The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-25

Calling his wife out, he had a few words
of conversation with her on the porch
and as she turned to 60 into the house
he fired one shot at her, the charge tax.
ing effect in her neck. She was probably
instantly killed.
Grams then returned to his own home
and told his nephew, of the same name
as his own, what he had done, and then
reloaded the gun, remarking that this
charge was for himself. His nephew re.
manned with him to see that he had no
opportunity to carry out his threat to
kill himself. Grams then asked the nep-
hew to hitch up a team and take him to
the county Jail in this city, saying that
he wished to give himself up to the au-
thorities. The nephew did this, and start
ed to drive with Grams to Mankato.
When a mile east of Eagle Lake,
Grams said that the young man was not
driving fast enough, and himself seized
the lines and gave them such a jerk that
the team turned around so squarely as
to break the tongue of the buggy. A far
mer named Geo. Rohrman drove up and
assisted young Grams. The latter Dor
rowed Mr.. Rohrman's democrat wagon
and then drove to Eagle Lake, where he
intended to take the train for Mankato
with his uncle.
Village Marshal j. A. P~ressnall saw a
crowd standing ON the street, and when
he approached it he asked what was the
excitement. He was told that a man
who had killed his wife had just been
driven to the depot. This was the first
although he did not see him drink, he
thought that he had taken whisky. He
thought that he might nave taken a
drink before he left the house the first
time, but if so he did not show it in his
appearance, except for the fact that be-
fore starting out to hunt chickens, as he
had said, he put on his wife's winter
jacket. He also had a grain sack tied
IN him, but the nephew did not know
what was in it. When they got to Eagle
Lake, the old gentleman was very anx-
ious to get another drink, but the nep-
hew would not let him do so. Marshal
P~ressnall said that the prisoner acted
more under the influence of liquor at
Eagle Lake than he did after reaching
Mankato.
Refused to Talk.
Gram was seen in his cell by a Free
Press reporter as soon as he was placed
in it. He said in reply to a question that
he had shot his wife, that he should hang
for it, that he expected to be hung for it,
and that his children were safe. Further
than this he refused to make any state
ment whatever, and contented himself
with rolling over on his bunk with his |
face the other way and ignoring all ques-
lions that were asked him. He would not /!
what he meant by saying that
his children were safe, but it is likely |
he had reference to their getting
all the property.
Deputy Sheriff Wiltgen and Albert
Gerlach, who are acquainted with the
defendant, had no better success when
undertook alone to talk with Grams.
He refused to make any statement to
them except that he had killed his wife
and that the law could take its course.
On the train to Mankato, Grams told
Marshal Pressnall that he had killed his
and that he had done a good job.
He seemed to gloat over the act, and
spoke of it in a boastful way. He re-
fused to make any further statement.
Herman Pelliberg, at whose house the
Iced was committed, has a wife and