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the mysterious death of Lars Axelsen (1833-1901)

AXELSEN, LAURITZEN, HANSEN, CHRISTENSEN, HUMPHREY

Posted By: Ken Akers (email)
Date: 2/13/2017 at 20:37:23

Audubon County Journal (IA)
Thursday, Jan. 2, 1902, pg. 6

Exira News
Sad Accident.

----------

Tuesday noon as one of the neigh-
bors of Lars Axelsen, living about
six miles west of town was coming
to Exira he stopped to ask the old
man, who lives alone, if he wanted
to send in for anything when to his
horror he found the old man dead
in bed. He immediately come on to
town and informed the Coroner who
came down and had Doctor N. P,
Lauritzen of Exira go out and hold
a post mortem examination and empaneled
the following jury: A. P.
Hansen, Nels C. Christensen and
Knud Hansen. Deputy Sheriff Sherman
Humphrey was on the ground
to see if the deed was that of an as-
sassin. The ground and premises
looked as though he had been hurt
on the outside and then gone in and
partially undressed and gone to
bed. A few feet from the door was
sharp stone and near that were
clots of blood. His pillow was cov-
ered with blood, showing that he
must have been alive when he laid
down. The whole back of his head
was chrushed in and his skull was
scarcely thicker than good thick
brown paper so that the concussion
of an ordinary skull which would
have jarred and caused instant
death in most cases might not have
in this. The motive was evidently
not robbery, if he was killed, for he
had $110.00 on his person when
found, and nothing looked disturb-
ed. The autopsy brought out that
he met his death from the commen-
uted depressed fracture of the skull
and extensive internal hemorrhage
The finding of the jury has not
been given so we can find out its
decision.

The deceased was sixty-nine years
old and was honored by all who
knew him. Was quite well-to do
having eighty acres of land and
was soon to receive money from
Denmark. He leaves four grown
sons and a daughter who have the
sympathy of all the friends in this
sad death. He was buried Thurs-
day.

Note: Lars "Sam" Axelsen was married to Anna Elizabeth Jorgensen.
Additional source of information: Exira, Iowa Quasquicentennial book (1857-1982), FAMILY HISTORIES, page 123, 124 and
Exira, Iowa Sesqui History Book (1857-2007), page 243.

Audubon County Journal (IA) - January 02, 1902
 

Audubon Documents maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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