The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-03-31
CORONER'S JURY ExONERATED
HIM FOR SHOOTING EDISON.
Stranger Had Attempted An Assault
on Two Little Girls; Was Try
ing to Escape.


Fairmont, March 25.-William Ed
son died at the county Jail Thurs
day night from the effects of the
Sunshot wound received the night
before. The remains were taken to
Brodt's undertaking rooms where
they were viewed by many of the
curious. If nothing is heard from
relatives of the young man before
that time, the funeral will be held
at the Catholic church and burial
will be made in Lakeside cemetery
Coroner Brodt considered an in.
quest advisable over the remains
OF William Edison, who was shot
by Sheriff Ward Wednesday evening
and died the following night, and
an inquest was held on Friday aft
ernOOn. The jurors summoned were
+. w. Hicks, o. r. Wolf, w. NJ.
Hay, F. f. Hunting, H. j. Waite
and A. X. Fancher
Drs. Luedtke and Richardson per
formed an autopsy and testified as
TO the cause of death from scien-
tific standpoint
Sheriff Ward, l.. S. Parker, Martin
Thiede and others gave testimony
as 10 the shooting.
Webster City Police Testified.
Chief of Police Nickerson of Web
ster City was present and testified
that the deceased was a 'flOater,"
that he had twice been arrested by
the police in his town for being
drunk and disorderly and once
driven out of town by himself. He
said Edison was Il hard drinker and
was very quarrelSome when drunk
lie also identified the body and the
clothes worn by the man when shot
as the same that he had on last
Friday night. the last time he was
arrested in Webster City, and when
he put up Il hard fight against the
police and had TO be dubbed over
the head.
Verdict Of the Jury.
That on the 22nd day of March,
1911, the said William Edison was
charged with the crime of indecent
assault upon the person Of a girl
under the age Of ten years. tO-wit:
Of the age Of eight years, in said
county ana state; that on said day
Il warrant was duly issued out of
the court of w c. Gamble, a JUS
ticc of the peace of said county
and state, for the arrest and appre
hension of the said William Edison,
whose real name was at the time
of the issuing of said warrant, UNI
known; said warrant was on said
day placed in the hands of f.. f.
Ward, the duly elected and acting
sheriff of said county and state,
forthwith apprehend the said William
Edison, but designated in said war
rant as John Doe, and bring him
before said justice of the peace to
be dealt with according to law
Was Attempting to Escape.
That on said day the said sheriff
duly apprehended and placed said
William Edison under arrest and had
him in custody, and while so under
arrest the said William Edison es-
capped from the immediate custody
of the said sheriff and was fleeing
from said sheriff when said sheriff
commanded him, the said William
Edison, TO stop, but that the said
William Edison failed and refused to
obey the commands of said sheriff,
and the said sheriff was unable to
overtake him, the said William Ed
son, and he, the said William Edison,
was about to make his escape when
said sheriff fired several shots from
revolver in his hands in the di-
rectiCn of the said William Edison,
body Of the said William Edison,
which caused a wound, and from
which wound SO caused the said
William Edison, on the 23rd day OF
March, 1911, died.
1--WE further find, and it is the YER
dict of this jury. that said wound
was inflicted on the person of the
said William Edison by the said sher-
if while said sheriff was in the
lawful discharge of his duties as an
officer of the law, and that his acts
were justitiable, necessary and COM
mendable under the circumstances
The action Of Sheriff Ward is
generally commended by the people
Of Fairmont. In shooting the fellow
Edison, Sheriff Ward has rid the
earth of an undesirable citizen.
The Crime of Edison.
At about 4:30 Wednesday after
noon the two little daughters of Au-
gust Sauck, aged eight and ten
NnarS who lives q mile and q half