The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-08


After the repeated statement in The
G l o be yesterday that Detective
Campbell and the private detectives
working on the Middleton murder case
had been holding, since last Saturday,
the young man Who turned over Mid
dleton'S watch to the authorities, the
fly bobS" at last came to the scratch
and late yesterday afternoon tabled
the prisoner ait the central station. His
name is Nicholas kauth, alias Smith
lie Is thirty-fOur years of age, claims
to be laborer and was raised in This
CITY. kauth served a term in the state
penitentiaTy for larceny and was re-
leased last April Through the efforts
OF Deputy Sheriff HamInes and Sheriff
Wagner.
As previously stated in The G. / o b e,
his gratitude for this service led him
to communicate what he claims to
know about the Middleton murder to
Deputy Sheriff Hammes and Sheriff
wagner. Kauth is held on the charge
of larceny-not as yet being accused
of completely In the murder. County
Attorney Anderson intinlated yester-
day, however. that an effort might bt
made to connect the prisoner with the
crime, remarking that there was plen-
ty OF time In which to charge Kauth
With murder if further investigation
warranted such action
Kauth talks freely about his connec-
ton with the Middleton case, absolute
ly denying amy knowledge Of the crime
until some time after the murder. He
says he can prove where he was the
night of the shooting, and urges his
course in aiding the authorities to run
down the supposed guilty parties as
evidence Of the fact that he has acted
In good faIth only to SubSeTve the ends
OF justice. At the central station short
ly after being tabled Kauth wrote out
the following statement, which he re-
GueSted The G | o b to publish:
KAUTFI'S WRITTEN STATEMENT.
About two weeks after the Middleton MUIR
der, John Hammes, the county jailer, came
to me and wanted to know whether 1 would
not try and assist him and the sheriff in
unraveling the Middleton murder. He told
me all he knew, and whom he supected re-
garding the case, and requested me to try
and Ees some evidence that would either
clear the parties under suspicion or be Of
Sufnclent Importance to make out a case
against them. Mr.. Hammes took me to the
sher1h, and he also seemed to be very anxious
TO nave the case unraveled, and being under
great obligation to beth of them I agreed to
act according to their wishes. They tod
me whom they suspected, namely William
Edmunds and William Kennedy
On making inquiries l found that both of
them lett town Immediately after the MUIR
der or Middleton. l learned that they had
on the night of the murder, been drinking
in Snyder's saloon till nearly IL o'clock near
Middleton's stOre), and had made the re-
mark that they were going to rob VOLTS
tailor shop, which is next door to Middleton's
STORE Edmunds wanted to borrow Mr..
Snyder's revolver, but he would not lend
it to him.
On learning the above was satisfied in
wanted. Knowing that a watch was taken
from Mr.. Middleton on the night of the muir
der i ingratiated myself into the good graces
Edmunds, feeling satisfied that therein lay
my main chance in getting the watch. After
visiting him three or four times he finally,
about three weeks ago, gave me a watch,
saying: Here, Mic, is watch that | wish
you would sell for me. l am hard up; take
w Whatever you ,S can get for it" took the
Wdtch 10 Sheriff WAGNER. Just about that
time learned that Kennedy had come back
t to town; | looked him up, and let on to
Whole story about him and William Edmunds
robbing and killing Middleton. Kennedy and
took walk bringing up in Hickey's sa-
Ioon on st. Anthony hill. During this walk
Kennedy told me that he and William Ed
munds were in Snyders saloon that night:
tnaL Edmunds got good jag on, wanted to
saloon Formerly bartender in Summers sa.
LOOM Seventh and Sibley), and had some
more MOI beer; went to burglarize some store.
and got into Middletons place through the
back window; that Middleton was living in a
reC-lning position on the bed; that when he
saw saw them he started to raise up. Edmunds
shot at him twice, and that they then ran
away. Kennedy, when relating this exnreseed
HiIaseIf as very sorry that Edmunds had
shot Middleton, said there was no need for
1t whatever. and that he wished to Cod
ne had not been with him.
reported to the sheriff what had learned
ABOUT the case and l think he laid the mat
ter before the county attorney Mr.. Anderson,
IN order to obtain warrants. Knowing that
had done all I could in the case I did not
go near the sheriff for several days.
On last Friday, Detective CAMPBELL came tn
me and said that on account OF the election
the sheriff had turned abe case over to him,
ana to tell him everything the same as /
had the sheriff. We went to the ThieJ De-
tective agency and the manager, Mr. Ives ana
MT. Campeli, wanted me to make a statement
| would not do so without the presence Of
Mr.. Wagner, but he could not be found
Finally Mr.. Campbell wanted to know whether
would make statement If Mayor Kiefer
about turning the case over to him was true.
mat being satisfactory we went to the
mayors office, and the mayor told me ahat
the sheriff had, the day before seen him
city officials. 1 then gave Mr.. CAMPBELL all
the information l had about the case which
the entire detective force had not been able
TO get in two months. For this q supposel
Mr.. Campell swore out warrant against me
charging me with the crime of stealing
watch from Mr.. Middleton on the NIGHT of
the murder, and while writing this I am
lying on a lousy old bunk at the central
station. Me Ksuth
DETECTIVE CAAIPBELL'S FLUKE.
Now that the f1uke of Detective
Campbell and the private detectives
has permitted the supposed real muir.
derers to escape, County Attorney An.
derson affects to discredit the story
told by Kauth, inconsistency. however
holdlng the young man in communi.
cando at the central station, thus indt-
eating that the prisoners statements
are believed despite the attempt to dis
credit them. He says that while Kauth
was in the Sweat box" at the ThieI
agency, in the Gernania life building,
Saturday night, as told in The G lobe,
Harry Edmunds, from whom Kauth
says he received the watch, wa,
brought face to face with the prisoner.
In the presence of the inquisitors
Kauth reiterated the statement that he
had received the watch from Edrnl1nds
and asked the latter to admit the truth
Edmunds is almost dead from consump-
ton. According to Mr. Anderson he
denied having given the watch ia
Hauth or any knowledge of the muir
dered mans time piece.
County Attorney Anderson savA
kauth begged Ednunds to admit thr
accusation about the watch so as tn
get him (Kauth) out of bad fix.
You have not long to live, Harry
and it cam make no difference to YOU
NO one can accuse a sick man like
you with having anything to do with
the murder. Won't you say you gave
me the watch?"
This is what Mr.. Anderson says
Kauth said to Edmunds, while hs
old i,,oc, do,