The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-08-30
THURSDAY, AUGUST 80, 1894.
ton, he answered each questiaa in the


self to Sheriff Blethen, who he'd the
detective working Ga Starin.
D. w. Whittet and U. S. Reed we're
recalled and declared that the anus
tard was the variety known as wild
mustard, and Mr.. Milloy couldn't say
whether it was wild or tame mustard,
but he would never SOW any of i on
his farm by along Shot. Sheriff Bleth-
en- confirmed the mustard growing on
Bowers farm and the depreciation in
value of the land on which mustard Us
sown. Till Tibbetts thought likewise,
after which the State rested.
Attorney Hughes here moved that
the case against John Rohrer be dis
missed, on the ground that there was
no evidence introduced to show that
he had hand in the crime. Attorney
Pierce consented to the dismissal, and
it was so ordered, after which the case
was opened for the defense and re-
cess taken.
The first witness for thedefense was
the defendant, and it was Saturday
morning when he went up to the stand.
He got the mustard seed from Milloy,
and he was going to sow it for his
bees. Starin, the defendant said, car
ried the mustard seed away from his
house, and sowed the same on Bowers
farm, Starin said for money.
81 ordered Starin off my place about
New Years, 1884," continued Watson.
81 could hardly support my family,
could not care for him, and then he
got to stealing from me wheat, and
selling it at mills -coonskins, which
he sold to John Peterson, and when
he got to stealing me blind I ordered
him off the place. I do not know any
thing about the mustard being sown
on the farm. I was over town that
night"
Here Watson attempted to impeach
Starin's testimony by sayingthat Star
in told him that he had been in scrapes
before, but always managed to get out.
II told him to get out of the house"
continued Watson, land when he re-
fused to 90 kicked him out. He
turned to my wife and little girl and
said "By -, you'll want some one
to do chores here before spring. I'll
fix him."
On cross-examination Watson was
not good at remembering dates, and
when County Attorney Pierce sharply
inquired into a sub-point Watson's
eyes rolled in their sockets, his face
turned fiery red, and with the Wild
est stare imaginable he would give a
doubtful answer at the top of his
voice. Once he fairly yelled, and Judge
Weber jumped from his seat, fright
ened by the exclamation.
Mrs. Watson, wife of Ebb, was the
next witness called. She was called
for the purpose of impeaching Starin's
testimony, but when Mr.. Hughes asked
her whether she knew Starin's reputa-
ton for truth and veracity she said
she couldn't say that she did. Mrs.
Watson heard Starin say that he would
get even with Watson, after the latter
bounced him. She also confirmed
Ebb's story regarding all the CONVEX
sation had at the same time. She fur
Their said that Watson never went with
Starin at night.
Walter King was called, and proved
a bad witness for the defense. Early
this spring,he said he noticed consider
able of mustard growing on the Bow
ers' farm, but later he had not noticed
any. He had not seen any mustard
growing on the tract in question last
and prior years.
Mrs. E.B. Sommers swore that Wat
son did not leave his house on the
night the mustard is alleged to have
been sowed, and that he went to bed
between nine an ten o'clock.
Melissa Watson, the 11-year old
daughter of Ebb Watson, was sworn,
and said that when Starin left she
asked him whether he was coming
back and he answered, eyes, you'll
want some one to do the chores"
John Thomas was called but was
not allowed to give the evidence the
defense desired. and B. Wolf was
called to the stand. He said that he
did not know whether there was any
difference in the market value of land
growing or free from mustard.
John Rohrer. an original defendant,
was called. He denied ever having
gone to Bowers farm to SOW mustard,
or having gone with any one for that
purpose. He said Starjn's reputation
for truth and veracity was bad, but on
cross-examination Rohrer could not
substantiate the latter statement. Here
the defendant rested.
In rebuttal E. B. Sommers swore
that Watson and Starin left the house
together on Saturday night last fall,
and that Watson came in late. This
closed the evidence in the case and
the summing up commenced.
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