The Alaska daily empire., 1921-11-02
CASE IS CLOSED
 BY COVERNMENT; ! MOTION DENIED
Witnesses Tell of Shooting of Peterson - Defense to
 Start Tomorrow.

Evidence will be introduced by the . government to show that George c. Nelson deliberately killed Nels Pet erson in revenge for a whipping giv' hen him by the latter, declared As sistant U. s. Attorney A. E. Maltby in his opening statement to the jury lthis morning at the opening of the trial of Nelson on a charge of first degree murder. Mir. Maltby also said that the evidence would show that Nelson was of sound memory at the time of the killing.
 Insanity and Setf-Defense
 In a brief opening statement for the defense, J. w. Kehoe said that show that Nelson was not mentally sound and also that certain elements of self-defense entered into the kill ing and that Nelson had good cause to defend himself"
 Government Opens Case
 The government began presentation of it's case before noon.
 Drawings prepared by Edward Ken dall showing certain sections of the town of Petersburg and the interior 'arrangement of the building in which the shooting occurred were intro duced and identified by MT. Kendall and allowed entered by Judge Reed for purposes of Identification and il- lustration. Before examination of the witnesses was started, Judge Wickersham, for the defense, object ed to introduction of any evidence on not furnished the defense with list of it's witnesses, and further renewed his objections to the jury, alleging that it had not been drawn from list prepared according to law. Both objections were overrued.
 Eye Witness on Stand
 Chester Johnson, an eye witness to the shooting, was the first govern ment witness. He testified that he was playing cards with Peterson be- tween 4:30 and p. m. on Septem- Der F in the Lotus pool room when INtlSOu tHtcItu lIlC iOOlii, NoihSA back to a position behind and to one side of Peterson and without word being spoken, shot Peterson in the right side. Peterson, he said, rose from his seat, turned half facing Nelson and exclaimed, What are you doing, you crazy - ---!' Nelson made no reply, and Peterson Slightly bending forward ran at high speed out of the room. The witness said that Nelson remained in the room for minute or so, pulled the gun from his pocket and then fol shot, he said. was fired from the pistol in Nelsons coat pocket. Nell son, according to the testimony, re turned to the Lotus within a short time with the gun still in his hand and after looking into the pool room. turned and went across the street to his own barber shop. A brief cross-examination failed to shake his story.
 Identifies Fatal Gun
 William Gribble, clerk in a Peters burg store, testified that Nelson had September 12, identified an invoice for the same and later identified the pistol sold to Nelson.
 Gun Taken From Nelson
 U. S. Commissioner M s. Perkins of Petersburg, testified that he went to Nyaloou,c ha vhor sbop chnrtIv aft ov the shooting was reported and talked to Nelson. He then instructed Hans Wick, Petersburg city marshal, tC arrest Nelson on an open charge pending the outcome of the shooting He testified that Nelson told hin that he had thrown the gun away a the rear of his barber shop and tha search failed to reveal the gun Later Nelson confessed that the gul was still in the shop and turned i over to Marshal Wick. MT Perkins testified that Nelson was excited when he talked to him directly afte the shooting, but talked rational, and declared that he would teacl Peterson to laugh at him. Nelson he said, waived making a statemen at the preliminary examination hel at Petersburg following the shooting
 Nelson Pursued Peterson
 Two witnesses, Peter Jelle an Magnes Hemnes, testified to seein Nelson walk across the street fror his own place of business to the Lt tus pool room; of hearing shot a most immediately after he entere the latter place: of Peterson run ming from the Lotus doorway holdin his hand to his side and Nelson fo lowing him with gun in his han and threatening to "get him" Bot also testified to seeing Nelson r turn to the Lotus and later to hi own shop. Hemnes said he told Ne son to put him gun up. He als followed the route taken by Peterso and found him lying on the groun between machine shop an laundry. Jelle also testified to SC ing Peterson in the same place. an