The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-12-13


3 Nellie Pickett, testified that Pickett
had neither known, heard Of nor seen
, his present wife until several weeks
{ after September 80, 1900.
> Fred White, fireman, testified that
he saw Pickett on the night of the
fire, and he acted as though crazed
with grief He was moaning, but did
i not say anything.
James G. Pearson, fireman, was at
the fire and heard Pickett tell group
of women, when speaking about his
wife: "Oh, she was dead before the
alarm was turned in; before you were
up" He saw the body in the bath
/ room, lying on its back, with arms and
, legs drawn up.
Carl Peterson, fireman, saw Mrs.
Pickett in the bathroom, and testified
as to the position of the body. He
said he thought he saw a broken lamp
in the room.
William Hagmen, also fireman,
saw Pickett on the second floor of the
building, crying and walking back
and forth. He looked as if he felt
pretty badly. Hagmen also testified
as to the position of the body.
A. Tuthill, who lived across the
street, testified to having turned in
the fire alarm. While partly dressing
to go out he saw Pickett with few
clothes on running back and forth to
and from the fire box. He met Pickett.
who was moaning, 80 my God, my
poor wife" In reply to his question,
"What's the matter2'' Pickett answer
ed, She's burned to death. 7"
Mrs. Bessie Carlin, who lived at
400 Seventh avenue S. testified that
she was an intimate friend of the
Picketts. Mrs. Pickett was at her
house on the night of the fire. She
knew Mrs. Picketts health was not
good, but that she was happy.
Mrs. Nellie Riley knew Mrs. Pickett
and knew she was subject to dizzy
spells and troubles with her head.
She said that the Picketts were exceed
ingly happy.
Mrs. Katie Walsh occupied rooms
on the second floor of S1S Eighth ave-
nue. S. She was awakened and saw
from her bathroom window across the
light we'll, upon which opened the
Pickett bathroom, that the room was
in flames
All the last three witnesses testified
to what Pickett told them about the
occurrence. He had said he did not
know when his wife returned, nor any
thing about her until he was awakened
by her calls of "Reuben.
He thought she was calling the boy,
who had been sick. A minute later
he. heard her call for help and he
rushed to the bathroom and found her
dead and the room in flames.
"This case is one of the greatest
mysteries I have ever heard Of" said
an eminent jurist of Minneapolis Fri
day, in discussing the case now on
trial there before Judge Elliott. SIT
is more mysterious than the famous
Hayward case which attracted the at
tention of the whole country, and the
equally famous Hamilton case is sim
plicity itself compared to it. Take
the Ca Sc from any viewpoint and try
to arrive at some reasonable conclusion
and one is met with most mystifying
conditions. The more evidence you
hear, the deeper becomes the puzzle.
A thousand questions present them
selves almost Immediately when one
attempts to unravel the case.
While great many persons, some of
them able lawyers, experienced in
court proceedings, have attempted to
follow the case, they have not been
able to arrive at any conclusion. 1t
battles all theories and all speculation
There are many expressions of
opinion as to Pickett's guilt or limo
cence, but none is based on evidence.
Those who abide by the old English
rule that person is innocent until
proved guilty say that the prisoner is
not guilty. While oth ers contend that
Pickett's actions and the many sus-
! picious incidents almost establish a
complete circumstantial case against
him.
While the crowd in attendance is not
large as compared with the throngs
which clamored for admission to the
Hayward and Hamilton case, the in
dividuals follow the case as closely as
either of the other famous causes were
| watched.
| Pickett and his family were notice
ably more atease yesterday. Some of
the damaging testimony adduced dur
ing the first two days of the trial has
been impeached and partially contro-
verted and the gloom which settle over
the family is clearing away as the case
for the defense grows stronger and
stronger.
The late Mrs. Pickett's sister con-
tinues to groan and sigh and sobs hys
terically at all reference to her sister,
whom she firmly believes was MUIR
dered
Mrs. Katie Walsh was the last per-
son who saw Mrs. Augusta Pickett
alive and there was much interest in
her evidence when she took the stand
yesterday morning.
Mrs. Walsh met Mrs. Pickett on the
| L n IL