The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1921-05-12
OSCAR NELSON; SLEEPING SICK
NESS VICTIM, TAKES OWN LIFE

Oscar Nelson, aged %, while sut-
fering from the effects Of sleeping
sickness and illness brot on as the
| result Of being gassed, while serving
our country in France, took his own
life at Room 5, Windsor Hotel Annex,
some time Thursday night, by cutting
his left wrist with thin safety razor
blade. The artery was not cut, tho a
SUFFICIENT number of veins were sever
- to permit him to bleed to death.
His body was found cold in death, on
the floor Of the room, lying in a
great pool of blood at 43O O'Clock
Friday afternoon by friend, Edward
Johnson, who went to the Annex to
call on him. The door was found
locked but Johnson looked in thru the
window and saw the body lying on the
floor. He notified the police and the
door was broken in. The young man
had been dead for hours.
Mr.. Nelson had occupied Nels Han
sons room at the Annex. and Mr.
Hanson had been in the country doing
some work. Edward Johnson had
been with Oscar Nelson the evening,
before and when he left Nelson ap-
peared to be very much discouraged
with his condition. Johnson asked him
when he was going back to work and
the young man replied, 1T will be d
long time yet. Pm not getting well
very fast and | don't think III live
long" HIS asked johnson to remain
with him that night, but johnson said
he had his own room elsewhere and
would go there. He promised to
call Nelson in the morning. This he
did at S:3O, but received no answer.
At 1880 he raped on the door again
but received no answer and when he
called again at 4:30, saw the body on
the floor.
A coroner's inquest was held Sat
urday afternoon at 1870 o'clock by
Coroner Pence, the jury, Geo. Hoover,
Fred Almy and f. O. Dickinson rcn-
dering a verdict that Oscar Nelson
met death from self inflicted wounds.
1t had been reported that death might
have been due to a hemorrhage of the
lungs, but an autopsy proved this to
not have been the case.
The funeral was held Monday after
noon at ? o'clock from the Rowan
undertaking parlors, the funeral bein"
preached by Rev. p w. Erickson. In
terment was made in Rose Hill GENE
terry.
Oscar Nelson was born in Sweden,
Dec. rs, 1892 and came to Ward Coun-
ty in 1912. He spent some time
with his uncle, Alfred Jylen on d
farm south Of MINT and was en-
ployed on the farms Of NJ. o. Hulberg,
Knute Renden: Lars Tollefson, and
Ole Field. He had recently beer
working as a cement man for Lantz
& Beam, being employed on the
Grams bakery building and the new
Minot Laundry block. Since return
ing from France he mad not been well
and spent two months in local hos
pital during the past winter. suffer
ing from sleeping sickness and the
results Of being gassed on the field OF
battle.
Oscar was a member of Co. 139, Of
the 35th Division and saw some hare
fighting in France. In one battle.
he was engaged for five days and out
of his company of 200, only thirty
five returned.
Both parents died in Sweden. He
is survived by Carl Nelson, brother
from Great Falls, Mont, who arrived
for the funeral; John Nelson, another
brother, lives at Lingle, Wyo., and
there is brother, lver, and sister.
Mrs. Becklund, living in Sweden. Os-
car was a fine young man, sober anc
industrious, and his untimely end was
due without doubt to the injuries
he received while fighting for human
ity. A host Of friends extend their
sincerest sympathy to the bereaved
relatives.