Clackamas County OR Archives Obituaries.....Nelson, Andrew  July 13, 1930
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Sheron Faynor nitwittwin@hotmail.com August 21, 2007, 7:21 am

Canby Herald July 17,1930
Farmer Killed by His Neighbor
Neighborhood Feud Terminated Monday Morning by Fatal Gun PLay
Andrew Nelson, a farmer living on the Molalla River one mile south of Canby, 
near Island Park, was fatally shot Monday Morning by Charles Maier, a 
neighbor.He died instantly.the tragedy,it is said, was the result of a 
neighborhood feud which has prevailed for some time.
According to a report of the fray given by neighbors, Nelsons cattle broke 
throgh hte property line fence betweeen the two farms and damaged Maiers 
crops. One heifer is said to have been held by Maier unitl settlement for 
damages had been made. Nelson went after the animal Monday morning about eight 
o'clock and when Maier refused to release the heifer Nelson went to the 
barn,turned the animal out and started to drive it home. Maier became enraged 
at his neighbors effontery and went in the house after his gun. he came out 
with a 30:30 rifel in hand and commenced shooting.Three shots were fired in 
rapid succession, neighbors claim, and after a pause of several seconds tow 
more. It was believed that one of the first three shots took effect and that 
the nurderer walked to where the wounded man was lying upon the ground and 
dedliberately shot him twice. Investigation made by Coroner Holman of Oregon 
City revealed the fact that three bullets penetrated the mans body,one on the 
left side below the stomach, one on the right side a little higher up and the 
third entering the right chest.
Mrs. Maier is said to have been the only eye witness for the tragedy . Se 
notified Deputy Sheriff Rotherberg who, in turn ,notified Sjeriff Mass. The 
sheriff and two deputies drove to the scene, but Maier had disappeared and a 
thorough search of the wooded section failed to disclose his whereabouts. 
Maier has a sister living at Woodburn, and when the man could not be found in 
the vicinity of his home Sheriff Mass drove to Woodburn tpo seek information.
Deputy Sheriff Augut Rothenberg of this city is enttitled to enthusastic 
commendation for the efficiency shown during the hours of intense excitement 
following the tragedy. He was the first officer to arrive at the scene of the 
murder, the first to pursue the murderer, and his pursuit was continued during 
MOnday afternoo: evening and nearly all day Tuesday.r. Rithenberger searched 
the river bottoms alone in an effort to disclose the whereabouts of Maier and 
the search was only abandoned after a diligent hunt through the timber in the 
vicinity o Maier's home. Tueday afternoon he drove to Molalla to see if any 
trace of the man could be found. Failing to locate that man 
anywhere,Mr.Rothenberg is nor firm in the belief that he committed suicide 
soon after the murder, and that his body will probably be found not a great 
distance from the scenen of the tragedy.
Nelsons body was taken to Oreogn City by the Coroner monday forenoon and 
prepared for burial,which will take place here Sunday. The funeral will be 
held in the Methodist church Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Nelson came to Canby about six years ago, and maier had lived on his place 
for about eight years. It is said there has been more or less tension between 
the two men since Nelson bought the adjoining farm. Maier has had some 
domestic trouble , it is said, and neighbors claim he seems ot be fond of 
neighborhood troble.
Maier had his gun in hand when he disappeared and some people have advanced 
the theory that he committed suicide.
Mr. Nelson is survived by his wife and four grown children.
Up to the time these pages went to press last evening no tarce of the slayer, 
Maier, has been found.Different reports were circulated Tuedsay and Wednesday 
to the effect that he had been sen but investigstion proved thst there was no 
foundation to any of them.Men working in the bridge contruction job near where 
the nurder was committed reported that a man bearing the descritpion of Maier 
was seen walking on the rive rbank,but suddenly disappered. Officers made a 
careful search of the territory, but with no avaul. Tuesday evening a man was 
seen walking down the Pacific Highway without a hat. The fact that Maier had 
no hat when he disappeared aroused suspicion that the slayer was headed toward 
Portland. Investiagtion of this report, however, proved that the man 
was   "hiker". Another report investigated proved to be a fisherman who was 
walking across the field in the vicinity o fthe Pudding River south of Barlow.
The general belief here is that Maier has committed suicide by drowning in the 
Molalla River, or some other mens.

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