The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-11-11
No Solution, Nor Is There Any
Motive Ascribed.
Rumors Are Rife, But Many of
Them BaseIess.
DR.. G. R. Koch Is Believed to Be
Entirely Innocent.
From FRIDAYS Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
New Ulm's murder mystery is as far
from solution as ever, and it may be
some days before the person who COM
mitted the horrible deed which resulted
in the death of DIR. A. /. Gerhard is
rounded up. The authorities are working
on the case, aided by Pinkerton
detective, who admits with a great deal
of frankness that the case is one which
has baffled him thus far. The detec-
tive arrived in New Ulm Wednes-
day night and Immediately went to
work on the case. He carefully eXamin-
ed the apartments where the murder was
committed and has looked over much of
the personal effects of the dead man.
but had learned nothing that would
throw any light upon who killed Dr.
Gebhard
The sensation of yesterday was the
placing in the "sweatboX" of DR.. G. r.
Koch, young dentist of the city whose
initials tally with those on the hand
kcrchief found in the dentists office i'm
medately after the murder was COM
mitted. DIR. Koch gave detailed account
of his whereabouts on the evening of
the murder, and he claimed to be at the
home of his parents at 9:45, about the
D,
Koch is a son of highly respected resi-
dents of New Ulm and his brother is a
cashier of one of the local banks. The
doctor is held in the highest esteem by
everybody, and there was no ill-feeling
between Dr. Gerhard and himself, so
far as the general public knows.
Believe Koch Is Innocent.
On the evening of the murder DIR.
Koch, Editor Brooks, DR.. Vogel and A.
j. Vogel were in the office of Attorney
Somsen playing a friendly game of
cards, so it is claimed. At 9:l5 the
game was stopped and the crowd dis
persed DIR. Koch started for home,
stopped on the way to talk with some
men in barber shop, after which he
continued his journey, reaching home
at 9:45. He was met on the way to his
home by several young ladies with whom
he was acquainted. When the suspicion
arose in the minds of some of the New
Ulmites that Koch might have had some
thing to do with the case, the doctor re-
quested a thorough investigation. This
was had yesterday afternoon at the of
fee of the county attorney, Einar HOi-
dale. Beside Dr. Koch and Mr.. Hoidale
there were present Henry Somsen, city
attorney. and George w. Somerville OF
Sleepy Eye, who has been retained by
Dr. Koch. Editor Brooks, who was first
on the scene of the murder, and who
caught a glimpse of the murderer, is
positive i'm his statement that it was
not DIR. Koch whom he saw in the den
lists office If there are any persons
in New Ulm that believe that DR.. Kocl
is the murderer they have not express
ed their belief publicly.
All other obtainable facts and circum
stances point to the innocence of DR.
Koch. He was a close friend of DIR
Gerhard and their professional and so
cial relations were of. a most pleasant
and agreeable character. At the flu
neral service of DIR. Gerhard there
Dr. Koch was a member of the quartet
which sang. On the surface, at leaA>
the men were good friends. Tie state
ment of Mr. Brooks, who saw the muir
derer, satisfies the great majority tina
the name of DIR. Koch, by some strang
freak of fortune, has been wrongful,
linked with this horrible affair. TIL
Pinkerton man expected to have al
interview with DIR. Koch today.
One Story Exploded.
The story related yesterday b.
Blacksmith Neumann has been explained
II will be remembered that Mr.. Neu
mann, in company with his wife, wa
walking along the street at 9:35 Oh
Tuesday night and they met two gen
tlemen. One of these stepped into
doorway and is reported to have sal
to his companion, eff you hear anything
come up" 1t has been learned that tn
doorway that the gentleman stepped in
to. was not that one which opened to tn
stairway leading to the office of ID
Gebhard. but one further down tn
street. The gentlemen whom the black
smith and his wife met are well-know
residents of New Tim, and they bot
explained their mission on that night.
One can hear all sorts of rumors an
stories in New Ulm that are started b
persons who do not realize that the
are putting the authorities to grea
deal of trouble and annoyance. Man
of the residents are anxious that some