The Saint Paul globe., 1898-11-08

sons Queer Reasoning.
After the repeated statement in The
/ 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
end late yesterday afternoon tabled
the prisoner ait the central station. His
name is Nicholas Kauth, alias Smith.
He is thirty-fou years of age, claims
to be laborer and was raised i'm this
city. Kauth served a term in the state
penitentiary for larceny, and was re-
leased last April Through the efforts
of Deputy Sheriff Hanlnes and Sheriff
Wagener
AS previously stated in The G 10 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 intinated yester-
day, however, that an effort might be
made to connect the prisoner with the
crime remarking that there was plen-
~ VI bIillC III WI1Cil 70 Charge
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 sUbserVe the ends
OF justice. AT the central station Short
ly after being tabled Kauth wrote out
the following statement, which he re-
quested The G O b e to publish:
KAUTH'S WRITTEN STATEMENT.
About two ~weeks after the Middleton mur-
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-
gardlng the case, and requested me to try
clear the parties under suspicion or be of
sunelent Importance to make out a case
against them. Mr.. Hammes took me to the
sheriff, and he also seemed to be very anxious
to have the case unraveed, and being under
great obligation to both of them l agreed to
ACT according to their wishes. They tod
me whom they suspected, namely, William
Edmunds and William Kennedy.
On making inquiries 1 found that both of
them leIt town imm edia-ely after the muir
der Of Middleton. learned that they had
on the night of the murder, been drinking
in Snyder saloon till nearly u o'clock near
Middleton store), and had made the re-
tailor shop, which is next door to Middletons
store. Edmunds wanted to borrow Mr..
Snyder's revolver, but he would not lend
On learning the above I was satisfied in
my own mind that they were the parties
wanted Knowing that a watch was taken
m mir %
der | ingratiated myself into the good graces
OF Harry Edmunds, a brother to William
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 a watch that 1 wish
whatever you can get for it," 1 took the
watch to Sheriff Wagner. Just about that
to town. looked him up, and let on to
him that Harry Edmunds had told me the
whole story about him and William Edmunds
robbing and killing Middleton. Kennedy and
| took a walk, bringing up in Hickey;s sa-
loon, on St Anthony hill. During this walk
Kennedy told me that he and William Ed
munds were in Snyder's saloon that night:
that Edmunds got good jag on, wanted to
borrow Snyder's revolver and went to Joe's
saloon formerly bartender in Summers sa-
loon, Seventh and Sibley), and had some
more beer; went to burgiarize some store.
ana got into Middletons place through the
back window; that Middleton was lying in a
saw them he started to raise up Edmupds
told him to lie still and at the same time
shot at him twice, and that they then ran
away. Kennedy, when relating this, expressed
hlmsef as very sorry that Edmunds had
shot Middleton, said there was no need for
It whatever. and that he wished to Cod
ne had not been with him
l 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 l could in the case 1 did not
go near the sheriff for several days.
On last Friday, Detective Campbell came to
me and said that on account Of the election
the sheriff had turned abe case over to him.
and to tell him everything, the same as /
had the sheriff. We went to the Thiel De-
tective agency and the manager Mr. Ives ana
Mr.. CampelI, wanted me to make a statement
l would not do without the presence of
Mr.. Wagner, but he could not be found
Finally Mr.. Campell wanted to know whether
would make statement If Mayor Kiefer
would assure me that what Campell said
about turning the case over to him was true
That being satisfactory we went to the
mayor offce, and the mayor told me ahat
the sheriff had, the day before seen him
about the case and turned 1T over to the
city officials, 1 then gave Mr.. CampelI all
the information 1 had about the case which
the entire detective force had not been able
to get in two months. Fer this Q suppose1
Mr.. Campell swore out warrant against me-
watch from Mr.. Middleton on the nipht Of
the murder. and while writing this I am
lying on a lousy old bunk at the central
station. Me Kauth
DETECTIVE CAEPBELL'S FLUKE.
Now that the huke of Detectivs
Campbell and the private detectives
has permitted the supposed real muir
derers to escape, County Attorney An.
dersOn affects to discredit the storv
told by Kauth, inconsistently, however.
holding the young man in conmuni,
cando at the central station, thus indi-
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 Germania life building.
Saturday night, as told in The G Globe.
Harry Edmunds, from whom Kauth
says he received the watch, wa.
brought face to face with the prisoner.
In the g presence of the inquisitors
Kauth reiterated the statement that he
had received the watch from Edmunds.
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 to
Kauth or any knowledge of the MUIR
dered mans time piece.
County Attorney Anderson savs
Kauth begged Edmunds to admit thc
accusation about the watch so as td
get him (kauth) out of a bad fix.
You have not long to live Harry.
and it can 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 saws
Kauth said to Ednlunds whiIa h.