The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-02-12
Clarence Crook.

Clarence Crook.
Clarence Crook, the defendant, was
the first witness called by the de.
Tense. He made good witness. He
said that he is % years old, and had
been living at AmbOy and vicinity a
year and a half. have two brothers
and sister living at Amboy, bro
ther at Waterville, and brother liv.
ing in Colorado and one in Oregon.
Mother lives with my sister, Mrs.
Tackles, in Amboy.' Father died
twenty years ago. was working at
Mr. McLain's near Amboy Had
been acquainted with Miss Gertie
Smith eight or ten months previous
to last June. Got acquainted with
her at Hiram Bornt's farm. She
lived with her father and mother
in Amboy. Think she is nineteen
years old. On Sunday, June 7th, ]
was in Amboy and saw Miss Smith
and went to the Baptist church with
her that evening. We were engaged
to be married. and had been engaged
since April 5th last. 1t rained the
next day, June Sth, and 1 stopped
blowing corn because it was too wet.
l went to Amboy, getting there about
1890 a. NJ, and went to the post Of
flee and then to Clarence Cornells
barber shop. l asked him to 60
shooting. Had been hunting with
him and others frequently. Had
owned revolvers, and more than one
at the same time.- Had owned Al
calibre, 32-calibre, and two 3S-cali-
bre revolvers during the summer.
Had traded them with other boys.
Cornell said that he would go shoot
ing if his partner, Mr.. Cheney, came
so that he could get away. went
IT, Mr.. Tackles house and saw my
mother and sister. Went back to the
livery barn. Had worked for Frank
Latin six or eight weeks two or
three years ago. Knew of him and
Decker having revolvers at the barn.
When l got team there l would
sometimes put one Of these in my
pocket. The boys were in the habit
of doing this. 1 took one of the re-
volverS which thought was Decker's
and two extra cartridges. The re-
volver was loaded. Went back to the
barber shop and also to restaurant.
The day cleared up some, and [ start
ed for home. l had some cartridges
of my own in my pocket. shot two
times at nothing in particular. 1t
began to rain and 1 went back to
town and into the barber shop. 1t
was then about noon. l asked Cor.
neil if his revolver was there, and he
said it was at his house, and l asked
him to bring it down, and he said he
would. Got my dinner at the restaur.
ant, and went back to the barber
shop and got his revolver. l started
for Geo. VanNorman's to 60 hunting.
First saw Gertie Smith that day In
the furniture store, in the forenoon
Saw her again in the afternoon
about 8 100 p. M. 1 had both revol.
vers then and she saw them. Saw
the janitor of the Methodist church.
Had heard from Miss Smith that
Bornt had talked about us. Also
heard that Bornt had asked of the
janitor about US spoke with the
janitor and he said that Bornt had in
quired about us of him. Had heard
of other inquiries that Bornt had
made concerning us. Had heard Of
Bornts making remarks about our
taking a trip to Fairmont. Miss
Smith and 1 and other Amboy people
went to a Woodman's picnic at Fair
mont June I'd. Miss Smith went on
the train to Winnebago the afternoon
before, and 1 went there later in the
same afternoon and met her there. 1
stayed that night at the hotel, and
Miss Smith stayed at Mrs. Greens.
The next day we went to the Fair
mont picnic. We came back to Win
nebago City that evening and had
supper at the hotel, and stayed that
night at the hotel. We came home
the next day June Sd. After 1 saw
the janitor l concluded to go out and
see Henry G.. Bornt. Was at Winnie
bago City once before with Miss
Smith, last winter. We drove over
and came right back. When l con-
cluded to see Bornt, Invent sand saw
John Decker and told him where 1
had decided to go, but did not tell
him what 1 was going for. Saw Jesse