The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-03-15
DOCTORED The WHISKY.
The COUNTY ATTORNEY LOSES
EVIDENCE IN THE WALL CASE.

The Whisky Bottle Was Found
Filled With CoIored Water This
Morning Attorney Pau Scores a
Preacher-The Jury Acquits WaIz
| WIN. Powers Now Being Tried.
The trial of Louis Walz on the
charge of selling liquor without a
license was completed Friday
and the jury returned at Ills a M.
with verdict acQuitting Mr. Wall
Thu rsday afternoon the witnesses
examined were A. Deng, Barney Lati-
mer, w. E, Smith and VIM. Hubner
on the part of the state, and Geo.
Robinson, VIM. Hiliker, Chas. A. Cam
eron and Louis Walz on the part of
the defense. Judge Severance gave a
very lar charge to the jury this,
morning.
A rather sensational event hap
pened in connection with this trial.
which is said to have had much to do
with the verdict that was found.
County Attorney Benedict had a bot
tile OF whisky which was introduced in
evidence as having been purchased Of
Mr.. Walz by one of the witnesses,
This was handed over to the custody
OF Court Reporter Davies and marked
as an exhibit, as is the custom. Mr..
Mr.. Davies placed the bottle in the
drawer of his desk for the night. The
drawer has no key.
Friday morning Mr.. Benedict called
for the bottle and handed it to the
jurymen in the confident expectation
that they knew good whisky when
they saw it and that this would be a
cllncher for the state. AS the bottle
was passed along the line uncorked
look OF sadness and disgust came over
the eountenances of the jurymen. Mr..
Benedict was astOnished and sought
the bottle, fearing that he had a iury
OF Prohibitionists, who could not tell
Whiskyf rom beef tea. He tried the
contents of the bottle, and look of
settfed anguish overspread his face,
while he glared at the ATTORNEYS for
the defense with suspicion. He pro-
tested to the court that he had tried
the contents OF the bottle the day be-
fore and swore by Bacchus that he
had not lived so long without know
ing whisky from colored water. There
was no help for it, as this was the only
liquor which had been introduced in
evidence.
In speaking of the matter Friday,
Mr.. Benedict said: 81 examined the
contents OF the bottle several times
and it was always whisky until this
morning. Someone got at the bottle
last night and changed it's contents
l don't care to accuse anyone in par
ticular."
Mr.. Davies said: 81 put the bottle
in my drawer when court adjourned
Thursday afternoon. l know that it
then contained whisky. The color of
the contents was exactly the same,
but the taste was very watery and in
sipid. l don't know what was put in
to the bottle but it was miserable
stuff"
Judge Severance states that some
one must have had key to the build
ing. He says that there is no doubt
but that the bottle contained whisky
Thursday.
The defense denied all knowledge of
the matter, and claims to believe that
the bottle never contained anything
but what was found in it this morn
ing.
During his address to the jury in
summing up the case for the defense,
Attorney Pfau gave an Amboy minis
ter severe roasting. This minister
had taken an interest in securing the
conviction of any blind pigs, and Mr..
Pfau accused him of sending boys to
these places to buy liquor and thus
secure evidence, leading them into
paths of sin, while he himself hung
back
The trial of William Powers was
begun this forenoon, on the charge
of selling liquor without license. He
is defended by Pau & Young and
Hughes, Rice & Hughes.
A special venire for seven jurors for
the remainder of the term was issued
Thursday afternoon, and the follow
ing were secured: A. T. Noble, A. G.
Barney, G. w. Thayer, Paul Olson,
Henry APPEL, I. N. Griffith and Smith
Hall.
The panel was exhausted this fore
noon while drawing jury in the
Powers case, and special venire for
six jurors for the case was issued.
There is one more of these AmbOy
liquor cases to be tried.
i A fine full blooded Durham Bull
calf, 6 weeks old, for sale cheap or