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

store | saw Kicks, Schonlau and Dr.,
Vogel standing in the doorway of the
drug store. went upstairs, turned out
the light and came down again. When
/ came down again / saw Hicks, Schon-
lau and Amundson in the drug store
doorway. 1 talked with them about
minute. l went down Minnesota street
and went into Simmet's barber shop and
| think it was about OILS. In there |
saw Eugene Pfefferle and Mr.. A. Sim
met. l stayed in there minute or two.
While there talked politics with them.
| do not know exactly how long | was
there. / came out of the office and
passed The Review office where young
Paltrusch was working. l walked to
the corner of Center and Minnesota
streets. l turned up Center and walk
ed straight up Center to Herman's
park, which adjoins my house. walk
ed through the park to my home. In the
cow yard | saw a rabbit. | went into
the house and took off my overcoat and
took drink of water. When | came in
to the house my father and sister Ida
were sitting at the dining room table.
1t was about twenty minutes of ten.
1 went out the back way into an old
house or shed and got an old gun that
was standing there to shoot the rabbit.
| could not find any shells in the shed.
1 used to keep them on the top of the
window sash. Then | went into the
granary. There were none there Then
1 went back into the house and went
down stairs into the room where | sleep.
When l went down my father and my
sister were still at the table. In the
room l saw Cary Hippauff. He was
studying. We exchanged greetings, then
went upstairs again. l am in the
habit of eating before 1 go to bed. My
father was still in the dining room when
l got there. l got an apple and sat
down in the dining room with my father
and read in the Review of Reviews.
Then | picked up joke book entitled,
"On Slow Train Through Arkansas"
My father went to bed while 1 was
reading. l went to bed about a quarter
of twelve o'clock"
The tragedy occurred at about 9:45
p. m.
The Koch residence is on the brow of
a hill overlooking New Ulm. 1t is
thirteen minutes walk from the center
of the city.
The doctors little finger on one hand
is bruised. He explained this by say
ing that a few days ago he spilled some
carbolic acid on the finger and pour
ed alcohol on it to neutralize the effect.
Later he accidentally burned the finger
with a match.
Some of the citizens, are urging the
calling of a special grand jury to investi-
gate the Gerhard murder.
Another one of the detectives who
came here within few days, advances
the theory that maniac killed Gerhard
That the manner in which the dentist
was hacked and cut would indicate this
and that the assault upon the man Sni-
der found on the railroad right-of- way
Sunday morning with his skull fractured
is the victim of the same demon. 1t
is said that people living in the vicinity
of where Snider was found heard strange
sounds about ten o'clock Saturday
night.
Among the latest theories Matched up
is that DR.. Gerhard had certain papers
in his safe which someone else wanted
to gain control of, and that this gave
rise to the quarrel.
The yellow journals in the Twin
Cities are printing all sorts of sensa-
tional yarns about the murder The
statements made by certain people have
been garbled beyond recognition.