The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-11-13
WAS BOUND OVER.
LOUIS BALSER'S PRELIMINARY
EXAMINATION.
1t Was rlereIy Formally and Was
All Over In Half An Hour-Ora
Steinbach TeStifies That She Was
an Eve Witness of the Shooting
The Defense Puts on no Evil
dence,

The municipal court room was
crowded this morning before ten
O'Clock, the hour set for Louis Balser's
preliminary examination on the
charge Of murder in the first degree.
The examination was FASTENED as
rapidly as possible by both sides, and
not more than half an hour was taken
up in the hearing of the evidence,
which was brief and to the point, the
object being merely to comply with
the legal requirements.
Balser sat in chair by himself with
a detected appearance, which he has
had ever since the crime was COM
mitted. He did not take his gaze
from the floor except when spoken to,
although he knew that he was the
center of all eyes.
County Attorney Benedict appeared
for the state, and Attorney A. r.
Pfau for the defendant. DR.. Jacoby
was the first witness sworn and testi-
fed to making an examination of Mrs.
Balser's dead body at the American
House Nov. I'd, and described the
wound which she had received. He
had afterwards extracted the bullet
from beneath the skin after it had
passed through her body. In making
the post mortem examination, the
course of the bullet had been traced
through the walls Of the chest, be-
tween the fourth and fifth ribs. From
the direction Of the bullet, witness
assumed that it had passed through
the upper portion of the heart and the
two lungs. 1t passed diagonally from
the left side in front to the right side
under the shoulder blade. The wound
would have caused death very soon.
Miss Ora Steinbach, dining room
girl at the American House, testified
that she saw Louis Balser fire the
shot that killed his wife. He was in
a hallway and she was on the side
walk on the Second street side. Wit
ness saw Mrs. Balser when the shot
was fired Mrs. Balser took step
and half befor she fell, and then
witness saw her fall.
Geo. M. Phillips testified to going
to the hotel with Chief Yates and
arresting Balser after the shooting.
Chief Yates asked Balser who shot
his wife, and he replied: 81 did,"
On the way to the city hall Mr.. Yates
asked him why he did the shooting,
and Balser replied: "That will come
out later" Witness helped carry Mrs.
Balser into the hotel from the side
walk. Balser was found behind his
desk in the Office, looking over the
books, did not avoid the officers, and
did not deny the shooting.
Miss Lena Highlander, dining room
girl at the American House, testified
to seeing Mrs. Balser writing letter
on the morning of Nov. End, and
afterwards that morning seeing her
dead.
This closed the evidence on the
part of the state, and Attorney Pau
stated that the defense had no
evidence to put on.
Judge Shissler said that he was
sorry that this case had happened in
the city. The evidence plainly show
ed that the crime of murder had been
committed, and there was not
doubt, as far as this court was con-
cerned, that Louis Balser was the
guilty party. The court then bound
Balser over to the grand jury, and or
pered him to be committed to Jail.
A commitment was prepared, but be-
fore being taken to the Jail, Balser
had an interview with his attorney,
in the latter's Office.
Balser would not make any state
ment when asked by the reporters
whether he cared to say anything.
He seemed to feel aggrieved that
everybody was against him.
When the case was completed, the
police officers cleared the court room,
but the crowd waited around the en-
trance to the city hall on the side
walk below to catch glimpse of Bal
ser as he was taken back to the county
jail.