davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

THE ST. James Plaindealer says that
for the year ending Aug. 1st, there
was shipped out of Watonwan county
1857, $50 pounds of butter valued at
1927, 1893, and 1904 dozen eggs valued
at S25,047. The cow and hen down
there have been quite Industrious.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

IF, as the Popocrats claimed, the
gold dollar is 200 cent dollar, the
farmer is right in it this fall, and
with 80 and IS cent wheat is reall y
getting from 81 60 to S1.70 for it, and
the chances are he will get $500. The
farmer will not kick on such turn o
affairs.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

EX-Gov. FRANCIS, of Missouri,
bought wheat at Ga cents and has
made 100000 out Of it. He will not
agree with w. J. Bryan that there
are no signs of prosperity. He knows
better.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

THERE is liable to be another hitch
in the proceedings of the peace con-
ference at Constantinople. There is
a feeling in some circles that England
would like to get hold of Crete, and
her actions are being closely watched.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

In the lulls between the jumps in
wheat the news comes that there are
a few fellows coming back from the
Klondyke country with fortunes of
gold dust. But as yet those who have
not struck it rich, are not reported.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

BRYAN was at Deadwood, s. D..
yesterday, and of course the crowd
cheered him, and then it cheered 81
wheat. But silver wasn't mentioned :.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

FARM lands throughout the north
west are said to be increasing in value,
and the demand for them greater
than for several years back. 49,
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

Paul Nyquist fell from his wheel
yesterday and hurt his knee quite
badly.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

AND now says king corn to wheat
just watch me do little sprinting.
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

gave the profits of the business here for
the same period to be $32 600.
Chief Lees was finally excused to let
Isaac Raphael testify. Mr.. Raphael had
been subpenaed, and found it necessary TO
leave town for a short time, so the hearing
OF his testimony was expedited for that
reason. He said he had seen Hoff-
man the Saturday before his death in his
(RaphaePs) store. ana there told hlm that
his wife had been in a few days previously
to purchase some artic es for The ch ldrel,
upon which Hoffman remarked that he
would give $4,000 10 have Ills vile cured of
her des mess.
Witness said that he hal never heard
deceased speak Of any trouble in his fam
lily, though he had once or twice alluded
TO his m DIher-in-law, though not in a way
10 lead one 10 suspect that he was having
more trouble from that source than falls
TO the lot of most men. As TO whether
Hoffman had ever been in the habit of
carrying revolver he could not say.
Chief Lees was then recalled and mi
nutely questioned by the Coroner a TO the
details OF his visit 10 the store the night of
hoffman's death. lie said he called up
Figel that night by telephone in San Ra-
fael. To get him he first had the Sheriff
come to the telephone, and then the latter
have Figel come to the telephone
"My reason for doing this, he admit
ted, was TO find out if FIge was in San
Rafael. Wien he cam; l told him
heard there was trouble in the Hoffman
family and he admitted knowledge of
l could find certain letters | thought
would have a bearing on the affair. and
lie said he believed | would find them in
the M ddle drawer of Mr.. Hoffman's desk
His words were true, for when l came to
search for them they were. At this time
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

lection OF the appearance of Figel. He
did so and made Il pretty good description
OF the bookkeeper. saying he thought him
to be man about feet or inches tall,
with dark eyes and small mustache, and
dressed neatly. One OF Mrs. Alexanders S
sons was then asked 10 stan1 up by Haw-
Eins and did so.
When the witness was asked II he
looked like the bookkeeper he replied that
the man in question was entirely too tail.
Another young fellow was picked out of
the audience by the witness and desert bed
as bearing a pretty close resemblance TO
Figel. The official stenographer was
then asked to read the testimony Rice had
given on the day before. 1t was to the
effect that he doubted his ability to recog-
nize either of the two men. He was asked
how it was that if he could not recognize
either of the men he was able TO say so
positively tha! Flgel was not one of them.
This oues ion seemed TO nonplus the wit
ness and he waited a moment before say
ing;
'fWeH l am positive of one thing, and
that is all there is TO ii: Figel is not one
of the men | saw talking there"
When the Coroner. asked how the wit
ness came to hear Figel described and he
place and incidental circumstances. he be-
came very falter.ng in his answer. He
believed the place was the Hoffman Cafe,
though he was not snre, although he dii
not lose much time after he heard the
man described before he went to see Chief
Lees
WHO did you hear describe hIm?"
81 don't know who it was. heard q
man say that Figel was u little. shorl
man, and that statement attracted my at
tention."
The witness was excused.
One of Chief Lees clerks was then caIIed
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

every body believed in the suicide theory,
except Mr.. Rothchild, and he seemed to
think something was wrong"
Witness was then asked to produce the
bankbooks OF FIgel as he kept them at the
First National Bank. He objected at first,
as he said the books had been intrusted to
him and he did not believe it hardly right
10 let their contents be known. However,
if the Coroner demanded that they be
prod uced he would do so. The Coroner
lost very little time in demanding tnat
particular thing and the books were at
once forthcoming.
"Do YOU know queried Haw wkins, "if
anybody went 10 the bank or telephoned
it 10 have those particular accounts wound
up or in any way changed after the death
OF Hoffman,
II 40 not believe any body did so, be-
cause | went to the bank myself and
spoke about it. Firei showed no hesita-
ton in giving me an order tor the accounts
as soon as / asked for them. L recelpted
for them. l did this at the request OF Mr..
Acb, who thought l ought to take the ac-
counts into my own keeping"
The checks and other accounts showed
that FIgel had kept two accounts at the
First National Bank, and that during jan
uary and February he had deposited large
sums to his own account. 1t IS believed
by Attorney Ach that one OF these was
the account of the firm and the other
FigeI racing account The reading OF
the two accounts took over an hour.
There were seventy-six checks alone, and
the Coroner got so tired of their reading
that he ordered the rest TO be introduced
in a batch unless there was something
special TO be expected. Accordingly the
rest were introduced as unit. The real
purpose of introducing these checks was
to show that the book keeper had de-
posted checks drawn by the firm on the
London, Paris and American Bank to his
own account.
Witness Rice was then recalled. He is
therman who testified that he saw two
men standing in the door of the firm talk
ing on the evening Hoffman met his
death. He asserted that wrong impress
sion had gone round that one of the two
men whom he described was Theodore
FIgel. He had heard some description of
the young man downtown, and from it
he had come to the conclusion that
neither of the men was Figel. Accord
ingly he had gone to the Chief of Police
10 tell him what he thought. While there
Figel came in. He asked who it was, and
on learning that it was Figel, was more
satisfied than ever that the man he had
seen in conversation with another was
not Figel.
Rec was subjected to a searching cross
examination and asked TO tell his recol-
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
FIgePs Accounts Produced and
Witnesses Re-exanined.

FIgePs Accounts Produced and
Witnesses Re-examined.
The taking of testimony by Coroner
Hawkins was resumed yesterday, and sew
eral things of more than passing interest
came 10 light.
One of these was the introduction of the
accounts Of Theodore Fisel at the First
National Bank, another was the change
OF view of one witness and the faltering
hesitancy OF another as regards the con-
versation it is believed Hoffman held with
some one in the entrance TO the store on
the evening he was murdered or commit
ted suicide, but the most sensational was
the appearance before the taking of tes-
tlmony began OF Figel himself.
Figel appeared in the back part of the
room only, where he was engaged for a
short time in conversation with several
of his friends. He was perfectly calm
and his countenance showed no traces of
the anxiety he IS said 10 have under .one
since The death of his employer. He de-
parted before proceedings were resumed
seemingly not being desirous of attractia Q
attention or OF hearing the testimony to
follow.
Proceedings were delayed nearly thirty
minutes before the examination of wit
nesse5 was resumed by the tardiness of
Jurors Schneider and Geiman. Schneider
and shortly after him Gelman made his
appearances and were cautioned that there
must be more punctuaIity in the future or
there wou.d be trouble for some one.
Chief Lees was requested 10 take the
stand and asked If he had any more ex-
hibits. He replied in the affirmative, but
added that they had nothing TO do with
this phase OF the case. A big gunny sack
was hereupon opened and so many things
taken out ty Coroner HAWKINS that the
table soon bore the appearance of = pawn
shop.
Have you any desire 10 lead the letters
introduced by you yesterdavP" he said.
That is for you TO say" replied the
Chief with the utmost indifference
We'll" replied the Coroner in return,
You said that they We're introduced as
evidence, and l thought you wanted to
read them"
The Chief took the hint and began to
read the letters. The first is the one al =
ready published, signed MAMIE" and
written by Mrs. Lewek of MaTysville, in
which the writer said she was sorry to
learn that trouble existed in the family
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
HOFFMAN TRAGEDY
TOLD IN MINUTES

five minutes past 6. and therefore at th
corner OF Battery and Bush streets Garlic
than o'clock.
Everett Harris is the young man in
charge OF the elevator In the Nevada
block, and was in charge of it on the 1st
OF June He stated yesterday that for the
past month the elevator has been kept
running each day until 6:10 P. NJ, and has
not stopped running earlier than that
time on any day since the order to run to
that hour had been issued. He further
stated that for some time previous to two
weeks ago the clock had been two min
utes slow; that he had, therefore, been
running the elevator until 6:12 for some
days, and that he thought on the 1st of
June 1t had not stopped running until
6:l2 This would so TO indicate that Rice
must have arrived at the Nevada block
not earlier than 6:12 NJ
Attorney Ach and others who are kept
IN daily attendance as witnesses in the
Holman inquest are chating at the short
sessions being held by the Coroner, and
are anxious 10 have him hold night ses-
sions so as to get through with the in
vestlgation as early as possible. The
Coroner claims that he has too many
other things to attend to to give more
time to the Hoffman case.
in the work of exporting the
Rothchild d Co., and none will
probably be made, says Attorney Ach,
until it is known what Chief Lees will do
in regard to the more serious crime OF
murder, which the attorneys for the Bat
terv street firm claim has been conn mmitted.
An explanation was given yesterday by
Mr.. Ach as TO how one OF the letters ad-
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

purchase of a commutation ticket, at
6 81 :05
The car on which the experimental trip
was taken made the run to the ferry from
the point at which the officer and the re.
porter boarded it without any stop, and,
as sho8n above, the total time consumed
from the time OF leaving the saloon to the
gate leading TO the ferry was fv. minutes
and twenty seconds. 1t is reported by the
employees of the railroad company that
operates this ferry that on the night in
question me gate leading to the boat was
closed at 6:33 and that the boat left al
6:34.
Rice is one of the Witnesses who has ties.
tilted TO passing IL Battery street a. about
$3.50 O'Clock on the evening of June L and
seeing TWO men engaged in IN apparent
alteration. In giving detailed report OF
his move men s shortly before this Dartic-
ular hour he stated that he was at the Ne
vada block about ten minutes past 6
o'clock, and that he had 10 walk upstairs,
as the elevator had stopped for the day.
Attorney Ach doubts the correctness OF
this part of his statement. and claims tha I
he might have arrived there as early as
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
SUITS AND SKIRTS.

CsO 90 LADIES SUITS made from
VsO'OO' English Suitlng, in gray and
brown effects hy-front Jackets, lined with
silk serge, collar and cuffs of velvet, skirts
dOutle lined and finished seams, corduroy
binding, worth SIS On special sale at $40.
CaE0 LADIES FANCY CHECK
pE'OO" SKIRTS, assorted coIors, lined
and velvet bound, worth 81 Is. On special
sale at 81 so.
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

dressed TO Isaac Hoffman, and received
here after the tragedy, had been opened.
Two letters were received from his brother
who was, at the time of writing at Co. O.
rado Springs. One of these when placed
in the hands of the Coroner in a sealed
envelope was open and the other was not
Ach states that when the letter was re-
ceived at the store Entry Clerk Schultz
opened it by mistake, and so remarked to
Bookkeeper Gellert at the time.
II had been intimated that something
OF an important character. bearing on the
death of Isaac Hoffman, had been alb
stracted before the open letter was turned
over 80 the Coroner. This Mr.. Acl most
emphatically denied yesterday T two
letters reierred to are in the hands of the
Coroner, and will, durins the course of
the inquest, be opened and read to the
jury. MIR. Ach says that there is abso-
lutely nothing In either of them that has
any bearing on the case.
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

Though the Coroner has had another
day for The investigation of the mysterious
Hoffman tragedy, nothing came to light
that served to clear up the situation, and
at the present rate it is not unlikely that
the inquest before the Coroner will hold
the boards for at least three or four weeks
TO come.
Under instructions from Chief Lees,
Corporal Geimann yesterday made the
same trip that Figel took when he left
the saloon near the corner of Battery and
Market streets TO 20 to the San Rafael
ferry Geimann was accompanied in this
test trip by representative of IHE CALL
The officer bad been instructed 10 keep
the record by seconds. This was the re-
suit. as reported to Chief Lees:
Left the saloon at 6:25 AS P. M; boarded
a car which was just passing at 6:25:52;
reached the ferry terminus of the car line
at 6:29; reached the ticket office of the
San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad
at :30:20; reached the gate leading 10 the
boat, after allowing one minute for the
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
TO-DAY'S TRADE!
SPECIALLY HEAVY SACRIFICE!
COLORED DRESS GOODS.

OEc Al pieces 36-INCH ALL-WOOL
EOCs GROWN CHECKED SUITING,
former price SOC a yard. On special sale
a 25c yard.
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

and desired to proffer sympathy and as
sistance.
Then was read the letter written by Mrs.
Hoffman 10 her uncle, Mr. Simons. on
April II, 1897. 1t r fers to the family diff
ferences and has also been published
Next came the letter from this uncle,
written March %, 1897, in which he ex-
presses the belief that Mrs. Hoffman's
mother, Mrs. A exander, had been treated
very badly and that her attorneys had not
ac: ed fairly toward her. The other letters
read have already been published, and
there was nothing new that came out to
| interest the public so Tar as theyare con
cerned; but the reading of them TO the
jury had to be gone through with, though
there is not the least doubt that every
man of the jury had already seen them in
print
Several copies of the letter written by
| SimOns from New York on April II were
produced and the Chief stated that he had
found them either on the person of de-
ceased or in the drawers OF his desk. They
were all typewriter and the supposition
is that Hoffman had number OF copies
struck off so that ne could give them to his
friends. The note from Mrs. Hoffman to her
husband requesting him to send her $50 by
the servant girl, Lizzie, and in return Civ
ing him permission to take her letters be-
fore she herself was permitted TO obtain
possession of them, was read, and then
followed the unfinished letter of Hoffman
found on his person. 1t was addressed to
Ed Rothchild in New York and the con-
tents show that the thoughts of Hoffman
were far from suicidal at the time it was
written, for in it he laid out their plans
fol the i'm Immediate future.
The business letters that passed between
the two partners were also read, and Chief
Lees had so much trouble in making
them out that several times Attorney Ach
came TO his assistance, never failing to
put the Coroner on his mettie; so much
So in tact, that on one occasion he gently
reminded the lawyer that Chief Lees was
supposed to be the witness. But even
then it was found necessary to omit read
ing great many which had no bearing
on the case.
When Chief Lees began to read a state
ment of the affairs of the firm up TO May
Is, 1897, Ach objected and said that the
finances had no bearing on the case at all,
and that it was not right TO air the
finances of the firm before the public eye.
In this, however, the Coroner took the on
posite side, and said it might tend to
throw some light on the motive of the
crime, If 1t were such; so the statement
was read. That sent Hoffman by Roth
child from New York showed that the
rrOfits there for the year were $4,000, and
that sent by Hoffman on to RothchiId
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

XXX 81 pieces 5O-INCH ALL-WOOL
OOOo NOVELTY CHEVIOT SUITlNG,
former price 81 yard. On special sale al
soc a ward,
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
LEES ORDERS A PRACTICAL TEST
OF TIME MADE.
Proceedings During the Second Day Of the
lnquest---I Is Very Likely to
Last Several Weeks
Longer.


time. On
transpired depend the
jury Theodore Fgel
tragedy and whether it was murder or suicide that ended 50 suddenly
the o Battery-street clothing merchant.
There than dozen testified
police authorities or to newspaper men relative to this phase of the
tragedy summary knowledge
interesting and important exhibit given herewith
nological order:
545 M-Fg Hoffman, Rothchd Co. to go to
the First National Bank Safe Deposit vaults deposit
tain paper.
900 P time Fe declares he arrived the
SAFE Deposit office s. jacob the drayman, who has his
office Immediately adjoining the premises of Hoffman, Roth
child Co.. has stated that Fge going the Safe
Deposit vaults at about this time.
605 MThee testimony employees
firm Of which the deceased member to show that at
this precise time every connected with establish
ment except Isaac Hoffman, had left the
6l5 MgeI by S Jacob going Sansome from
Market, and down Bush place
of the firm with which he employed. Friedman
Hoffman in front of the Batteryreet entrance
Battery street. stopped and talked to him. and Hoffman told
him that he waiting for the return of Fge Maoney
0 open o Battery street.
62O P. MLauer says
front the latter place of business after Oanng him $40
Fge states that he returned the this time get
ink take home that he might his books
that night and that he his employer front of the
Baerystreet and that they both entered the place
625 P M-Figel having
time, the Market
few doors from Battery, took his grip which he had left
there, boarded go the San Rafael ferry. The
witness whose name Chief Lees will not dvulge that
he left the Maket-steet ferry for the Mills building at this
time, according to the ferry clock.
29 Mohnson the ceteer at the San Rafael ferry that
Figel must have bought his communication ticket the
later than this time.
$3.50 M-Figel bought communication ticket
and Korn both testified that this
engaged in of the establish
OF Hoffman, Rothchid & Co. Korn the
front door open, while Rice states the
apparently engaged al
633 P NTh gate leading
this hour according the records Of the San Fran
North Pacific Railroad.
634 hTh San Rafael ferryboat left her this time
ing the official report of the train dispatcher
M-The witness of Chief Lees this
he passing the Batery-stree of Hoffman,
Rothchid & Co., which open, and that he
angry there. Thomas says he
passing along Bush street, about I35 the
Bush-sreet entrance of Hoffman, Rothchld & Co., this
hour and that he heard a sound that he
the report of pistol shot
$40 MChe Lees unnamed witness this time
reached the Mills building, his destination.
M-Ferrenback that this the
tey-street the place tragedy
He says further that the
deceased a dying condition, lying the floor the
office.
ZOO P MThS shown by the California
Police station which the call rung
patrol wagon call for the dying convey him
Receiving Hospital
Though
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

ROC 3 cases 4s-INCH FINE ALL
OONs WOOL ENGLISH STORM SER
GES, in d fferent wales, worth Soc a
yard, special sale price SOC a yard.
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

cIOE 20 pieces 60-INCH CLAY's
pts%Os ENGLISH SERGE, for tailor
made suits, worth $2 yard, special sale
price 81 % yard.
The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
SEVEN
STRONG
LEADERS
TO-DAY's TRADE!
To-day's list of Special Cuts
in Prices includes the follow
ing Stylish and Seasonable
Lines at a
SPECIALLY HEAVY SACRIFICE!
COLORED DRESS GOODS.
OEC Al pieces 36-INCH ALL-WOOL
EOCs GROWN CHECKED SUITING,
former price soc a yard. On special sale
at 25c yard.
XXX 81 pieces 50-INCH ALL-WOOL
OOOS NOVELTY CHENIOT SUITlNG,
former price 81 yard. On special sale at
SOC yard.
BLACK DRESS GOODS.

9EC case 38-INCH FIGURED ENG
%OC' LISH ALPACA. worth SOC a yard,
special sale price 25c yard.