The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-07-09
Mr.. Miller Continues.

Mr.. Miller Continues.
When court convened yesterday
afternoon, Attorney Burt Pfau moved
that all of the witnesses for the de-
Tense be excluded from the room,
which he said was no more than fair,
as the same course had been adopted
toward the witnesses for the state.
The attorneys for the defense pro-
tested that they had no witnesses at
the present time.
The cross examination of A. K. Mil
Ter continued. Miller said that Hen
derson told him in the first converse
tion, three weeks before June 18th,
that he had set the Minneopa House
barn fire and had had hand in other
fires. Henderson first spoke of the
Minneopa barn fire month before
June 18th.
The state objected to the cross ex-
animation going into the Minneopa
barn fire. The court decided to let it
in. Mr.. Miller said that he had asked
Henderson whether there was anyone
who had a chance to squeal on him
for burning the MinneopaHouse barn.
Henderson said there was a man who
had caught him in the act, and then
Henderson had broken down and
cried.
The states attorney interrupted to
ask the court whether the case set for
next Monday was to be tried today.
They did not want all the evidence
which they had for next Monday to
come out at this time. The court
thought that the conversation ought
| to be confined to the conversation in
the barn on Prospect Heights.
Mr.. Torrey said that the whole
matter must come out, or the case
may as we'll stop here. The various
fires are connected and the evidence
linterwoven. The court said that he
would try this case today and the
ether next Monday.
Witness said that in the second con-
versation in Henderson's barn, Hen
derson was scared when witness told
him that the people were suspecting
him. The first conversation in regard
to the fires was had in April, two
months before Henderson's arrest.
A series of objections and argu-
ments took up much time, and were
not brought to close until the court
threatened to exercise his prerogative
to fine for contempt of court. The
court announced that he would con-
fine the hearing to the Jefferson fire.
He had been as liberal as possible,
and it had not satisfied the attorneys,
and he would now limit the matter.
Mr.. Miller said that at the second
conversation in the barn, two weeks
before Henderson's arrest, Henderson
asked whether the people mistrusted
him. Henderson had asked me two
weeks before to listen among the peo
pie. 1 told him they did, and he
thought they might be watching him
He claimed that probably it would
not be best to set any more fires, and
acted as if he was afraid to set any
more. Thursday, June 10th, he talked
of setting a new fire. He had first
talked of this two weeks before. Or
June 10th, we had the principal con
= versation in the back end Of Henry
Drehers saloon. He asked me how
the people felt and whether they were
much worked up over the fires. J. sale
yes, and he said that he understood
= so, too. He said that the people didn'
seem to be doing anything, and tina
the police force was doing nothing
. and that there was no danger from
the police. He talked of setting
fire on Wednesday night, and it wa
understood that l was going with
him. 1 did not urge or encourag
him to set more fires, but told hin
:. that l did not think that the peopl
were so worked up but that it woul
be safe for him to set another fire
Don't know when the first time wa
that 1 told Henderson that had
partner. Did not tell Odds or Hendel
son that we were going out Frida
y night, June 18th, to locate some stole
il goods. Something was said about il
VI The state objected to any of tn
IL conversation in relation to stole
q goods being given, and the court SUI
u tanned the objection.