Show INQUEST HELD JURY REPORTS IN DEATH OF SCOTT NELSON Death Laid to Accident Caused By Blow FIGHT FIG SCRIBED DESCRIBED DB Evidence Conflicts in Some Instances Sev SCy- Several eral Witnesses J J Scott Nelson Ne came e to his death I by accidental means between the hours of 5 30 and G 30 p. p p m. m at 2331 Kiesel avenue Ogden Utah on September 17 1927 by falling failing and striking his head on the cement causing a fracture of the skull through a blow rendered in an al altercation al- al altercation altercation between the deceased dec cd and andone andone andone one Joseph A. A Richards Signed ISAAC BLAIR JOSEPH E S. STOREY RANDALL BARTON BARTOlI The foregoing Is the verdict e- e turned to E S. E. E Pratt acting cor cor- coroner coroner oner otter this afternoon by the coners coner's jury sitting In the Inquest called to Inquire e Into the death of J J. J Scott Nelson Neson manager of the Ford Nel son Automobile company The In Inquest In- In InQuest inquest quest was begun at 11 o'clock this morning conducted by Parley E E. county attorney and brought brou ht out details of the Saturday night altercation which resulted In la Nel Nel- Nelsons Nelson's Nelsons Nelson's sons son's death In 10 the hospital on Sun Sun- day a County Attorney said he was undecided as to what his next nest step will be NAMES N OF WITNESSES WIT Witnesses to the encounter who tes tea testified testified tilled were Mr Watts Mr Richards Mrs Richards Mrs Mary Hull moth- moth Mrs Richards Mrs Mary Tull lull moth moth- mother er of Mrs Richards and Roy T. T Bus Bur bidge mechanic for Mr Richards I Mrs Richards and her mother de declared de- de dared that they heard Nelson call Mr Richards a vile name in the Inner of of- of office fice lice before the encounter bIt Mr Watts who was In the office said he did not Mrs Richards testified that Nelson struck her as she attempted 1 to get through the door into the of office ilce where the fight lIght first started and knocked her against a glass breaking It ii and causing a cut on her shoulder Watts at ag this Ibis time Nelson was trying g to get out through the door to get away from Richards who was be be- be lug ing held by Watts Waits STRUGGLE DESCRIBED ED The struggle In which Nelson was wu knocked to the floor Ioor occurred after alter this In the outside showrooms SnO after Nelson has succeeded In getting through the office door Mr Watts who was was one one of the first witnesses on the stand testified that he was In Richards' Richards office talking to him Saturday evening just before the affray Richards called him bins he said to Inquire about a charge of sen service ice on Paige cars which Richards formerly I handled bandied Richards wanted to know why tho thel I service was being taken from him I without notification and I explained I that it was et the t policy of the company o i g ib to have e the e dealer handle the service work himself Mr Watts testified lIE HE BLAMED L. NELSON Richards was of or the opinion that Nelson was the cause of the change Mr Watts continued but after alter I ex- ex lamed that It was the company policy he seemed to cool down and seemed satisfied Nelson entered the place at this time He had a a. smile on his face and ana anC said Hello to both of or us Nelson Neson came In the office I could see that Richards was wrought up and Nel Nel- Nelson Nelson son started to say something Richards Interrupted him and asked What do you jou 00 mean trying mean trying to double-cross double me I have nave d done ae no double-crossing double Nelson replied Nelson Iron then went up close dose to Rich Rich- Richards Richards Richards ards and Richards said Well we cant can't get cars for service here Richards got up and Nelson backed against the walL wait Richards grabbed a chair and ran around toward Nelson and he was lift lit liftIng I- I ing the chair when I got In under It as It came down and it struck me on oss the shoulder houlder Richards I think struck Nelson one blow in the Inner office after alter he put down the chair SlItS nuts RICHARDS ENTERS I was holding Richards and talking h to him bins when Mrs Richards came through the door doer Nelson was trying to gel get out at the same time and Mrs Richards was knocked back against the glass In the door which broke Nelson went through the show show- showrooms showrooms showrooms rooms and Richards got away from me mo and went after him Richards got down there and struck him We separated them and sort they got to their feet I 1 was standing on Nelsons Nelson's left and was pleading with them to cool down and forget the tho lighting fighting Mrs Richards then spoke up and said No weve we've got to set set- settie Je Ue this matter here Nelson dou dou- crossed ble Joe Richards then struck Nelson Nel on on the side of his head with his list fist and Nelson Nelso went reeling back and fell to the floor He did not move and we worked over him to try to in revive him Nelson did not strike Richards before he Ito fell EXCITED AND D SORRY Richards worked over o Nelson fran fran- frantically frantically and he seemed excited e and sorry He lie looked look d up at me and said God Watts I wish I had taken your jour advice and cooled down Mr Watts said that a doctor was called and Nelson was taken to the hospital He did not con ton Watts said In conversation before the struggle t. t gle tle Watts said that Richards told him ilm that he had Lad had lots Jots of trou- trou trouble his ble le with Nelson and that he felt that hat Nelson Nelsen was to blame for his losing the service on oss Paige cars Watts added that Richards remark remark- remarked ed that when he saw Nelson Nel on ho he was due for a good beating besting Watts said at this point he assured Rich Rich- Richards Richards Richards ards that thit the automobile factory was responsible for a change In ser ser- servIce vIce and not Nelson Watts W was recalled to the witness stand land later and under questioning by County Attorney Parley E. E Nor Nor- Continued on rage Pe Two INQUEST HELD JURY REPORTS Continued from Page One seth declared he at no time heard Nelson NeIson call Richards any name be- be before tore fore the fight He said that he did not see Nelson NeIson strike Mrs Rich Rich- Richards Richards ards but he was within the inner office olce and this could have happen happen- ed He again said that Nelson was struggling t to get out the door and Mrs Richards was trying to set get In in TESTIFIES On the wItness stand Mr Rich Rich- Richards Richards ards testified that prior to Saturday day he had done service work on cars for the Nelson Ford company He saId that before thIs Ume he had friendly arguments with Nel- Nel Nelson Nelson son but there was no enmity be- be between tween them RIchards further ex- ex explained that he had opened his new garage with the understand understand- understanding ing that he was to continue doing the service work and had spent a large sum of money In establishing the new place at 2331 Klesel avenue He said he noticed that the service work was setting getting less and less and wanted to know why the servIce was changed He was vas talking with Watts In his office olce late Saturday the he continued when hen Nelson came in His wife and his mother law wee pe in the dis- dis display display play rooms lust just RIchards testified that he said to Nelson It looks to me as If you are double crossing me and taking the work somewhere else What's the idea of sending the cars cors to others I was sitting on the desk Rich Rich- Richards Richards ards continued and Nelson an- an answered answered I guess Ive I've got a right to You should have let me know be- be before b fore I went to this expense I an- an answered answered instead of double crossing me Nelson yelled You are a liar and he grabbed me and then struck me with his left hand and we skirmished He reached for a pipe which was laying on the radiator and I 1 picked up a chair but Watts held me Mrs Richards started to come through the door and Nelson struck her It might have been and It might have not but he struck her and sent her back into the glass glassand glassand and broke It ItI I I went out Into the show room and Nelson grabbed me by the leg We both went to the floor The struggle was still In session when I reached down and hit not him very ery hard but his feet seemed to get mixed up and he last his balance He fell on the floor struck his head and laid there It was only one of at those friendly little scraps and right now I think as much of Scott Nelson as any man on Gods God's earth to Watts kept telling me to stop but butI I told him later that I just couldn't stop t was just somethIng that couldn't be helped Before lea g the stand Mr Nor Nor- seth again questioned Richards about who struck the first blow and Rich Rich- Richards Richards ards said that Nelson struck him first PT n t the h. h WIFE'S TESTIMONY Mrs Richards testified she was standing In the show room outside the Inner office and Nelson came In He did not speak to her she said and i went Into the small office She then heard an argument she declared and heard Nelson call her husband a vile vUe name I screamed for Roy the mechanIc and then ran to the office door Nelson Nel- Nel Nelson son was coming out and he hit me- me meI 1 I 1 d dont don't nt know whether he kew it was me or not and then he hit me again In the show room Nelson grabbed Joes Joe's leg and ana the next thing I know I saw Nelsons Nelson's legs tangle and he fell felland felland and struck his head on the floor Ioor Archie Hull Mrs Richards Richards' brother testified he was In the rear of the gar gar- garage garage age when he heard Mrs Richards scream lie He ran out and saw Nelson grab Richards by the leg he said Both went to the floor and got up FALLS BACKWARD Joe then struck Nelson he said and Nelson went backward for nearly 20 feet and then fell on his head In Inthe inthe the corner When his head struck it kind of popped and a moment later blood came from his left ear We all worked on him and then sent him to the hospital Mrs Hull corroborated the testimony mony given by Mrs Richards and Roy Burbidge the automobile mechanic gave testimony similar to that of Mr Hull PHYSICIANS PHYSICIAN'S OPINION Dr Edward I. I Rich testified he at- at attended attended tended Nelson and In his opinion death resulted from a hemorrhage of tho brainy caused by an external In- In injury jury Dr J. J J F F. testified he at- at attended attended tended Mrs Richards who had a cut cuton cuton on her left shoulder I LeRoy Nelson brother of Scott Nel- Nel Nekton ton also testified and told about the arrangement through which Richards had been servicing cars for the Ford Ford- Nelson company He said he talked with Richards Saturday afternoon be- be before before fore the altercation and Richards told him he wa pretty damn sore be- be because because cause Nelson has double crossed me The hearing was before cUng City Judge Eugene E. E Pratt In the city court room Fo Following owing the completion of the testimony County Attorney j ok k the jurors to the Richards garage to permit them to Inspect the scene of the affray |