USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 25
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 25
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Hoppel, Claud H.
Jensen, Eric Wilhelm
Hemme, Harry
Janowski, Emil Ewald
Holmes, Bernard
Johnson, Victor C.
Hoover, Benjamin Aaron
Jensen, William Bryan
Hund, William F.
Hodges, Henry Claussen
Holmberg, Erick Hugo
Hansen, Roy Carl
Jones, Carl Preston Jensen, Ole
Jensen, Carl Erik
Jenssen, Charles Bernard
Johnson, Frederick L.
Johnsen, John Peter
Jansen, Viggo Alfred Jorden, William Herman
Johnson, Jason F. Jensen, Victor Emanuel
Hanson, Louis Peter Hatcher, James Floyd Hagerbaumer, William A.
Jensen, Hans Peter Jacobs, William S.
Jones, Willis Ernest
Jeseph, Leo G. Jenkins, Henry
Havel, Anton Frank Hansen, James Holten, Ulrik Holtberg, Wesley A.
Jackson, Lloyd S. Jensen, Jamie Johnson, Hilbert Louis
Heckman, Clarence E. Hager, Lester Roy Honey, Roy R. S.
Johnson, Benjamin H. Johnson, Walter Emil
Huntman, George H. Haines, John R. Hanshel, Herman H. Hoffman, James Hansen, Edward B.
Johnson, Charles Fall Jensen, Arthur
Jonas, Charles Edward
Jones, Forest Harry Jensen, Arthur E.
Hammond, Le Ross Hrouda, Robert Jerome Haslam, George Alfred Hoffman, Joe Hainer, William Holcomb, Kelly Lee
Hansen, Walter Howard, Gerald
Johnson, Lenard Theodore
Jones, Irvin Edward Janssen, Fred
Hartman, Paul Chauncey Hasen, Jens Marinus Harms, August Frank Hanson, James Rogers Hendrichson, Lloyd Wm. Herzberg, Arthur Hansen, Peter J. Hoadley, Herbert Eugene
206
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
Jensen, Peter
Lane, Asa King
Johnson, Daniel
Londot, Camille
Luther, Carl Oscar
Jennings, Floyd Everet Johnson, Ray Walter Janowski, Albert
Lunan, Frank Alexander
Lukl, Charles
Jensen, Chris Krause, John A. King, Lloyd
Loomis, Howard Waldron
Krupinsky, Archie
Lichtenberg, Joseph J.
Knoell, Albert Raymond
Larson, Julius Oliver
Kremser, Harry E.
Lawrence, Wilfred S.
Krupinsky, Benjamin
Loomis, Wayne Victor
Kinder, Geo. Washington
Lange, Wm. J.
Kroenke, Frank
Larson, Kimball E.
Kostlan, Alvin
Larson, Ernest Gustav
Kallman, John Milton
Kallenbach, William J.
Lanwermeyer, Joseph
Keene, Harold D.
Larsen, Arthur Harry
Kastrau, Albert Herman
Leigers, Henry J.
Kalk, Benjamin F.
Luther, Howard John
Keeler, Horace George
Lawrence, Albert F.
Kouba, Robert Fred
Launer, Jacob G.
Kerlin, Lloyd Wyman
Larsen, Ben F.
Keller, Samuel Luther
Lazazzars, Michael
Kern, Marion John
Likousis, Gust
Kruger, Rudolph Frederick
Lea, Fred Edgar
Kiel, John Raymond
McHenry, Benjamin Harrison
Klare, George C.
McGee, Pelham
Kriz, Jerome D.
McConnell, Raymond
King, Arthur J.
McGuire, George Edwin
Kirtley, William Beauford
Kallstrom, Herman
Katz, Harrison Raymond
Korbles, Paul
McNamara, Walter P.
Konge, Christian Olsen
McKennan, John E.
Kelly, John Greggory
McDill, Homer Kester
Kuehm, Arnold Carl
Meyer, Otto Hansen
Kull, William
Maring, Ralph
Koehler, Jr., William
Moyer, Miles Foster
Katsumis, James
Millar, Harold Allison
Kalinsusky, Stanislaus
Maben, Luther Benjamin
Kappeler, Jacob Carl
Morrow, James Henry
Koons, Harry Jay
Madden, Louis
Larson, Edward Peter
Murry, George Roland
Lockwood, Ward Dustin
Moeller, John Christ
Lundberg, Alvin T.
Minarik, Mike Lambert
Lee, Victor Carlton
Mohr, John Frederick
Larison, Victor
Mrsny, Charles Adolph
Lehmer, Warren Meyers
Millar, Wilmer Leland
Metzinger, George Ross
Leister, William Lund, L. Noble
Mehaffey, Raymond Jerome
Larson, Elmer Oliver Libbert, Theodore
Millar, Gilbert Alexander Miller, Earl Oliver
Ladehoff, Gilbert C.
Kerstein, Edward Ludwig
Lou, Charles Fred
Larsen, Lars A. E.
Kallenbach, Harold Arthur
Laderlee, Joseph La Violette, James
McFarlane, Harris
McIntosh, Earl McIntosh, Vern
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
207
Monnich, Bernard C. Meyer, John D. Maxwell, Charles V. Maiker, Fred Moseley, Frank A.
Nelson, Julius W. Nelson, Carl Herbert
Nusz, Stoddard Goddell
Nelson, Niels Christian
Nelsen, Theodore Marius
Melton, Bluff Earl
Nelson, Clinton E.
Meyer, Henry F. A.
Nelson, Alvy
Morlin, Gottfried Leon
Nelson, Chris Beck
Meister, William Henry
Nelson, Edward Oliver
Marquardt, Gustav Carl
Nugent, Leo
Meyer, Henry
Newlon, Clyde Arthur
Milliken, James Dale
Nelson, Charles F.
Mortensen, Alex Emil
Olson, Gustus L.
Madsen, Alfred Peter
O'Connor, Harold Joseph
Mortensen, Laurits
Ohmsted, Grover
Miller, Nathan
Olson, Ivan
Mason, Le Roy George
Oaks, Harry Richard
Moench, August
Olson, Jacob
Moffett, Orville Leone
O'Hare, Willie
Martin, Francis Bernette
O'Connor, Patrick
Martin, Bruce
Owens, Ray F.
Monnich, Edward Jacob
Odstrcil, Frank
Mulloni, Arthuro
O'Donnell, Ernest J.
Mines, Robert August
Olson, John E. A.
Melcher, William Ludwig
Olson, Louis
Miller, Jesse A.
Olmstead, Guy Arthur
Matthews, William Valentine
Payne, Roland J. Petersen, Peter A.
Moore, Benjamin Allin
Peterson, Luther A.
May, Richard, Col. Muselbach, Edwin
Parsons, Robert Ira
Murninghan, Peter J. Morris, Earl Calvin Manni, Adolph Miller, Charles
Pfeiffer, Herbert Harry
Poole, Clarre Othello
Morgan, George B. A.
Pierce, Russell Kurtz
Phillips, Louis Harold
Montrey, Victor Le Roy Miller, Clarence Homer Marek, Rudy Marek, Frank
Parr, Joe William Peterson, Harry B.
Marquis, Harry Stanton
Muir, Harry Davis
Malloy, Le Roy Edward
Pinckney, Thomas Lee
Pitzer, Joseph Chris Pederson, Anton
Morris, Robert Nathaniel Marquardt, Elbert Mattson, Albert Metteis, Henry Marr, Lewis Keene Moseley, Wm. Morrs, Scotty J. Melton, Ernest Martinek, Frank
Nicholson, Bert Nolte, Leonard Nielsen, Harry M. C.
Pruss, Edward Pettit, Ray Powell, Wm Pederson, Frank Perkins, Frank S. Poppe, Calus F. Peck, Ralph Frank
Porter, Guy Matthew Paulsen, Louis Peter Popa, Frank
Mahlin, Eugene L.
Parchen, Henry E.
Peterson, Ernest
Porter, Edwin Le Roy
Pribnow, August B. Phillips, Vernon L. Pegden, Carl Raymond
208
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
Pyeatte, Elmer Crozin
Pierce, Lawrence Pillsbury
Realph, William Bryan
Parkert, Albert Charles Porter, Charles Earl Price, Cratton M.
Roush, Harry Albert
Roesch, Leo Joe
Pott, Henry Pocholnke, Nick
Reninger, John Albert Spath, Ray Louis Smith, Jo T.
Peters, Alfred Wesley
Stark, Ben Bowden
Peters, Oswald
Shanahan, William Lyle
Peterson, Paul Kline
Schurman, Teobold H.
Pott, Edmond John
Shanahan, Leo John
Pollock, Joe Irving
Singer, Anton John
Phillips, Frank Leslie
Quigley, Ralph Harrison
Smith, Fred L. Snover, Walter
Rowe, William Raymond
Schreck, Peter
Rasmussen, Fred L.
Stenvers, Albert J. D.
Rasmussen, John
Srb, Gilbert Joseph
Realph, Harvey W.
Stubbert, William Fred
Rose, Alex
Schultz, Carl Henry
Ruppert, Frank
Schneider, Charles
Rowe, Arthur Morton
Robinson, Russell Alex
Schellenberg, August C.
Rink, Arnold
Schellenberg, Henry C.
Royer, Charles W.
Rasmussen, Louis P.
Royer, Milo C.
Sorensen, John Mark Srb, Hugo Frank
Ralfs, Charlie
Shull, Clair Alex
Rohn, Henry Edward
Stevens, Harry Everett
Reynolds, Cassius J.
Schreier, Clifford C.
Richards, Henry Herman
Slater, Dwight Edward
Rapp, Herman
Rosech, Geo. F.
Rasmussen, Victor
Remm, Wm.
Siders, Cyrus W.
Robertson, Guy A.
Tillman, John Wm.
Ruzicka, William Frank
Robertson, Earlyon Howard
Ruwe, Elmer C. H.
Reichman, Walter Chris
Turner, Harvey Ray Tienken, Charles
Reitz, James Donald
Timpe, Conrad Christoful
Robertson, Anson J.
Ronin, Charles Ehnes
Robinson, Clay Aaron
Robins, Edward John
Robinson, Sumner Willis
Rogers, Roy Elmer
Roberts, Earl Joe
Randall, Albert Ray
Robinson, Jay Miles Ray, Logan
Rasmussen, William Parrott
Rose, Alex
Risor, Elmer William
Soll, Ludwig L.
Steen, Raymond Alfred
Rubinek, La Verne F.
Sears, Alfred Richard
Scharf, Albert Steil, Henry Adolph
Seger, George D.
Tiegler, Jr., Henry
Tillma, Arthur C.
Timpe, Fritz Arthur
Tiedeman, Fred C.
Thomas, Wm. Earl
Theede, Harry George
Tedford, Lee Brainard Tillman, Cornelius Herman
Temple, Thomas
Torrey, David Hjalmar
Tatman, Earl Ray
Thomas, Cecil Charles, Col.
Thomas, Gordon R., Col.
Ruff, Emil J. D. Rump, Harry Frank
Scott, Charles Francis
Rasmussen, Alfred
Smith, W. F.
209
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
Softley, Bruce J. Scott, Rex L. Shaffer, John A. Smith, Irwin F. Steen, Earl C. Stewart, Augustus L. Smith, Charles Herald Schmale, Carl Henry Spath, Arthur W. Sorby, Lloyd A. Snyder, Roy Hamilton Studnicka, William Ciellie
Stone, Clarence Lewis Sorby, Roy Seal Snyder, Vival Dow Schwab, Robert Louis Strube, Will
Schurman, Harry Herman
Schwanke, Herman John Softley, Earl Henry
Simmerman, Lenel Ely
Steinkoff, Lester D.
Sours, Hobert
Spangler, Howard Andrew
Stenvers, Wm. Henry
Schlote, Wilmer Herman Struve, Fred John H.
Spangler, Mason T. Stevenson, Arthur
Sellhorst, Joe Strube, Fred F. Sager, James William Sullantrop, Alois
Schwab, Elmer
Saeger, Paul John A.
Schumacher, Wm. L.
Steil, John Ernst
Schoeneck, Hilbert
Schmoldt, August
Salroth, Iver
Scott, Everett Floyd
Siggers, Phillip Harold
Strand, Barton Stuck, Charles I.
Thompsen, Thomas Fred Till, Rex
Stewart, James J.
Tesar, John Jim
Spotts, Earl K.
Totten, Wm. V.
Sempeck, Frank James
Thomas, James, Rector, Col.
Spangler, Louis
Timpe, Somer Eugene
Schroeder, Edwin Wm. Slack, Henry Delno Smith, Con
Thornton, Jesse E.
Tiemken, Gustav H. A.
Theede, Clarence Irving
Seger, George D. Stark, Elmer Emil
Thom, Wm. Harris
Sterner, Lloyd Henry
Thomsen, Carl
Schulz, Emil J.
Uehling, Arthur L.
Ulcek, Joseph
Uehling, Harold Theo. Vrba, Charles
Stecker, Joe James Sturbaum, Joe L.
Vitek, Emil
Strand, Walter Theodore
Van Anda, Ralph Woodward
Schlomer, Wm. G. F.
Van Cleave, Leslie D.
Saunders, Harry B.
Van Loo, John
Shomshor, Edwin David
Vrba, Adolph Frank
Villias, Geo. J.
Walraven, Edwin Wilder
Stecker, Arnold C.
Swartz, Arthur Franklin
Weist, Karl Anton
Williams, Edward J. J.
Wiegle, Herman A.
Wagner, Ralph Roy
Warner, Louis Winkleman, Ernest Fred
Swanson, Charlie Sorenson, Marnius Scott, Forest Alexander
Valk, John
Stell, Irvin Clark Sheeley, Ira Sander, Wm. E. Schmidt, Wm. Fred
Waterman, Albert Herman Walter, Joseph Wallien, Carl Rudolph
Swanson, Kristian Wm. Smith, Floyd A. Stock, Louis Andrew
Softley, Arthur Sandberg, Henry
Trumbull, Drayton Le Roy
Sinamark, George
Soukigian, Hagop
210
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
Wegner, Jr., Wm.
Weihe, Wm. Gottlob
Witt, Rudolph
Webb, Henry C.
Wormwood, Jay
Weimann, Oscar J.
Ward, Con Luther
Wallick, Gilbert Roy
With, Holger Pedersen
Whitford, Arthur John
Winther, Holgar Carl
Whitton, George
Woslager, Tony J.
Whitcomb, Leslie L.
Wedegren, Earl Irving
Wheaton, Frank G.
Whitford, Le Roy Earl
Ward, John Wesley
Wright, Victor Paul
Wilson, Leo
Wright, James H.
Weisberger, Otto Lawrence
Westphalen, Paul Henry
Waterman, John Herman
Wintersteen, Glen Dale
Wegner, Oscar B.
Wolf, Fred H. R.
Wilch, Charles C.
Willeberg, Einer Johannes
Wentzel, Larry Adam
Wheelock, Leon
Watt, Arthur
Wise, Floyd Baker
Wecke, Joseph F.
Weidner, Leo N.
Wertz, Benjamin H.
Weldon, Floyd
Yoder, Jacob Samuel
Woods, Perry
Yoder, Jay Arnold
Wickert, Albert
Young, William James
Wolff, James C.
Yates, Jr., Walter S.
Weidner, Wm. L.
Zwickey, Harry John
Warner, Joe Andrew
Zemlicka, Clarence
Wintersteen, James Horace
Zuber, Herman
Wright, Carl Thomas
Zevitz, Sam
Winn, Victor
Zellers, Henry Clayton
Wells, Jess C.
Zellers, Monroe Theodore
FINANCIAL AID IN DODGE COUNTY
Besides the brave sons who left the homes and firesides of this county, to aid in putting down the World war, the loyal citizens in each township of the county freely gave of their wealth, and some even at quite a sacrifice. The following shows totals for War bonds War stamps and Red Cross funds. The county and every section of it, raised more than their quota, and a handsome balance was left on hand to be used as needs may require.
These contributions included the noble work of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, War Camp service, the Salvation Army, Jewish Welfare, the A. L. A., Armenian, Jewish Relief and Near East work, in all amounting to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
Of the five Liberty loans in Dodge County the records show :
Loan
Quota
Subscription
First Liberty loan.
$524,000
$568,000
Second Liberty loan.
873,300
868,150
Third Liberty loan
762,800
1,375,250
Fourth Liberty loan.
1,670,000
1,740,650
Victory Liberty loan
1,353,800
1,489,050
Totals
$5,183,900
$6,041,100
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
The records of the sales of War Savings securities for Dodge County show the following :
To November 1, 1918, $611,295. Quota for 1918, $442,900. Jan- uary 1 to August 31, 1919, $18,915. No quota assigned for 1919.
The State of Nebraska gave for the above savings securities $27,450,189.85, or $21.18 per capita up to December 31, 1918.
RED CROSS WORK FOR COUNTY OF DODGE
Dodge Chapter of American Red Cross was called upon to raise, in the various "drives," approximately $125,000, but so eager were the good people of this county to aid the Red Cross interests, that it was found when the war ended that this county had nearly doubled its quota-a record to be proud of by the present and future generations who may look back and read this record in the annals of the county.
CHAPTER XXI CRIMES COMMITTED
Dodge County has never been the scene of a large number of revolting crimes within its history of more than threescore years, how- ever, it has had some cases which should be recorded in this volume.
FIRST MURDER
The first murder known to have been committed in Dodge County occurred at Fremont in 1870. A man named Smith, proprietor of the St. Charles Hotel, was engaged in a dispute over a ten cent feed bill, at the hotel barn, with one Gallon of West Point. Blows followed and Smith picked up a neckyoke and struck Gallon over the head killing him almost instantly. He was arrested, tried and convicted of murder in the second degree and received a sentence of ten years in the penitentiary. But before he was taken to prison he made his escape. Al Norris was jailer at that date and he was induced to enter the cell to play "razzle dazzle" and when there was overpowered, the convict escaped and was never afterward seen.
H. B. Hoxie was prosecutor and Z. Shed, attorney for the defense.
ST. LOUIS WIFE POISONING CASE
In 1877 what was known as the "Dr. St. Louis wife poisoning case" blotted the fair pages of Dodge County court records. This was a premeditated murder of a man's bosom companion-his wife. The case appeared in court October 12, 1877. N. H. Bell and John Corrigan appeared for the murderer. Marlow and Munger were appointed to look after the State's cause. The case lasted a week and finally went to the jury who could not agree. The following March the case was tried in Saunders County. He was convicted, sentenced to be hanged and on the morning of the date he was to have been executed, he hearing the sheriff's footsteps to take him to the scaffold deliberately pulled a revolver he had hidden about his person and shot himself, so that two days later he died, thus ended the miserable exist- ence of a wife-murderer and suicide.
PULSIFER MURDER CASE
By all odds the darkest, bloodiest and most uncalled for murder in all Nebraska up to 1892, happened in Dodge County near the little Village of Crowell in 1889 and is known as the "Pulsifer Murder" for which Charles Shepherd and Christ Furst, two very young men finally suffered the death penalty at Fremont, December 10, 1889, at 6:30 P. M. Carl C. Pulsifer, a grain buyer at Crowell and a time honored citizen was murdered by two of his neighborhood young men. He lived on his large farm three-fourths of a mile from Crowell and used generally to walk to and from his business place to his home; the part of the way he went over a private pathway and the remainder on the F. E. & M. V. railway tracks. It was at the point where he left the track to go cross-lots where the foul deed was committed. He was found shot
212
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
through the heart, his person and pockets rifled while his assassins had fled. When he was yet on the grade his youngest son, John Pul- sifer, who had gone on home in advance of his father a few minutes, saw him coming home and noticed he had a lantern. In a few minutes the boy heard three shots from a revolver whereupon he at once started in the direction of the light which soon disappeared. He pressed on speedily and upon nearing the fatal spot tried to find his father but could not. Finally he came to the narrow culvert along the track and there found his father lying on the grade with his feet in the ditch. The shattered lantern lay by him. He lay upon his back, his white face looking up into the starry heavens. The boy approached the silent form (his heart in his throat) his face blanched and a sickening dread came over him. He had already divined what had happened. He touched the form before him. He called, "father, father," there was no reply, no movement, no sign of life! He felt his father's pulse but there was no response. He placed his hand over his father's heart and there found blood flowing freely. Then he knew his father was dead.
Alarm was given-the murdered man was an honored member of the Masonic Order and a bright light in that order. He was beloved by all, and in less than two hours hundreds of men were on the alert to detect the murderers. The second day after the murder the guilty men were captured, one in the morning and the other later on. They had fled and been at various villages and stopped at a farm house for bread but finally returned to their old hiding place along the Elkhorn, in the neighborhood in which they lived. They were brought to Fremont. The same night they confessed their guilt to a newspaper reporter of the Fremont Tribune. They wanted to rob the man but only got a few dollars and claimed a sort of self-defense in shooting, while one of them played the insanity dodge for a time.
County Attorney Loomis and Frick and Dollzal prosecuted in Shepherd's case and T. M. Franse of West Point defended.
Fifty men were called before a petit jury could be obtained. The twelve were: John Farrell, J. A. Kline, Joel Forbes, John Thomson, Dan Monday, Reuben Collins, James Stover, Henry Weisenbach, James Killeen, James Jacobson, John Braman, Henry Hartford.
The trial lasted a week and resulted in a verdict of "murder in the first degree." Judge Marshall tried this case.
Furst's trial came on before the same judge, C. Hollenbeck appear- ing for the defense. The trial lasted three days longer than Shepherd's and resulted in the same verdict. The jury consisted of W. E. Haw- kins, G. W. L. Mitchell, James Morgan, Joseph Pollock, J. H. Blaver, W. H. Brunner. Henry Mayer, Nels Martinson, J. E. Jones, J. H. Caldwell, D. A. Boggs, George Caskey.
These cases went before the Supreme Court and were sustained. Then Governor Thayer was implored to save them from hanging-all was done that could be done in fairness and justice, but it was deter- mined they must hang and June 9, 1891, they were executed within the jail at Fremont, between the hours of ten and eleven o'clock. The militia was on guard.
A very striking coincidence in this connection was the singular fact that the murdered man was near neighbor and "homesteader," living close to Shepherd's parents prior to the birth of the man who finally took his life. When Charles E. Shepherd's mother was about to deliver him in childbirth, Mr. Pulsifer volunteered to ride against an angry
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
storm in cold weather for a physician at West Point. Then to think that twenty-one years later, this same boy should take the life of one who had aided in bringing him into the world.
FAMOUS CRIMINAL CASES
Dodge County has furnished its quota of celebrated criminal cases to the history of the State of Nebraska. It would be utterly impossible in the "space" allowed to give a complete review of the noted tragedies and dramas that have been enacted in Dodge County criminal courts within the past fifty years, and, of necessity, the writer must limit the recital to a brief narrative of the facts and with but a passing casual glance at the principal actors. Judicial investigation with a view of discovery and punishment of crime as they involve the highest interests of society, always attracts an attention commensurate with their importance.
The law provides for the preservation of the testimony and the records, and the public press chronicles the "side lights" but it is the actual witnesses who are thrilled by these dramas of real life. There is nothing in the Grecian drama that surpasses the touching pathos in the trial of men and women charged with the graver offenses of the law.
We enter the halls of justice; we behold the learned judge and watch the solemn faces of the jury, the final arbiters of whether the prisoner shall again breathe the blessed air of freedom or suffer the extreme and dire penalties of the law. We see the pale-faced prisoner ; behold the anguish of relatives and friends; hear the dramatic, eloquent appeals of famous lawyers fighting on one side for conviction; on the other for acquittal, and then your heart stops beating when the clerk starts to read the verdict which sends the accused back to wife or child or mother or friends, or to the scaffold or the dark and dreary walls of prison cells.
In every murder case, the sociologist, the criminologist, the judge and the lawyer-in fact, every man or woman who attends the trial, will find open before him many new phases of human life.
The first celebrated murder case tried in Dodge County was the case of Dr. George J. St. Louis, charged with murdering his wife by wilfully and maliciously administering to her arsenic. There remain but few official records and nearly all of the witnesses and actors have passed on.
The crime was committed on the 30th day of May, 1877, and on the 2d day of June, 1877, a coroner's inquest was held in Fremont by Doctor Crabbs, the medical partner of. Doctor St. Louis. George Blanchard, Peter Denny, E. C. Usher, D. B. Short, M. H. Hinman and George Marshall composed the coroner's jury. The preliminary hearing was held before L. M. Keene, county judge, and the defendant was bound over to the District Court for trial. The defendant was tried in the District Court of Dodge County in the months of January and February, 1878. The prosecution was conducted by N. B. Reese, district attorney and later chief justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Nebraska, who was assisted by Marlow & Munger of Fre- mont. N. H. Bell of Fremont, John Carrigan of Blair and Charles Brown of Omaha defended St. Louis. He was put on trial in Dodge County on the 5th day of February, 1878, but the jury did not agree upon a verdict and was discharged. The case was then taken upon a change of venue to Saunders County, where a trial was had in April, 1878. A verdict of murder in the first degree was returned against St. Louis and the date of execution of the sentence of death fixed for September
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
20, 1878. The judgment of the District Court was affirmed and the execution of the sentence was suspended until Friday, April 18, 1879. The late E. F. Gray and W. A. Gray prosecuted the appeal for the defendant to the Supreme Court. A postmortem examination was con- ducted upon the body of Mrs. St. Louis and a subsequent analysis by a most able and accomplished chemist and toxicologist, Professor Haines of the Rush Medical College, Chicago, who discovered over nine grains of arsenic in the stomach of the dead woman. The late N. H. Bell, one of the most celebrated criminal lawyers of the West, conducted the cross- examination of Doctor Haines and the thrilling contest between these two brilliant men is well remembered by many Fremont citizens, namely : John Hauser, L. D. Richards, John Goff and Nat Smails.
On the evening of the 17th day of April, 1879, John Hauser of Fremont was sent over to the county jail by Smails and Weedin, edi- tors of the Fremont Daily Herald, to secure from Doctor St. Louis tickets to the execution which was to be held in Wahoo the following day. Doctor St. Louis refused to give tickets to the editors, stating that he thought they had not treated him fairly, but was willing to give Mr. Hauser a ticket, which Mr. Hauser politely refused to accept. Robert Gregg, then sheriff, insisted upon Mr. Hauser remaining over night with the condemned man. Mr. Hauser distinctly remembers every incident that occurred during that fateful night. He described vividly how nervous Doctor St. Louis appeared and about midnight insisted on Mr. Hanser sending for his sister-in-law, Mrs. John B. Geitzen. Mr. Hauser complied with the request and brought Mrs. Geitzen to the jail. About half past 1 o'clock on the morning of April 19th, Mr. Gregg came in and told Doctor St. Louis that he was ready to start for Wahoo and for the doctor "to put his boots on." St. Louis said to the sheriff : "Must I go now?" and walked into his cell, secured a pistol that he had secreted, and shot himself in the head. He lingered from that time until Sunday noon following, when he died. Hundreds of Fremont citizens in the meantime viewed the stricken criminal.
The case of Charles C. Carleton, charged with the murder of August Gothman, on the 8th day of June, 1893, near Ames, Nebraska, was tried in the District Court in the month of September, 1893. Gothman was shot three times in the head. The prosecution was conducted by Conrad Hollenbeck, then county attorney, assisted by George L. Loomis, and Carleton was defended by the law firm of Frick & Dolezal. Carleton was convicted and sentenced to be executed. Appeal was taken to the Supreme Court and the judgment affirmed. However, sentence of death was commuted to life imprisonment and thereafter Carleton was par- doned. This ended one of the most bitterly contested criminal cases ever tried in the State of Nebraska.
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