with him and to get
some satisfaction if possible. l was
armed when l entered his Office. but
was hardly expecting an encounter
II had no sooner spoken about the
land than Somerville ordered me to
leave. When 1 showed no intention
of doing so he picked up a heavy rul-
er which was on his desk, as If he
proposed to drive me out.
Il was crazy load by this time and
began to shoot, not caring what be-
had been swindled and badly treated
all around"
Hayner is about 35 years of age
He says his name is John S. Hayner
and that his home is in st. Paul.
George w. Somerville is one of the
best-known lawyers in the state Of
Minnesota. He has been active in
politics and was a candidate for the
republican nomination for governor in
1906, when he retired from the state
senate after serving eight years.
New Ulm, Minnesota.-John s.
Hayner, assailant of former State Sen.
ator Somerville of Sleepy Eye, cheated
the ends of justice.
Making a rome from the blanket and