Nelson, Jim - attempted rape
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal
Friday, 25 April 1902
The trial of Jim
Nelson, charged with having attempted to commit a rape upon Mrs. Newton Campbell at her home near Darlington , January 29, came up Friday morning in the
circuit court before Judge West by agreement of the attorneys. Nelson was
brought up by Officer Jack O’Neil and Sheriff McCullough and has grown fleshy
since his incarceration. He had several large strips of court plaster across
his forehead covering wounds made while he was having fits at the jail. During
the opening speech of Deputy Prosecutor W. D. Jones, Nelson took exceptions to
a statement about a shirt that was said to have disappeared and sprang to his
feet, gesticulating and chattering in a very crazy manner and attempting to get
at Mr. Jones with his fists. He was grabbed by Sheriff McCullough and Officer
O’Neil and handcuffed, but later quieted down and the derbies were removed.
Mrs. Campbell told the story of the attempted assault, which was made in the
morning while her husband was away from home, and her evidence differed in none
of its details from that related in the mayor’s court at Nelson’s preliminary
hearing. A number of witnesses testified in the case, and the defense sets up
the allegation that Nelson was insane at the time he committed the assault. The
trial of Jim Nelson, charged with assault and battery with intent to commit a
felony on Mrs. Newton Campbell, of near Darlington, was concluded Friday about
five o’clock and there were no arguments, the evidence being submitted to Judge
West for his decision. He at once rendered a verdict of guilty, but did not
pass judgment on Nelson until Monday. After the rendering of the verdict Nelson
jumped to his feet and demanded that Campbell Jeffersonville