St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05
HONOR OF A HUSBAND
Chris Koran Tells How He
Came to Shoot MoritZ
WeiSSeP.
His Wife's Chastity Respected
Even in His Hour OF
Peril.
Accident and Mania Both
Claimed in His De-
Tense.
Excitement and Strain Break
Him Down on the
Stand.

Christ Koran told his story Of the kill
Ing OF MoritZ l.. WeiSser to the jury
yesterday, and was subjected to q
searching examination by County
Attorney T. d. OBrien which compre
hended the incidents leading up to the
homicide, as we'll as relating to the scene
that terminated the live OF the man
whom Koran believes broke up his
home. Koran showed strong evidences
of troubled mind on the witness stand
and was reserved ON points which
involved the inidelity of his wife.
Spectators were impressed with the
view that Koran even at this time is un-
willing to admit to the public that his
wife and Weisser were on too init mate
terms. His story as to his depressed
spirits and troubled mind over the state
OF his domestic affairs before the shoot
ing had the pronounced semblance of
truth.
The court room and galleries were
filled at the opening of court yesterday
morning. Mr.. Erwin called Koran to
the stand TO proceed with his eXamina-
lion. The man looked pale, haggard
and broken in spirit. In response to
frequent interrogations by his attorney,
he continued his story and said:
Koran Tells His story.
81 had a talk with Mrs. Brown about
two weeks before the shooting. Frank
Brown told me to go and see her, that
she could help NE in my family troub-
les. did not tell her | would kill Weis-
ser. went to the RCndo station two
weeks before the shooting to get. an Of
ficer to arrest Weisser. in case we found
him in my wife's room. Officer Gctchell
went with me. got through window
and found Weisser was not in her room.
The officer said he could hear Weisser,
and wanted to break open the door to
the downstairs room, but | told him
that would do no good.
Ion Aug. | came down from my
work at Minneapolis and went to my
brothers, and then home to take bath.
When | left my brothers. his wife told
me TO take my revolver out of my old
clothes SO that her little boy would not
get it. | put the revolver in my pocket
L met Rosa before reaching home and
kissed her and WeiSser'S little girl. |
told Rosa to ask her mother To let me
have hot water TO take bath. When
she came out l met her in the dining
room and asked her what her mother
said. Rosa replied that her mother had
said nothing.
al went to the kitchen and saw nv wife
and WeiSser sitting near the sink. WeiS-
Ser had his left arm around her waist. |
felt sick and broken down. | told him
TO get out of the house. He got up and
looked desperate and bad, and put his
hand in his hip pocket He then backed
up the stairs, and when he got ND two
,e.N, L.,
in his hip pocket again. | saw him draw
something partly out that looked bright.
and he called me ----. /
pulled my revolver out and pointed it at
him. l thought he had my old
pistol in his pocket. l did not
intend 10 shoot him. My wife
caught hold of ME ana seized
the hand in which l had the pistol, and
1t went off. My wife said, Christ. why
did you shoot?' and | said, i would not
have shot If you had left me alone
My wife held en- 10 ire until Mrs. Cook
came down and asked me to give her
the revolver. Mr.. Cook then came down
stairs and | gave the pistol to him. |
would NOT give the pistol to the women
for fear they would hurt themselves
with it. and did not want to trust my
wife with the pistol because / was
afraid of her at that time. | Go not re-
member everything closely. 1t seems
like dream. ] have thought over the
matter great amount since and tried
TO remember all that happened"
The Prisoner Breaks Dcwm.
During the cross-eXamination the
witness was much affected when the
character of his wife and her intimacy
with WeisSer were touched upon. The
additional points brought out on cross
examination were that he had happy
home before WPisser came to it. He had
never quarreled with his wife, except
ing the little scenes usual to married
people. He had not treated his wife
badly when they lived at Star Prairie.
He dld rot know that she had walked
to SUllWater.a distance of twenty miles.
There was 10 need of her doing SO. for
he kept horse and buggy. He aid not
charge his wife with infdelity. The
only thing said about Rosa not being his
child was SAID by Mrs. Koran. He did
not believe what she said about it, and
thought she said it TO worry his con-
science. lie did not remember that he
had talked about his wife when
they lived at Star Prairie. He
had not heard that Mrs Koran had
turned Erickson out OF tie house where
they now live because he had insulted
her. or that Erickson had said he would
''get even with herr for doing so. 10
ran was closely questioned as to being
jealous OF attorneys and bankers witt
whom Mrs. Koran did business and de
MED that such was the tact. At thi:
point Koran looked faint and i'll anC
no .l.arlD frlr