The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-09-27
NELSON GUILTY
OF MANSLAUGHTER
JURY RETURNS VERDICT SHORTLY
AFTER NINE THIS MORNING
AHTILLA GUILTY OF MURDER
Man Who Killed Companion Al The
Dunn Mine in June Was Convicted in
Short Order Court Next Week

Circuit court opened last Monday
with Judge Flanagan presiding The
forenoon was taken up with call OF
the calendar that resulted In the case
OF Alfred Roselund being put on the
board as No. for the term. The de
fendant was In court with no one to
defend him 30 the court appointed Mr.
McHale OF Iron River on the defense.
The case came up right after dinner
and lasted throughout the afternoon.
The charge against the man was that
of taking Indecent liberties with a
female child and the testimony is
such that IL cannot be printed. The
jury was out but short time when
they brought In verdict of not
guilty.
Monday night Judge O'Brien came
down from the copper country to
take Judge Fannigan' place and on
Tuesday morning the case of the
People VS. Gust Antilla was called with
NJ II Moriarty on the defense
This is the murder that occurred at
the Dunn mine last June where one
man hit another on the head with a
club during drunken debauch. The
testimony in this case was pretty
much the same as tnat reported at the
time. the main witness being
Tyna Macki, the 12 year old girl who
testified that she arose early in the
morning and went out from the sleep
ing apartment 20 the small kitchen !.
that there was small mole through
the wall for a window and looking
out through this hole she saw Antilla
standing over man who was lying on
the ground Antilla welding big
club and she heard him cay, Dead or
alive I'm going 90 hit You again. /"
a witness who was hitching up
horse testified to Antilla striking the
deceased with club and another
witness testified that he told Antilla
not 10 hit the deceased again. The
state rested It's case IS court took re.
cess for dinner and the defense opened
at 2 90 clock
The defense put up was an excuse Of
drunkenness Antilla was put ON the
stand and denied the accusation made
against him. he steadfastedly refused
10 plead guilty of Inanslaughter as mis-
counsel advised him to do, maintain
ing that he was innocent.
The result was that his defense was
weakened through his own stubborness
ard the jury. after being out but a
short time. brought in verdict OF
murder in the second degree.
rhe next case that Of the People VS.
John Nelson charged with murder, was
a hard fought ons. Il. T.. Lott. John
McHale and G. s. Power we're asso.
ciated in the defense with Mr.. Waffen
alone for the prosecution.
The entire day Wednesday was taken
up with the selecting OF jury and
the taking of the testimony of the pro
secution.
This is tie case where Adolph Gus
tafson was shot ana killed 10y his
brother-in-lsw. John Nelson, at their
farm in Bates township last June.
Mr. Waffen proceeded OH the theory
that Nelson had been meditating the
murder OF John Gustafson for long
time previous and that he had only
been waiting his opportunity TO get
his victim over on his Nelson 81 land
that Mrs Nelson "a sister Of Gustaf-
brought the psychological moment
about by striking Gustafson with
cedar club when the deceased was on
his own side Of the fence that Nelson
saw In the quarrel between his wife
and her brother the opportunity that
he had been waiting for and under the
guise Of defending his wife from ms.
ssult, shot his man.
All OF the day Thursday was con.
sumed with the taking OF testimony.
The defense took mp their side after
dinner and among the important wit.
nesses was the defendant himself and
his wife.
Their testimony sought to bear Out
the general plan OF the defense. viz.
that the shooting OF Gustafson wa
brought about through fear of grea
bodily harm to Nelson from Gustafson
and 10 protect his wife who was being
roughly handled by Gustafson. Tn,
testimony showed that Nelson wa
in the upper story OF his house iookinl
ont Of the window at the time of tn,