The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-11-04

a
a sound hypothesis. A burglar would
have damaged the safe. But the doctor
himself had evidently opened it. /,
The mystery surrounding the affair
is further increased by the high stand
ing, popularity and success of the murder
ed man. He is not known to have had an
enemy in the world. He bore high rep
utation in the community.
DR.. Gerhard was twenty eight years
old and leaves a mother, sister and two
brothers in Black River Falls, Wis. An
other sister resides in Milwaukee.
An Eye Witness of the Deed.
Asa A. Brooks, editor of The New
Ulm Review, was an eye witness of the
murder of DIR. Gerhard. Shortly after
nine O'Clock last night employees of the
printing establishment, heard some one
ascending the stairway leading to the
office of the dentist. Less than ten
minutes after that there was a disturb
ance in the apartments. Mr.. Brooks
was about to enter his own office, and
his attention was attracted by the noise
above He did not go Immediately to
the doctors office but entered his own,
where he read a letter The noise in the
dentists office became more pronounced
and Mr.. Brooks concluded that someone
was being assaulted, although he heard
no cutlery. Ascending to the upper
floor, Mr. Brooks tried the door of DR..
Gebhard's office, but it was securely
locked. Mr.. Brooks then climbed up and
peered through the transOm. He was
Mortified to see the dentist lying fiat
on his back on the floor, and strange
man astride of him. The assailant of
the doctor was in the act of finishing
his awful work. The murderer glanc-
ed up at the transOm and his eyes met
those of Mr.. Brooks. He Immediately
closed the iackknife with which he had
slashed the neck and face of his victim,
and then he made a quick move as If to
draw a revolver Mr.. Brooks hurried to
the street i'm search of assistance. Re-
turning to the scene of the tragedy all
was still. The murderer had made his
escape by cutting the screen to rear
window and Selling telephone wire he
- h. nd do
his way through the darkness of the
night
Mr.. Brooks is positive that the dentist
was dead by the time he reached the
transom. The assassin's victim did not
make struggle while the newspaper
man was a witness of the awful scene.
1t is known that when the stranger en-
tered the office DR.. Gerhard was at work
in his laboratory. He left the laboratory,
passed into the reception room, and
while doing so he removed his working
Jacket and put on his street coat. 1t is
apparent, that he seated himself in a
rocking chair, as one had been carried
from one of the other apartments to
the reception room. Evidently the two
men had conversed few moments be-
fore the death struggle took place.
Handkerchief as a Clew.
The only clew that may lead to Che
apprehension of the murderer is hand
kerchief, blOodstained, gruesome relic
of the tragedy in which DIR. Gebhard
lost his life This handkerchief was
left in the office by the brutal MUIR
derer He had wiped his hands on this
piece of linen before taking his depar-
ture from the office. This handkerchief
bears the initials &c. R. r." or &c. r.
X" The latter letter is rather indis-
tinct, and it could not be determined
whether it was an or" or a OK" At
any rate the handkerchief will aid the
authorities in their search for the muir
derer
DIR. Gerhard was first attacked with
hammer This instrument belonged
to the dead man. The murderer reign
ed blow after blow on the defenseless
mans head, fracturing his skull in sew
eral places. Then he attacked his vic
tim with the knife and slashed neck
and face repeatedly. The dentist was
struck with the knife at least twenty
times.
Mr.. Brooks managed to get good
look at the murderer He is described
as being about five feet eight or nine
inches tall, slim built, with heavy dark
hair, and small dark mustache. He
cannot be over twenty-five years old.
He has the appearance of man who
has been employed in an office or store.
He is good looking man, refined in APP
pearanee and was well dressed in a dark
suit of clothes. He had not been seen
could not have been robbery, as 5000
which DR.. Gerhard had in the safe was
untouched and the gold watch which the
dentist carried was not molested. Other
valuables in the office were left un-
touched. The murder is shrouded in
mystery DIR. Gerhard had lived in New
Ulm five years and was not known to
have had an enemy. Several weeks ago
Mr.. Brooks and DR.. Gerhard took