The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-13
TWO SHOTS WERE HEARD
TESTIMONY IN THE TANKE CASE
Tanke Reported to Have Said 81
Have Killed One" Might
Kill Another.
Special to The journal,

Special to The Journal
Henderson, Mimi. June 13.-In the case
of Franf Tanke, charged with the mur
der of John Wellner, the first witness for
the state this morning was w. w. Will
inert Of Arlington. At the time of the
mysterious death of Wellner he was liv
ing near KlosSner station and a short
distance from John Wellner's farm. On
the night of Dec. 81, 1898, at about SIS
he had left a neighbor's house and was
travelling along the road toward kloss-
ner station when man on horseback rode
by in the direction Of the station. Will
inert recognized the rider as Frank Tanke
the defendant. Witness testified that
Tanke dismounted when near the depot
and jumped on a train which was just
pulling out for New Ulm. The horse
turned around and passed Willmert again,
galloping off toward the Wellner farm.
In September, 1899, Wilmert was en-
pioyed on the Wellner farm. Tanke was
still there. He (Tanke) and Mrs. Well
ner, the witness said, were living to-
gether as husband and wife. Wllmert
asked Tanke one day where the body Of
John Wellner was found on the morning
of Jan. 1. 1899. Tanke said at the south
west corner of the barn. He then asked
Wilmert if he had been around there at
the time of Wellners death. Wllmert
said he had, and that he had met a man
on horseback, riding toward Klossner
station on the nlSnt IN question:. 1anke
then hung his head
Fred Stolse, employed as baggageman at
New Ulm for the Minneapolis & ST. Louis,
testified that he saw Tanke get off the
train which arrives from klossner
station about S:45 p. m, on New Years
eve, 1898. William Danheim was living
a mile east of Klossner station on Dec.
81, 1898. On thate evening atFabout s
o'clock he heard the rumble of a pas
senger train on the other side of Lafay-
cite station. eight miles afaw He heard
two shots fred about half minute apart,
then he heard the train whistle for La
fayette station. The shots came from the
direction of Wellner's farm, 314 miles off.
Ernest Sauer of New Ulm was at the
Union hall bar with a Tony Roffman on
New Years eve, 1898, at about 10 o'clock.
Sauer testified that Tanke came In
shortly and that Roffman made a remark
displeasing to Tanke, who then said: Il
have killed one; it won't make no differ
ence II 1 kill another
Tanke and Roffman afterwards made
up over glass of beer at Schmucker's
hall. Tony Roffman, who had ben with
Sauer on that night was the next witness.
He corroborated Sauer's story as to meet
iEg Tanke in Union hall saloon and tho
threat the later made. Fred FRANKIE, of
New Ulm, in his testimony, corroborated
Will Marts story as to Tanke's being at
Friday, and on Will Merits throwing the
dice box over to Tanke and saying,
Shoot! shcot!' The latter replied he
had nothing to shoot with, as he had
thrown it away. Witness was employed
at Wellner farm from March to August,
1899, and while there heard improper Ian
guage used by defendant and Mrs. Well
ner and had alos found them in compro-
missing positions. Court adjourned at
noon with Fanke still on the stand.
The first witness examined yesterday
afternoon was j. D. Billingsley, a builder
OF St. Peter, who had made plans of the
John Wellner house and barn, also a COM
plete model Of the barn. These exhibits
were introduced in evidence. Gottlieb
Bieraengel, the father OF Amelia Tanke,
and the first person to find the body of
John Wellner, was the next witness. He
lives about 140 rods from the Wellner
house. Mrs Tanke came to his house about
4: 80 a. m. on Jan. l, 1899. He went back