The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-30
HIS LIFE SAVED.
Tony" Olsen Would Have Been
Lynehed by Farmers.
Neigh bers of NeWfarmer Aroused
Over Brutal Murder.
SLAYER is IN JAIL.
Says He Was Attacked by Dead
and Much Smaller Man.
Wife of Dead Man Tells of Sec
Ond Attack by Olsen.

Council Grove, kan, Aug. 30.-The
coroners jury returned a verdict that
| Walter Newfarmer came to his death
by Instruments in the hand of N. T..
Olsen. Olsen is better known in this
vacinity Tony
After Olsen came to town and sur
rendered to Marshal kesterson, and his
| nose had been set, he was securely
LOGGED IN the county Jail Coroner Har-
Vey With Sheriff Carr and deputies
drove to the scene of the murder three
miles north of Burdick, arriving short
~ after midnight. When they arrived
at the place they found a large crowd
or neigh bors and spectators who had
gathered from miles around after learn
ing of the murder. Most of the men
came armed and if Olsen should have
| doubtless followed.
1t developed at the inquest that Oh
sen had discharged Newfarmer Satur-
day afternoon but did not settle with
him until Monday morning. Nedfarm-
| er at once came to Council Grove to
| consult counsel as he had contracted
to stay the summer and had a garden
| IN and also interests in some other
| crops and did not wish to leave the
place His lawyer advised him to re-
turn to the place and stay and if need
| be bring suit for his share of the crops
| if forced to vacate.
Mrs. NeWfarmer testified that she
ard their 3-year-old child had remain
ed at home and she said Olsen had ap-
peared very friendly and she had beg
ged him to make up with her husband
and permit them to remain the season
out whereupon he shook her hand and
said:
You need have no fear, you will not
have to leave here. You are the best
friend that I have
She said that he had acted very
friendly but in the morning asked if
there were any shells for the shotgun
as he wished to shoot a steer that per-
81 I-fn in hvn xir1cr
The first she knew of the fight was
about o'clock when she was about
her work preparing supper and heard
her husband calling her. She ran to
the door and saw her husband face
downward in the road down by the gate
some distance from the house, with
Olsen on his back holding him with one
hand and reaching down with the other,
Slashing him across the throat with a
razor. She ran to her husbands as
sistance and dragged Olsen from his
back.
Olsen seized a corn knife and as she |
was helping her dying husband tow
ards the house Olsen overlook them and
began sldshing the exhausted man |
about the head with the corn knife, !
saying as he did so:
'fI'n fix him now. I'll finish him" She
tried to hold Olsen back and he threat |
ened to kill her and her child which |
was frantically clinging to her side.
Olsen when interviewed by reporter |
seemed cool and collected but complain |
ed of sleeping little and suffering con- !
siderably with his broken nose. He !,
made a statement that he had feared |
trouble from Newfarmer and had put
his razor in his pocket for protection |
in case that Newfarmer attacked him.
He said that he had just cut some feed
for his hogs and was carrying it from
the field when Newfarner drove up. He
spoke to him in friendly manner where
upon Newfarmer jumped from the
buggy and climbing under the fence
struck him in the face, knocking him
down and then jumped on him, but not 1
until Newfarmer had downed him did Il
he pull his razor out or have any in
tentions of killing him.
He said that when he asked for the
shells for the gun he had feared New
farmer and had contemplated commit
ting suicide. Newfarmer was small
man of Sc years and weighed less than
140 pounds, while Olsen is a tall, square
shouldered young man of q and will
weigh close to 100 pounds.
John Olsen, father of the murderer,
is a well-to-do and respected farmer,
and a few years ago he was said to be
the richest man in Morris county, being
worth close to a quarter of a million
dollars. At present he resides in Cow
ey county where he had large interests
Ia lands He is expected here soon to
arrange counsel for his sons defense.
The case will likely come up in the .
term of court.