The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
NOT GUILTY.
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Continued from third page.
he was brought back from Iowa hi
was under arrest at the instigation O
Geo. w. Allyn on the charge of dis
posing OF mortgaged horse, but wa
acquitted.
On second cross examination, Mr.
Stringer asked whether it was moi
true that the action was dismissed
because Of defective indictment
but the defense objected, and The
court sustained the objection.
Joha N. Powers, of Morristown
testified that he has been a farmer and
was lawyer for time, but aban.
doned that profession for an honest
living. Have known Sorg since he
was child. His reputation for vera
city and as peaceable and law abid.
ing citizen is good.
Geo. Richie was recalled and said
that he couldn't remember telling
John N. Powers that he 1.-THE wltness)
placed the mOulds in Sorg's house
and did it at the instance of Geo. w.
Allyn and that Allyn had paid him to
do it for the purpose of getting Sorg
into trouble.
On cross examination, when asked
whether he put them into the house.
he replied: "Did l put them there?
L never saw them. l don't remember
that l ever saw them there"
Mr.. Powers took the stand again
and was asked whether Richie did
not make to him the statements re-
ferred to above. The district attor-
ney objected to this on the ground
that no foundation for it had been
laid and that it was contrary to the
rules of evidence.
MI. Hughes said that both sides had
tried hard to get Ritchie to talk but
tailed. The defense wanted to draw
out some things more than the prose-
cution did.
The court sustained the objection.
Mr.. Powers said that Seaman had
told him that he didn't know whether
Sorg referred to couDterfeiting tools
or not, in the conversation.
5. A. Bennett, of Morristown, said
that he had known Sorg 25 years and
that his reputation was perfect as
peaceable and lawabiding citizen and
for truth and veracity. On cross
examination, he said that he knew
nothing of Sorg's reputation from 1898
until he moved back to Morristown.
On motion of Lorin Cray, Frederick
Mather, of Fairmont, was admitted
to practice before the court.
Court took recess until 900 o'clock
this forenoon.
When court opened this morning,
VIM. Brown was admitted to citizen
ship.
f. A. Kenney, of Morristown, was
called to the witness stand and said
that he had been acquainted with
Sorg for twenty-five or twenty
eight years. He testified that
Sorg's reputation was good. Sic
man told me that he did not know
what tools Sorg referred to in their
conversation in 1898. On cross ex-
animation, witness said that Sorg was
his wife's step brother. Had heard
that Sorg was engaged in crooked
work at Madison Lake in selling
property. Might have
heard of Sorg's connection with the
Grant matter, but don't remember
what it was. Have also heard him
charged with elopement and adultery
with his sister-in-law. On redirect.
witness said that he had heard of
these charges since the trouble be-
tween Geo. w. Allyn and Sorg. On
second cross examination, witness
said that the Grant trouble was be-
fore the trouble with Allyn. What
he had heard of the Grant trouble
was Sorg's alleged connection with
Grants breaking Jail, on testimony
given in the state court by Geo.
Richie.
The defense rested here, and the
government had no rebuttal.
Attorney Byron Hughes addressed |
himself to the jury. He reviewed the
evidence and said that, admitting
that the moulds were found in Sorg's
house, there was very little evidence
TO show that Sorg knew about it.
Sorg was not present when Drake
found the moulds. The conversation
alleged by Sieman took place in
small room with six or seven people
present. No one would make in
statements in so public a
Either the conversation
never took place, or all in the room
we're sinterested in counterfeiting.
The prosecution rests entirely upon
'ieman's statement. Sieman told
everal people that he did not. know
hat the conversation of Sorg referred
o counterfeiting moulds, and he did
lot come tO this conclusion until a