The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-07-10
MURDER AND SUICIDE
ENDED THE c0URTsH|P
Former Blue Eartt Wy Man
'# Actor In Tr ~.
JOHN HEssF : Is SLAYER
-


Minneapolis, July S.-The story Of
a three years courtship. Of a misun-
Outstanding and parting, told to
detectives. explained the murder OF
Mrs. Laura Zehm. 1859 Fourteenth
avenue south, Monday night and the
suicide OF John Nessett, 2011 Ham
line Avenue Southeast, Immediately
afterward. While two persons looked
on, Nessett shot and killed Mrs.
Zehm, whom he had followed about
the city for several hours, then shot
himself, and according to Christian
Nelson, 314O Fourteenth avenue south.
would have killed Louis Mykelbust,
1896 Bloomington avenue. had not
the revolver been taken from him.
When the murder and suicide took
place, the police and persons who
witnessed the shooting were unable
to identify Nessett. II was not un-
til yesterday that the case was strip
ped of its mystery. It,
Employed az Nurse.
Mrs. Zehm has been employed as
nurse at the home of I. o. Holton for
about four days. Nessett called on
her there. "
Mrs. Zehm telephoned the Mykel.
bust home Monday night and asked
for Mykelbust. whom she had met
few days before. His sister, Alma,
answered the phone and Mrs. Zehm
proposed that the three go to the
circus. Mykelbust declined TO. go but
his sister and Mrs. Zehm went
While they were at the circus they.
saw Nessett several times, though
he did not come near them. After a
short stay at the circus they re-
turned and met Louis Mykelbust in
front of the Holton home. He stop.
ped a moment and talked with Mrs.
Zehm while his sister walked home.
Spoke to and Shot Woman.
While they were talking Nessett
walked toward them rapidly, touched
Mrs. zehm on the shoulder and said
he would like to speak to her. Mykel-
bust excused himself and started
home. He had gone but twenty
feet when he heard O shot and turn
ing, saw Mrs. Zehm on the sidewalk.
Then Nessett placed the revolver to
his own head, fired and fell.
Mykelbust rushed back toward the
two and Christian Nelson ran out from
his yard. AS the two approached. Mes
sett struggled to hts knees and raised
the pistol. Nelson rushed on him and
disarmed him, believing he was going
to shoot Mykelbust. -
Mrs. Zehm died instantly and Mes.
sett died a few minutes after he was
taken to the city hospital. ...
Formerly Of Blue Earth,
Mrs. Zehm. and Nessett formerly
lived in Blue Earth, MINI, and had
been In the city but q short time;
Mrs. Zehm worked for several FAM
lilies, but her employment was. not
steady, as she was not experienced
in nursing. Nessett came to Minnie
apolis for a surgical operation and
the courtship that had begun In Blue
Earth three years ago continued. Then
came an estrangement and for sever.
al weeks Nessett had been despon-
dent. -n u. -.
According to Mrs. Christ F. Dahl.
sister Of Nessett, with whom he board
ed, Nessett was unusually jealous but
had told her every. day for a week
that he had decided never to see
Mrs. Zehm again, He told the sister
he thought she liked someone else
better, for she would rarely see him.
Mrs. Dahl said her brother had for
several years carried revolver and
she did not worry when she saw 1t In
his pocket. He seemed to worry, she
said, but did not Indicate that ne
had planned violence against Mrs.
Zehm or himself -.