Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-15
KILLED WHILE
READING BIBLE
Matilda Eoklund Of Sandy Shot
BY Insane Visitor to
Her Home.
MURDERER IN PADDED CELL.
says lie Had TO Have Rest and That
lie knew Tie Would Have IL
After Ills Deed

n a padded cell at tine county jail
is Axcl Anderson. admittedly guilty OF
murder. and one which has no equal u
the criminal history of Utah. The vice
tim was Miss Matilda Ecklund. who
was shot dead m her own home while
she SAT reading her Bible Tho muir
dercr stood az a window. and the nrst
bullet struck the lamp A moment
later from another window two more
shots were fred and both found lods
ment in Miss Ecklund's back. Making
his way into the room. Anderson sent a
bullet into the womans temple.
That the murder was the act of an
insane man there can be little dolbt.
when seen at the Jail today, Ander-
son talked OF the tragedy in matter
OF fact way. freely admitted his guilt
and said he was glad of what he had
done.
u had 90 find rost and that was
the only way / could get e." he said
"Did you find rest boy killing am IN
nocent Woman?'
sure" he replied a feel pre,sy
good now. but would feel better yet
III ] was outside
BY a multitude OF questions. Auder-
son was induced 90 ten the details of
his crime He said tnat be- had been
living alone ln cabin ON the premises
OF his brother 22i Apricot street Tie
declared that since last winter per-
sons had been seeking 90 KIN him. but
who they were or amy OF the circum-
stances he was not able To- tell. Then
the engines break my rCst' he said.
Right down under the hul where /
live they make noise all night and 1
cannot sleep. ] have to have rest
some how.
TOOK CAR TO MURRAY.
At $50 o'clock last evening he went
on the car Co Murray he says. and
walked from there To- Sandy Going Co
the house OF his sister Mrs. Annie Ek-
man. be found mo- one at home Then he
went TO the Ecklund residence, and the
tragedy followed.
~ had To find rest some how he
again repeated.
81 thought that woman was no good
20 the other woman. and / had 70 Kill
10 hud rest
III YOU had not seen her, would you
have killed someone else?' Anderson
was asked.
Sure not. he answered.
He said he had met the woman sew
oral times before. the last occasion be
ing about a month ago at the home
of his sister He said there had been
no quarrel between them. IL would
have nothing 10 do with her" Asked
81 he Thought Miss Ecklund had any
thing TO do with breaking am engage
ment between his brother Erick and
young lady, Anderson said she might
have done. but he did not Kill her
for this. but because he had 10 find
rest
Lying on the floor Of the cell that An
darson occupied was another man. ap-
parently asleep He said he did not
know who the man was, and TO the
question what allied his comaniou, An
derson replied with "a laugh;
ooh. I guess he Is crazy
Anderson was asked why he did not
run away and hide after shooting the
woman. and answered that IL would
have done him no good. ne would have
been caught anyway
The dead woman was about AZ years
OF age and unmarried Anderson IS %,
and Is a single man. He gave the
names Of his brothers and sisters, There
being four Erlck and Gus Anderson,
Mrs Gus Nelson and Mtv. Annie Tx
man. The first three reside In the
city. and the last named in sandy.
CREATES A SENSATION.
The killing OF Miss Eoklund was most
startling and created a sensation In the
little Town Of Sandy. where she was So
well and favorably known. 10 was
nearly II O'Clock when the shooting oc-
CURED The victim sat reading the
Bible and sitting near by was a Mrs.
pllquist who resided iu the Same
house Suddenly a shot was heard.
proceeding from the window, the shade
Of which was not drawn. The bullet,
Intended for Miss ccklund, missed its
mark and shattered the lamp. Almost
instantly two other shots were fired.
and both found their way into the
| back of Miss EckIuud. She fell 10 the
! floor. scarcely more than utterlng a
groan
/ Carlson then entered the room. the
| door being unlocked, and bending over
1 hts victim. shot her boz the temple.
/ Mrs DahIuuist. who was Boa tho room
an the time. was not molostcd by the
| assassin. No sooner had hc quilted the
/ place than she sped 90 "a uclghhOr's and
| told of the tragedy
After committing the deed. Carlson
/ went 10 the nearest saloon and took
! two drinks of Whislgl. Tao then re-
/ turned 90 tho Eckluud home. ana az
| Omcor Ward had hy that time reached
/ thc place. Carlson was placed under
/ arrest Tie was taken to Murray,
| where hc was turned over 90 Deputy
I shcrin Bockstead. and latter was
/ brought To the county iai by Sheriff
| ghHru and Deputy CorlCsa.