CRIMES
THE MURDER OF ROBERT NEILSON
HOME | BACK
Examination of
Daniel Nelson | Examination of Esther Nelson | Examination
of Margaret Nelson | Examination of Sarah Nelson
No. 1
December 1823
Perry County
At a Court of ___ and Te___ held at Landisburg for the county of Perry before
the honorable John Reed Esquire president and his associate Judges of the said
Court on the first Monday in December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and twenty three.
The Grand Inquest of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania inquiring in and for the
body of the county of Perry upon their oaths and affirmations respectfully do
present that Joseph Neilson late of the county of Perry, tanner, not having the
fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of
the Devil, on the twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight Hundred and twenty three at the township of Toboyne and county of Perry
aforesaid and within the jurisdiction of this Court with force and in the ____
of God ________ Commonwealth then and there being _______ in and upon one Robert
Neilson, feloniously wilfully and of his malice aforethought did make an assault
and that he the said Joseph Neilson with a certain knife made of iron and steel
of the value of fifty cents, which be the said Joseph Neilson in his right hand
then and there had and held him the said Robert Neilson in and upon the breast,
belly sides left arm and left thigh of him the said Robert Neilson, then and
there feloniously wilfully and of his malice aforethought, did strike, thrust,
stab and penetrate giving to the said Robert Neilson then ___ of there with the
knife aforesaid in and upon the breast belly sides left arm and left thigh of
him the said Robert Neilson six several wounds, to wit, one mortal wound in and
upon the lower part of the left breast of him the said Robert Neilson of the
breadth of one inch and of the depth of six inches, and one other mortal wound
in and upon the left side of the left breast of him the said Robert Neilson of
the breadth of one inch and of the depth of four inches, and one other mortal
wound in and upon the left side of the belly between the short ribs of him the
said Robert Neilson of the breadth of one inch and of the depth of six inches
and one other mortal wound in and upon the right side of the belly of him the
said Robert Neilson of the breadth of one inch and of the depth of four inches
and one other mortal wound in and upon the left arm of him the said Robert
Neilson of the length of four inches and of the depth of two inches and one
other mortal wound in and upon the left thigh of him the said Robert Neilson of
the length of two inches and of the depth of one inch, of which said six several
mortal wounds he the said Robert Neilson then and there instantly died and so
the jurors aforesaid upon their oaths and affirmations aforesaid, do say, that
the said Joseph Neilson him the said Robert Neilson in manner and form aforesaid
then and there feloniously wilfully and of his malice aforethought did kill and
murder contrary to the form of the act of General Assembly in such case made and
provided and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Thomas Elsler, Attorney General
Witnesses
John Brunner?
Alexander Douglas
Robert Adams, Esq.
Margaret Neilson
Esther Neilson
Sarah Neilson
Daniel Neilson
Witnesses
Samuel McCord
Samuel Nesbit
Hugh Clark
James Clark
Fisher Nesbit
Charles Robison
George Douglas
Andrew Norcross?
Henry Zimmerman
John Zimmerman
William McCord
Abraham Bower, Sr.
John Calho_n
Margaret Nesbit
Examination of Daniel
Nelson
Perry County
The examination of Daniel Nelson of the township of Toboyne County of Perry and
State of Pennsylvania yeoman. Taken before Robt. Adams Esq. one of the
Justices of the Peace in and for the said county the 27th day of July in the
year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and twenty three the Said Daniel
Nelson being charged with Having been party in the murder of Robt. Nelson of the
township, county and State aforesaid with Having Stabbed the said Robt. Nelson
with a knife or some other sharp weapon and the said Robt. Nelson is since
dead. The said Daniel Nelson upon his examination now taken before me
saith that on Saturday last past the said Daniel Nelson Joseph Nelson and Robt.
Nelson was engaged in holling in Rye on the farm of Margarett Nelson that in the
Evening of said day the above mentioned three to wit Daniel Nelson Joseph Nelson
and Robt. Nelson came into the House of Margaretta Nelson being the time there
was some Rain and During the time it was Raining Joseph nelson went home to his
own House and said Danl Nelson went up to barn and lay down then Robt. Nelson
came up to the barn and scoalded me I took my Cri_ndle and went over to try my
Creadle in the oats I went past Joseph as he was standing out before the door
and he asked me what was the matter as he seen by my Looks there was something
the matter I told him that Robt. had scoalded me he said he had went on
High annuff this H----- he believed he would go over and peacify him meaning
Robt. Nelson I went in & eat some victuals in Joseph and from that I
went on till the oats and began to creadle and I Heard the noise at the House I
took my creadle and ___ with it till Josephs and Left it there and ran from that
like my mothers and just as I was coming up the steps of the House Joseph Nelson
was coming out of the House I asked him what was the matter he said he had got
his shirt tore I went in and seen Robert Setting in the floor and the girls
holding him up I asked the girls what was the matter with him meaning
Robert one of them said he had fallen on the steps I made answer and said I
thought it was a stab of a knife we then carried him to bed I then went up
and fetched Charls Robison I then came back to the Lane and then went to
the field for a Horse I fetched the Horse to the House and saddled him and
then went up to Carsons then Thomas Carson and me rode over to John Nelsons and
John Nelson Thomas Carson and myself came Home put the beast in the field and
went in the House sat some time there and then went to bed
Taken before me the 27th Day
of July AD 1823
Robt. Adams
Daniel Nelson (signed)
The examination of
Ester Nelson of Toboyne Township, County of Perry and State of Pennsylvania
taken before me Robt. Adams Esqr. one of the Justices of the Peace in for the
said county the 30th day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight
hundred and Twenty Three, the said Easter Nelson being charged with being aiding
assisting or otherwise trying to conceal a certain Murder committed on the body
of Robt. Nelson at the house of Margarett Nelson on the 26th day of July
1823. The said Easter Nelson on her Examination saith that on the 26th day
of July 1823 in the Evening of said day about sun set my Mother Robert Mary and
Sally were eating their supper and during the time they ware eating I went to
the Loft and Then I Returned back to the Stair Door I seen Robt.&
Joseph standing in h--- Robert had Joseph by the brest then I went in between
them and parted them then I took Robt. to the Door and Mary and Sally took
Joseph to the other Door when I took Robt. to the Door he turned about and
looked back in the house I asked him [what just] _________________ he said
he was not angry now there would be no more of it and he stood on his feet a few
minnets and then sunk away then my mother hollored something I do not know what
she said he fell over on the ground. I then called to the Rest to come and
help in with him and Joseph Mary and Sally came and helped in with him we lifted
him up and took him in and set him at the door so that he might get air as he
set up he seed to braithe as well as usual for a while we then took him to bed
and set him up and I set behind him untill he breathed his last breath but
during the time he sat in the floor we opined his Clothes to give him air and
then we discovered blood from off him to see where the blood came from we then
seen the one mark on his brest I do not know how he got hurt but it must have
been when Joseph and him was in ._____ we did not see any but the one mark
untill some of the men came and examined him and the time they ware going to eat
and the time they ____ that Robt got hurt Daniel was at the oat field I believe
as he was not in the House.
Subscribed before me this
30th day of August AD 1823
Robt. Adams
Ester Nelson (signed)
Perry Co.
The examination of Margarete Nelson of Toboyne township
County of Perry and State of Pennsylvania When before Robt. Adams Esqr. one of
the Justices of the peace in & for the said county The 30th Day of
August in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and twenty three the
Said Margarette Nelson being charged with having been aiding assisting or
otherwise concealing a certain Murder committed in the house of the said
Margarette Nelson on the 20th day of July last past the said Margarite nelson
upon her examination saith that on the 26th day of July 1923 in the
evening of said as the family of the said Magarette Nelson was going to eat
their supper then said Margarette Nelson asked where Daniel was and some of them
made answer and said they did not _____ I asked them if he had went to the other
House They said they did not know then Robert got up and went to the barn and
after Robert returned from the barn I asked him if Daniel was at the barn;
Robt. said he was there and was coming down Daniel then came in as we were
siting down to eat. I told him to come to his Supper but he did not
sit down to eat Daniel appeared to be some how affronted at Robt. but I did not
know how the offence came then Daniel and Robt had some words: then Daniel
went to the loft and brought a grain creadle down and from that he went in the
oats field and began to creadle oats and before we ware done eating all but my
self I had just set back from the table Joseph came in and sat down and after he
had set down he said I think you have turned one man away Robt. made
answer and said if ever I know him to act so again I will take and tye him till
he comes to him self Joseph said you should not mind him yes says Robt. or
you Either Joseph said Shure I am not affraid to speak to you then Robert jumped
up from the table then They made at each other but how they caught hold of each
other I can not tel as the Girls ran to them that was Mary and Sally Ester
was up stairs and ran down and went betwen them and parted them She took Robt to
the front Door and Joseph went to the back door then Robt went out on the p___
door steps and I said Robt. what makes you get in such a possion you know that
this vexes me whether he made me answer or not I can not tell then just at that
time he fell and as I thought he fell on the scraper he fell over on his back
off the steps then I called out he was killed then the girls came out and raised
a great screem and a Cry then I calld to Joseph to come and help in with him
then he came and we carried him to the back door we set him up and rubbed his
face with whiskey Then I told Joseph to go and fetch Wm. Bruner and accordingly
he went and brought him then the girls and Daniel carried him to the bed whether
Joseph helped to carry him before he started I do not know but he did not live
long after we put him to bead.
questions asked Do you know who it was that stabbed Robert Answer I do not
know but suspect it was Joseph there was no other person for it as Daniel was
not in the hous.
Margret Nelson (signed)
Subscribed this 30
day of August AD 1823
before Robert Adams.
Perry County
The examination of Sarah Nelson of toboyne township county
of Perry and State of Pennsylvania taken before Robt. Adams Esqr. one of the
Justices of the Peace in and for he county affsd. the 30th day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and twenty three the said
Sarah Nelson being charged with having been aiding assisting or otherwise
concealing a Certain Murder committed in the House of Margarett Nelson the 26th
day of July last past on the body of Robt. Nelson the said Sarah Nelson on her
examination saith that on the 26th Day of July 1823 in the Evening of said day
as we were sitting eating our supper there was Robert, Mother Mary and my self
ware Eating and During the time we were Eating Joseph Nelson came in and told
Robert that he believed he had turnd off [one man?] Robt. said that if he would
give him any of his [chat] he would tie him Robt. got up and went till
Joseph Mary got up and went to them but I was frightned that I did not _______
catched each other then i went to them as soon as I could I got a hold of Joseph
& I took him Back but I was so frightned that I did not know how it was I
seen no weapon that any of them had nor any ______ between them Joseph shirt was
some tore & after we had parted them Robert went towards the Door and my
Mother called out that Robert had fell I then went to him but before I got
to him Ester had Lifted him up So that he could sit: Then we carried him
in the House floor and Mary opened up his Clothes then we discovered blood on
him we held him up for some time and wet his face with whiskey he appeared not
to come to we then carried him to bead and in the course of one minnet I think
he was Dead at the time we took him to bead Daniel helped with him to bead
but Daniel was not there at the time that Robt. got hurt when Daniel first came
in we had him setting up in the floor he asked what was the matter whether any
person ___ him answer or not I cannot tel there was no person to Hurt him but
Joseph as there was no more there at the time he get hurt but Joseph at the time
we Discovered Blood on him we ___ Sarah and found the wound on his Breast we
thought at that time that he got it by the fall
Sarah "/" her mark Nelson
Subscribed this 30th day of
August AD 1823 before
Robt. Adams
|
