The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-06-03
DISTRICT COURT.

Thursday afternoon, by setting up the
theory of insanity. This is believed
to be the first time that such de-
Tense has been offered in criminal
case in this county, and was there
fore all the more interesting. The
fact that such defense was at
tempted has caused many smiles
among those who have known
Mr.. Yorker and even the
witnesses who testified in support of
the theory could scarce repress their
amusement. A few instances of
queer actions were brought up and
several witnesses testified that they
have not at times considered the de-
PENDANT to be of sound mind.
The state rested earlyWednesday af-
ternoon, and the defense put A. j.
Yorker on the stand in his own be-
half. He testified that he had no
recollection of receiving the checks
which it was alleged he had received
and had failed to turn over to the
company. His memory failed him in
every instance. He testified that in
1888 he had received a severe sun
stroke, from which he has since suf-
fered, especially during hot weather,
when he would become dizzy. This
is particularly the case when he does
mental work.
Mrs. Yorker testified to the SUM-
stroke and the peculiar actions of her
husband at times. He has night
mares and Authorizations. Upon one
occasion she caught him taking poi
son, but made him spit it out. On
another occasion she bought some
poison to destroy rats with, and he
accused her Of getting it to poison
him. He brought home a very large
lobster one day and tackled it upon
the wall of the house. The most of
these instances occurred after the
trouble.
W. H. Wilson testified that
Yorker had taken W. H.
Pfeffer's dog to the railroad
road track and had tried to have the
cars run over it on account of some
fancied wrong which he thought Mr..
Pfeffer had done him.
B. D. Pay testified to Workers. get
ting teams there, and ordering them
and not coming after them, and
thought he had acted luny.
Gaylord Lamb testified that he had
always considered Yorker crazy or
foolish.
j. d. Hilger testified that in the
legislature at Pierre, OAK, of which
Yorker had been a member, he was
considered as crazy or fool.
Hans Jorgensen testified to a hunt
ing trip two years ago during which
Yorker had shot "shiek pokes" and
called them ducks, and had shown
other signs of insanity fully as evil
dent.
The court here then took a recess
until Friday morning. Geo. Pond was
the first witness called. He testified
that Yorker had carried his little
child, then but eighteen months old,
from the house and left it on the side
walk in front of the postoffice. When
witness went to see him about it he
denied it.
Upon hunt near Window two
years ago, while holding the horses
Yorker whipped them savagely, but
when asked why he did it he denied
doing so, and said that rattle snake
had caused them to prance. When
he had agreed to walk around one side
of slough, he had sat on the bank
without moving. He had started out
to do little shooting and was found
by the others in farmers hay rack
having hired the man to drive him to
the depot mile away. At another
time, at Sioux City. he had
became violently mad at the clerk of
the Bogue House because he was
sked to pay in advance. He also
abused strangers without cause, and
one morning witness found him in an
alley talking with five or six negroes.
On none Of these occasions did wit
ness consider him drunk, and was of
the opinion that at times he was of
unsound mind. Had twice seen him
drunk and know that frequently he
went into saloons.
L. M. Pugh told of a trip to Wells
yer two years ago to institute a
lodge. Yorker was pursuaded to go
and acted strangely on the way down.
and coming back pinched his fellows
to keep them awake, so that they
were forced to tie him down to box
in the baggage car to have quiet.
Did not consider him to be of sound
mind.
S. G. Pond was called and testified
to Workers. carrying Geo. Ponds
child down town.
J. B. Richards testified to the Wells
trip, and also to sleigh ride which
he had taken to ST. Peter with Yorker.
The latter pretended that he knew