The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-10
She Is Subjected to Lengthy Cross
Examination BY State.
Her Husband Denies Stories TeId BY
Prosecuting Witnesses.
Never Owned a Revolver, Dida't Sug-
gest Robbers Organization.
Sticks to the Fext That Ne Is Nst
WeIIner's Slayer.
From T,,esdav,s Daily.


From Tuesdays Daily.
st. James, Mimi, April 6.-The entire
morning yesterday was occppied in the
cross-exammation of Mrs. Amelia Tanke,
the principal witness for the defense in
the trial of Frank Tanke, charged with
the killing of John Wellner on New
Years Eve, 1898.
Mrs. Tanke said that she confessed to
the murder of John Wellner at Hender-
son last July The attorney for the
state asked:
What became OF the robbers?"
There were none"
Didn't you testify to that at the in
quest?"
Yes, sir"
And made 1hem believe your"
Il guess So"
Did Tanke leave the house after the
murder up to the time of arrestf'
'No sir"
"'You told this story at Henderson ?"
Yes, SIR
why did You tell it?"
TO keep shame from my children
Wasn't you trying to save Frank
Tanker"
mo sir"
Didn't the Jury. find Tanke guilty?"
yes, sir'
THAT afternoon he came back to Jail
and Mr.. Eckstein came back, too, you
told him the story was false?"
Yes, sir"
"And you told Eckstein all about bury
ing the revolver?"
yes"
"And you went out there?''
81 did,
Didn't find the revolver that day?"
NO"
Didn't you tell at Henderson that
Wellner threatened you before the night
of the murder?"
mo. 1 didn't"
you heard Atlas testify that he saw
John Wellner at 9 pm? Is it not true
the first time you told of Johns going
out was after hearing the Atlas story?"
Il don't remember"
Before you always told John went
to bed at $3.50 p. m"
Eyes, sir"
Did you want Frank Tanker"
mo. l didn't"
you were telling false story for
him?''
Witness replied that she didn't know
whether it would help him or not. She
hadn't practiced revolver shooting be-
fore that night.
and that was the first, shot you ever
6redY"
1T was"
and when you got to the house and
you sat down on the lounge you thought
of the robbery story, did your"
YES
Witness didn't think she was max
ing up storiss.
Crank Tanke didn't come into the
house that night, did he9"
NO, he didn't."
Mrs. Tanke is bearing up well under
the strain and appears to be in good
health, Notwithstanding her confinement
at Saltwater She is inclined to be opti-
mistic ever her fate and says she rs
ceives excellent treatment at the peni-
Tertiary.
Frank Tanke, the defendant, was
placed on the stand in his own defense
and when court adjourned at five O'Clock
in the Tanke murder trial he was still
on the stand. His story was simply a
denial of most of the states allega-
tions and Confederation of the witnesses
for the defense.
He states that he was at New Ulm at
eight o'clock, or at the time the murder
was committed. He corroborated his
fathers and sisters testimony as to ar
irving home at that hour with goose.
He denied Fred Tanke's testimony al
leging that the defendant had proposed
organizing robber band, as well as
making at any time admissions Of guilt.
He said that he never owned revol-
yer, and that the one Lockway says
he saw belonged in the saloon where ne
worked. Tanke's cross examination to-
morrow morning will be exhaustive, after
which the defense will probably rest
HURT WHILE PLAYING.