The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-03-04

the floor, get up?" | took hold OF
him and assisted others to put him or
a bench and left him there near the
southwest window. Anderson and
~ some of the boys were still
<MSaH talking in the room. After
Wl5a awhile some of them started
%sSXM for home. When Nels Nell
A11n son went to shake ThOrStad
srAoRPoIE he said "Come Chris, let us
go home" But Chris made no reply
l felt of his pulse but could not fee
anything. His finger tips were cold
[ opened his shirt, felt of his heart
but that was not beating. | then
said "This man is deadn' We laid
him down beside the bench and
stretched him out. BY this time Mrs.
Ross came in with camphor bottle,
but told her it was no use to try and
revive him, that he was dead.
They were nearly all gone by this
time except Nels Nelson and his
brother, and he was sleepy-or full. ]
had a team hitched up and started
over to Thorstad's to notify his folks
When l went into the house next
morning my wife made me get up of
the lounge and go to bed.
An adjournment was taken at noon
until half past one o'clock in the after.
noon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When Judge Mead opened court at
1:30 o'clock, every available inch OF
space in the hall was crowded, even
the transom over the door leading to
an adjoining room was utilized by
several young ladies, who were anX-
ious to hear the testimony.
! Mr.. Meyer was again called to the
chair for the purpose Of finishing his
story. To question of Mr.. Pau the
witness said that he had his eye on
Anderson all of the time, because he
| anderson had been pretty cross.
Witness admitted that he had taken
couple of good stout drinks, consist
ing of whisky, alcohol and other in
gradients. A jug of whisky was on
the premises, brought there by one
Andrew Gilbert A teacup was USED
to dish the stuff out to the crowd.
Witness did not know whether any of
the liquor was left over or not. Was
not drunk when he assisted deceased
to the bench: thought at first he was
playing off; thought we sat live man
on the bench: noticed deceased sitting
on bench several times during next
fifteen minutes: heard nobody say a
word about deceased being hurt; did
not think he died from blow: heard
real cause of his death on the follow
ing Monday. Monkey-wrench (eXhib-
it Al had been borrowed by Carl
Wilson day or.so before and brought
back that night and put in the gran
airy by Wilson: heard DR.. Herring and
Mr.. Cole say what Thorstad died from;
did not say to Mrs. Ross that we must
try and save Anderson from to 10
years in the Jail. What | did say was
that it seemed too bad that Chris hap
pened to die in the granary No eff
fort was made before Mrs. Ross
brought the camphor to bring him to
life. Mrs. Ross and did not talk it
over afterward nor did / say single
word to anybody about it; have made
no effort to find out who struck him:
was surprised when | found he had
been struck a blow; did not agree with
anybody to keep quiet and not say a
word about the affair. have no idea or
suspicion who hit him or how he came
to his death, except what the doctor
l.
him: know he did not hit Thorstad
with his fist; don't think Anderson
kicked him.
This concluded the direct examina-
tion. Mr.. StackpOle took the witness
in hand. In substance this is what
was CLEANED: Went down to granary
don't remember word that was said
no hro IF FOL n cd Il 81
about I o'clock. At the conclusion Of
Meyers testimony recess of ten min
utes was taken at which time Mrs.
Betsy Ross entered the room and was
sworn.
Substantially her story was IN
as follows: Have lived at NSs|D
Butternut Valley since last NS<I&
April; came from Dakota; AA
was at the dance in the gra 49, Va soss
nary with Ida Wilson for time. All
were strangers to me except the Mey-
ers' and Wilson's. Saw ThorStad that
night. also Anderson; saw no trouble
among any of them. but heard Ander-
son call Thorstad bad names after he
(deceased) had been put on the bench
not before that time: heard Thors-
tad fall on the floor: did not see any
body hit him. or near him. Saw Mr..
Meyer pick him up, put his arms under
his arms and assist him 70 the bench;
saw them feel of deceased'S pulse and
heard somebody say. "He is deadi"
When he fell | cried out: 'Oh, My
God, that poor man has hurt himself!"
| was outside the door at the time.
He never stirred when he struck the
fioor-not even a groan;~ have not
talked over the matter since with any
body: have not heard or said a single
word about the affair; didn't have the
faintest suspicion of how he came to
fall: saw him have teacup in his
h and during the evening, but don't
know whether there was anything in
it or not.
On the crOSS-eXaminatiOn which was
conducted by Mr.. Stackpole, witness
said: About Il O'Clock Thorstad came
over to where Ida Wilson and 1 were