The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-14
GETS THREE YEARS
Joseph Peters Will Serve Time
at Saltwater.
Mrs Stella Williams Gets Off With One
Year. of Mrs. Elsie
Foss Today.

Joseph Peters was taken before Judge
Cray Wednesday to receive his sem
tence for grand larceny in the first de-
gree, for participating in the robbery
of Fred Kron's store. His attorney,
L. 81. Prendergast, called the attention
of the court to the fact that Peters
had shown his willingness to assist the
state in the prosecution of the st. Paul
pawn broker who received the stolen
goods, and suggested that this should
act in mitigation of the sentence. He
asked that his client be given a re-
formatory sentence.
Judge Cray said that he did not feel
that Peters should receive a reforma-
tory sentence, as this was his second
conviction for similar offenses. He
sentenced Peters to three years at hard
labor in the Saltwater penitentiary.
Peters gave his age as twenty-six
years, and said that he was a carpen-
ter by trade.
Mrs. Stella Williams was next called
ND for sentence. W. r. Geddes, her
attorney, addressed the court on her
behalf He said that she had COM
menced divorce proceedings against
her first husband, John Peerman, and
that the summons and complaint was
served and the proceeding got no
further. She had supposed that the
divorce had been secured for her. Mr..
Geddes read a letter which he had re-
ceived from her attorney in the divorce
proceedings, saying that he had sup
posed that the divorce was granted.
Judge Cray sentenced Mrs. Williams
to one years imprisonment at Still
water at hard labor. She gave her
age as twenty-five years, and said that
she had done sewing and housekeep-
ing.
Sheriff. Gerlich will take the pri-
soners toStillwater as soon as the COM
mitment papers can be made out.
The trial of Mrs. Elsie Foss on the
charge of stealing silk from the store
of Geo. E. Brett, Inc, was commenced
Wednesday and has occupied the
day. Mrs. Foss was indicted jointly
with Mrs. Minnie Kohler for the
offense, grand larceny in the second de-
gree being charged.
The following jury was secured ::
VIM. J. Jones, Julius Stanzel, Chas.
Hilton, Patrick Madigan, Herman
Miller, Adam Lortz, L. N. Holmes,
Chas. Finch, D. G.. Willard, Chas.
johnson, Geo. Goodall, G. s. Latin.
The witnesses examined on the part
of the state were D. V. Williams, D.
7. Bowen, Edmund Rausch, Geo. E.
Brett and Mrs. Minnie Kohler. The
latter said that she and Mrs. Foss had
gone to the store, taken the goods,
gone to Mrs. Foss' house, and divided
the goods Judge Andrews, who
with J. w. Schmitt is defending
Mrs. Foss, put Mrs Kohler through so
tart cross examination that she broke
down and shed tears and it was some
moments before she could proceed.
The defense was that Mrs. Foss did
not visit the store of Geo. E. Brett,
Inc, that afternoon, that she was at
home all of the afternoon, that Mrs.
Minnie Kohler brought the goods to
her house, and that she did not take
anything from the store or commit
larceny.
The witnesses for the defense were
Mrs. Foss, Geo. Foss, her husband,
Mr.. and Mrs. Nell Foss and Harry
O'Brien.
Sitting with Mrs. Foss in the court
room were her crippled husband and
her two small children. Mrs. Minnie
Kohler is her sister-in-law.
The jury in the case of Emily Good
rich VS.. Geo. May, to recover wages,
found in favor of the plaintiff and
| granted her $7S. rs.
The next case for..trial is that of E.
IL. Pettis ,Jr, by his guardian, E. L,