The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-10-19
JURY RETURNS VERDICT
OF NANSLAUCHTER
Nick SchOn Sentenced to Ten Years
For Killing Wife Near Ellen
dale Last Summer

New Rockford, Oct. 16.-After an
all-night's session, lasting about six
teen hours, the jury to pass verdict
upon Nicholas Schon, charged with
murder in the first degree, reached a
decision Tuesday morning, returning
verdict of guilty to manslaughter in
the first degree, and set the term Of
Imprisonment at ten years.
This trial, and the tragedy which
was it's cause, is probably the most
important that has been tried in this
county for many years, and it's pro-
gress has been watched with great
deal of interest, the court room being
packed with spectators during the
four days required to dispose of the
evidence. The story Of the crime, if
crime it may be called, is, briefly, as
follows:
About eleven o'clock on the morning
of Monday, July 18th, Nick Schon, iiv-
ing about two miles east of Ellendale,
ing that his wife was dead AMI the
house on fire. DR.. Lynde, who respond
ed to the call, found Mrs. Schon lying
on the floor of the kitchen, the cloth
ing entirely burned from her body,
ard the body itself so terribly burned
that it was unrecognizable. Mr.. Schon
stated that he had been at work in
the garden just east of the house. He
said that he had heard no noise of any
kind, and his first lntimatio that any,
thing was wrong was his seeing smoke
issue from the kitchen window. He
ran to the house, found the room i'll
flames, which he succeeded in ex-
tinguishing. He then discovered his
wife lying on the floor, and shocking
ly burned. The theory advanced at
that time was that Mrs. Schon had
been kindling a fire in the cook stove
and had used kerosene to hurry the
fire. 1t was supposed that the Hero-
sene had exploded, causing the fire,
and this theory was borne out by the
finding Of fragments of bottle on the
floor which had been used to hold ker
osene for kindling purposes.
A short time later, however, the
daughters of Mr.. Schon became sus-
picious that their father knew more
of the matter than he pretended, one
of the most important causes being
the finding, under a wash tub in the
yard, of fve-gallon can of kerosene
which had disappeared just after the
fire. This fact in itself was not sig
nifcant, but it developed that the
girls had looked under this tub but
short time before, when the can was
not there. The girls became frlghten-
ed and came to town, as usual on the
following Saturday morning to attend
their classes at the NJ. On their re-
turn home they found a note which
their father had left, in which he said
he was going to leave home. He did
not return that night, but the follow
ing day he was discovered in a field
near the house by searching party.
When he saw Sheriff Bishop, who was
one of the party, he turned and ran,
opening knife and slashing at his
throat as he ran, then plunging head
foremost into a pool of water He
accompanied the sheriff to town, and
the following day appeared before the
insanity board in regard to his san
ity. During the course of the inves-
tigation some questions came up
which he refused to answer until he
had seen Father Berne. After seeing
the father, he confessed on Tuesday,
to the murder of his wife, and signed
a statement to that effect. He was
bound over to the October term OF
court, on charge Of first degree muir
der, to which he pleaded not guilty.