The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-01-01
Ora Steinbach TeStifieS.

Miss Ora Steinbach, one of the din
ing room girls of the American House,
was summoned to the stand as the
first witness. Mr. Benedict took the
witness and questioned her closely as
the events leading up to it. On the
morning of Nov. I'd witness first saw
BalSer in the kitchen at 1880 o'clock,
and again in the dining room at few
moments before the shooting Oc-
CURED. Mrs. Balser was sitting at a
dining room table writing note.
When Balser came in he asked his
wife to let him see the note, she re-
fused, he insisted, she said she did
not interfere in his matters, and he
said if she did not show him the note
before he left the room he would shoot
her. She got up, went around the
table and into the office, he following
her. Balser had revolver in his
pocket and pulled it out in the dining
room. He was talking to me and
wanted me to go out of the dining
room, but said | was going to stay
by Mrs. Balser. He showed me the
revolver then.
Mr.. Benedict produced a plat
of the first floor of the American
House, made by Surveyor Thompson,
for reference purposes, and the de-
Tense consented to it's use. 1t was
shown and explained to the jury.
Witness said that when Mrs. BalseI
went into the office she and Balser
had words and he showed her back in
to the hall. frankie Balser took the
baby from his mother. Mrs. Balser
said he was pretty man drawing a
revolver on his wife, and he said he
would do it again. Balser took his
wife by the back of the neck and
pushed her against the wall. When
he let loose, she said "let me CO." and
opened the door out of the hall lead.
ing to Second street. When she went
out she shut the door, he opened it,
pulled his revolver from his right coat
pocket and shot his wife. Witness
was standing in full sight of the shoot
| ing. Balser fired one shot, Mrs
Balser threw up her hands, screamed,
| then fell down on her left knee and
then to the sidewalk. She lay on the
sidewalk for half an hour or less after
the shooting, dead. We ran into the
alley and then came back in three OF
four minutes and Mrs Balser was lying
on the sidewalk dead. On Sunday be-
fore the shooting, Balser asked his
wife to sign the board bills over to
him, but she refused. He said some.
thing that day about shooting her.
Mr. Pau took the witness for cross
examination. Witness said that
Balser had been drinking heavily
Friday, Saturday and Sunday. He
said Sunday that if she did not sign
those bills before night he would
shoot her. This was said in the
presence of the cook and dishwasher
and so that / heard it. Balser hao
been in the kitchen frequently
Monday morning morning l saw Bal
sers son GO into the bedroom with q
whisky bottle. Balser was still there
| Balser, in the dining room at 9:45 A. NJ.
asked his wife who the note she was
writing was to, and she said Anna
Schroeder He tried to take il
away from her when she got up from
the table, but she kept it. Anna
Schroeder is some relation to them
She took the note and the baby tC
the office, he followed her 'anC
l followed him. In the hall he bump
ed her head against the wall. Balsel
was drinking considerably Friday
! Saturday and Sunday, and was pretty
I full Sunday night. Balser was laid
up the first few days of the two weeks
that | was there previous to the