Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-27
TOOMAN TAKES THE STAND
Gives His Testimony in the Trial of ",
s. Cole.
He REVEALS THE PLOT OF THE MURDER
Tells How the Old Man was killed
and Buried in the stnble-Grows
Very Much Excited on
Cross-Examination.

BLOOMINGTON, Neb., June 26.-(Special
Telegram The trial OF w. ;. Cole, charged
with the murder of ]. ?. Krechbaum, was
resumed this morning. There was great
rush for the court house when 1t became
known that Jesse Tooman, WSo is Jointly
charged with this crime With Cole and found
guilty at the last term of court and is now
serving life sentence at the penitentiary.
was to be on the witness stand,
Tooman testified that last September,
while his family was away visiting, Cole,
who had made his house his home for the
last three years and had been farming close
to Kriechbaum's farm. told him of Kriech-
baum and all the property and money he
supposed he had on his person, or hidden.
He said this was the first he had ever heard
of Kriechbaum and after talking the mat
ter over for a long time, it was decided
that they would kill the old man De-
cember was the day selected and about 3
o clock in the morning he came TO Blooming
ton to see II there was any mortgage against
the farm and stock. Finding they we're
all clear he went to Franklin, FIVE miles
east He ate dinner there and saw Kriech
baum on the street and about o'clock
he started south for Kriechbaum's home.
Getting past the business part Of town Cole
got into the buggy and they continued their
4 d
persons who were coming to Franklin.
These were state witnesses who testified
to seeing them.
Cole was we'll acquainted with Franklin
and the country around Krechbaums and
it was decided that Cole should get out
of the buggy and walk across the country
to Kriechbaum's while he (Tooman) was
to drive over to Coles farm, adjoining
! Kriechbaum's, and put up the horse and
they were again to meet at Kriechbaum's S
to complete their plans which for months
they had been arranging to kill the old
man. who had not an enemy on earth. He
I said he got to Kriechbaum's place about 9
O'Clock and found Kriechbaum feeding his
stock. They talked a few minutes and
started for the house. When within a few
yards from it he put the end of the barrel
of his gun close under the old mans Jaw
and fired. So close was the gun to the
face that fire from the gun burned the
| whiskers. He said the old man had a grain
sack around his shoulders. He wrapped
this around the head TO keep the blood
! from escaping He said Cole had not got
there yet and while looking for good
! place to bury him Cole came and remarked
| that: We'll, you got the old man fixed"
He said that on account of the ground
being frozen they could not dig a hole, so
went to the stable, where the body was
found, and dug a small hole and he and
! Cole doubled the body up and put it in,
| laying a heavy rock on it. They did not
| 90 in the house or search the old man S
pockets. They went over to the Cole place,
where they had left their horse and waited
until daylight and got back to Tooman S
home at 10 o'clock.
In a private interview this evening Too
man said Deputy Warden Welsh would take
him back to the penitentiary tonight and
that he strongly objected that Cole should
get free or to ever marry his daughter
Grace, whom he was to have married last
| December.
| Coles attorneys got after Tooman on the
| cross-examination. In the first place they
got him mad and then he swore to most
anything they would ask. Taken as whole
many think the testimony will not hurt
Cole a great deal. Attorney A. F. Moore
of McCook. one of Coles attorneys, was
fined IS for delaying court at noon. Court
adjourned until tomorrow morning.