Murder at Grinnell.
Deputy Sheriff Fagen and Coroner Ackerman returned from Grinnell last Tuesday night, where they had been to hold an inquest on the body of Henry Shuefelt, who was shot and killed last Saturday evening by O. M. Dean. The evidence taken before the coroner was so strong that the jury brought in their verdict of willful murder, stating that Shuefelt came to his death by a gunshot wound at the hand of O. M. Dean. Mr. Dean was arrested on the coroner's warrant and brought to this city, where he is now in jail. The Graphic withholds any comments upon the case until the facts are developed before the court in a preliminary examination, which will take place next Tuesday. Shuefelt was shot through the heart with a Winchester shot-gun loaded with buckshot, and died almost immediately.
Williston Graphic, 4/15/1898
Examination of O. M. Dean.
The preliminary examination of O. M. Dean, for the murder of Henry Shuefelt at Grinnell, in Williams County, on the 9th inst., commenced before Justice Metzger last Tuesday afternoon. States Attorney Stewart conducted the prosecution, and B. D. Townsend, now of Grand Forks, appearing for the defense. Ten witnesses were examined, eight for the state and two for the defense. The examination lasted two days, and resulted in the discharge of the prisoner.
The testimony in the case shows that on the afternoon, or evening, of the 9th of April, O. M. Dean was going home from the Grinnell post-office with his little girl. He was carrying a Winchester repeating shot gun with shells in it loaded with large buckshot. When passing Henry Shuefelt's house, Shuefelt and his brother came out of the house and started for the road as though to head Dean off. When they came about ten or fifteen feet from each other, Dean fired his gun, the charge taking effect in Shuefelt's breast and passed nearly through the body, so that the buckshot could be easily felt under the skin in the back. The witnesses for the prosecution, who were present, say that Shoefelt had no arms upon his person and that he did not say anything to Dean when the shot was fired. Dean's little girl testified that Shoefelt made some remark to her father, and put his hand to his hip pocket as though he intended to draw a revolver, when her father shot. Dean then started to run, when the little girl claims she heard another shot, but did not see any other gun than her father's, and didn't know who fired it. Dean continued to run until he got nearly home, or met his wife, who was coming toward him, having heard the shot and seen the men in the road. There was no evidence to show that Dean and Shuefelt had ever had any previous quarrels, though the defense claimed that the Shuefelts belonged to a disreputable gang, some of whom had on several occasions made serious threats against Mr. Dean's personal safety, and that on a recent date one of the "gang" named Payne, living over in Stark County, had attempted to lasso him.
The foregoing statement contains about all the facts elicited bearing directly on the killing, but there was a large amount of other testimony taken, which was wholly irrelevant in a preliminary examination.
We understand that the friends of the murdered man are not at all satisfied with the termination of the preliminary proceedings, and intend to have Dean rearrested and the matter more vigorously prosecuted, by the employment of an attorney outside the States Attorney.
Williston Graphic, 4/22/1898
