Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-09
new WITNESSES
SHED BUT LITTLE
LIGHT ON FRAY
No Material Evidence Obtained
in Inquest at Second
Session.
WOMAN is NOT PRESENT
Not Called in by Coroner to Testify
Witnesses Claim That Nelson
Was Aggressor in Fight.
THE VERDICT.

We, the undersigned Jurors, sworn
to inquire of the death of Andrew Mel
son CT Rock Island, on oath do find
that he came to his death by knife
wounds, we believe from the evidence
returned, at the hands of William De-
tiers, on or about Aug. 8, 1918. We, the
jury, recommend that William Deters
be held as the unlawful Slayer of An
drew Nelson.
The foregoing is the verdict return
ed by the copner's jury this morning
after two new witnesses, whose testi-
mony shed very little new light On the
stabbing of Nelson by Deters in
brawl early last Sunday morning
The jury this morning was summon
ed to reconsider the evidence advanced
at the first inquest last Monday after
noon and to act upon any new evil
dence introduced. Fred Appelquist,
Frank E. Mogart, S. S. Hall, George
B. Jackson H. j. Churchill and E. W.
Sullivan comprised the jury.
TWO NEW WITNESSES.
Peter Kofod, 1902 Second avenue,
and Cyriel Strobbe, bartender at the
August Sutterman saloon, in front of
which the stabbing occurred, were the
new witnesses appearing before the
jury this morning.
The two men were able to throw
very little light on the occurrence and
the circumstances which led up to it,
for the most part substantiating evil
dence that had been secured by the
first jury.
Strobbe testified that while he was
employed at the Sutterman saloon, hs
was not on duty when the fray tool
place, but merely happened to be walk
ing down the other side of the street
at the time.
He stated that Nelson appeared t.
be the aggressor and that he had De
tiers lying On the sidewalk punching
him. He heard Deters call stop
stop" several times. Strob5e did not
however; get close enough to the figh
to witness the stabbing plainly, ant
appeared to know little of the metho,
actually employed in the killing.
NELSON STARTED FIGHT.
Peter Kofod. painter in the en-
ploy Of Strecker & Lewis, was tn
other new witness.
Kofod stated he was in the saloor
where the fight between Deters an
Nelson started. He, too, declared tina
the dead man appeared to be the al
gresso,.
From kofod's testimony and that c
other witnesses, it. was brought OF
that Ne.son had attempted to start
fight with Deters throughout the ever
ing, and had frequently challenge
his slayer to fight. Deters is allege
to have said, well, search him an
I'll fight him.
WOMAN NOT MENTIONED.
e The woman who is rumored to haI
n been implicated as one of the cause
G. of the trouble was not brought befol
IT the jury to testify. 1t is understood
g that the fight over the question
O. wages which the two men are said
have had will stand as the main reasc
to fer the fight.
" While Deters will evidently put up
,e hard fight for freedom on the grount
n of self-defense, it is understood tn
f. certain members of Nelson's fami
s. refuse to believe that If Nelson hi
e. his slayer on the walk in conditit
re whereby he would be powerless to d
III fend himself that the latter could ha'
lie welded his knife so readily. tt
&c states attorney, it is believed, will {
lie tempt TO show that Deters had b
knife drawn before leaving the S
a. loon, although this is not known f
a certain at the present time.