The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-06-08

Elmer Leidloff, of MorriStoWn, teS-
titled that he knew Geo. Empey in the
reform school at st. Paul, five or six
years ago. He stood next to me in
line and / knew him for year quite
we'll. His character as to truthful
ness was bad. He was in trouble all
the time for lying and stealing out of
the kitchen. He would steal things
to eat and then would lie about it;
This comprised his lying. He would
also trade some of the things he stole
for chewing tobacco.
G. r. Lufkin, of st. Cloud, testified
to being in tile reform school in 1887
for eight or nine months. Knew Geo.
Empey there and in the state reform
atory at st. Cloud. His character as
to truthfulnesS was bad in both insti-
buttons. The boys there generally
had the name of lying. Employs re-
putation was good deal worse than
that of the other boys.
Albert Allen, of this city, testified
that he had known Geo. Empey a
little over month. Empey told me
a week before he went away that he
thought that he would go away, and
that if they came after him he would
make twelve cents mile out of it,.
| was in jail just prior to this time
for drunkenness.
VIM. Taylor testified as to having a
talk with Empey as to his testimony
in the case. He said he had just come
back from Lincoln, Neb. He said
that he had been offered all kinds of
money not to testify against Conway,
and that he was going to see Mrs.
Walraven, and that if she did not
give him $500 he would testify towhat
he pleased Did not notice whether
he was drunk. Empey said that if
the officers had not gone to Lincoln
and gotten him when they did he
would have been out of the way as
he had been offered all kinds of money
not to testify against Conway. | was
tried for an OffenSe year ago in this
court but was not convicted.
VIM. f. Hughes was next called and
said that he had lived in this city
about % years in all, but had been on
the Pacific coast for some years. Am
member of Hughes Bros, attorneys
at law. Have known Geo. Empey
since Conways examination in the
municipal court. Mr.. Cray stated that
he desired by this witness to show
that Empey was corruptly false wit
ness and that he testified for revenue
only. A question as to the admiS-
stability of certain of this evidence
for impeachment purposes, and show
ing the witness to be corrupt, arose
and was argued.
A recess was taken until 2:00o'clock.
When court met this afternoon, the
state withdrew all objections to the
testimony. Mr.. Hughes testified
that on May 9th Empey came into
the office and they had their first con-
versation. About the first thing that
he said was that he was going to quit
this mans town. He said that there
was nothing to his story, and nothing
more in it for him and he was going
to cut loose from the case. He said
he was in Mr.. Pfau's office and had
told Mr.. Pau the same thing and he
told him that he wanted the money
promised. He had asked Mr.. Pau for
$50 and got So, with the promise OF
more in few days. He seemed afraid
that he would be subpOenaed and he
wanted to 90 before this was done,
fearing that he could not get away
then He said that 'thOse fellows
have been playing me for sucker, .
and he said he wanted to go. He.WaS
living here without means of support.
He said that up to February he had
received about S75 from the prOSecu-
tiOn. He said that he wanted to get
what he could out OF the case. | told
him we could not pay him any money
to make it an object for him. He
wanted Sl00 to go to Canada. | told
him that if he would 60 to Lincoln,
Neb. and tell the truth to Layne's
brother he could get some money
from him. He was afraid to go to the
depot, as he feared the officers were
watching him. My brother, Byron,
shirts. At my house that night |
gave him S25 to go to Lincoln with.
After our conversation at the office,
Byron came in, and.in the presence of
Empey | stated what the latter had
said, and Empey admitted again what
he had said. Empey said that the
state had told him that he would be
prosecuted if he did not tell the
same story as he had at the prelimin-
airy examination, On the way to our
house we met Officer circuit and
Empey suggested that we give him
the slip, and he left us and went
around a block. About ten o'clock
that night we walked out to the Mil
waukee crossing, across the slough,
He got on the train and said $50 long,
boys" My brother and [ did not
hide. Empey said that the prosecu-
tion had furnished him with copy
of his testimony and enjOined him to
study it, testify to the same things,
and not get mixed up. Three weeks
before this conversation, at the NicoI-
let House, | saw Empey at the bar
pretty drunk, and he wanted to know
whether he was not in on this treat
He was let in. He said that he did
not want me to think anything the
less of him for being on the other side
of the case. l said | supposed he was
paid for what he did, and he made
slurring remark of the states side
and said that all he got was his board
and beer. There was no further talk
of money, and l did not invite
him to my office. He came to my
office voluntarily. When he-returned
from Lincoln he said, 'Isn't this a
rocky deal?" He said that the officers
had brought him back with requisi-
tion papers. That was the night
we had beer together, and it