The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-01-20


electric light in the vicinity shown so
that an object. of that kind could be
seen. In regard to the statement made
by the witness Dingler, who testified for
the state that he had seen hammer an
swering the description of the one found
in the Gerhard office, and Dingler also
testified that the day he was hauling
gravel to the Koch premises, that there
was carpenter work being done in the
barn. But Koch states that on that
day, no carpenter work was going on
in the barn, or on the premises and that
there was no hammer about the barn.
That he left the barn about 8 O'Clock
in the morning and returned home in the
afternoon, about $3.50. Witness went on
to give an account of a visit from
Sheriff julius and Chief Klause to his
home on the Saturday following the
murder at which time they made an
examination of his clothing and his
vanette overcoat was hanging up in his
office and they took the key to his office
and went there to make an examination
of the overcoat. When they were at
the house they examined the clothing
which he wore on the night of the MUIR
der and Chief Klause, after making
a careful inspection of the garments
made the remark that there was nothing
the matter with them. The witness
went on to tell about the injury to his
hands which has been related in prior
evidence. He said that the scratches
on the palms of his hands and the sides
Iof his face were received on the Sun
day prior to the murder, while he was
out riding with Miss Fitzpatrick and
that he received them in a fall he sus-
tanned while making run after the
horse which was in charge of Miss
Fitzpatrick while he was out in the brush
hunting up some quail. On the Friday
following the murder, he was at home
and seated near the stove. He poured
some alcohol on one of his hands, then
he took up piece of wood and put it
in the stove and it was at this time
that he received the severe burns on his
hand. The witness detailed the eXamina-
ton that was made on Thursday af-
ternoon, in the office of Attorney Som
sen, at which time Attorney Somerville
was present, and Attorney Somerville
made an examination of his hands and
found the scratches in the palms which
had been made on Sunday and also a
bruise on the knuckle which was made
on that Sunday, which occurred while he
was trying to lift the seat in the buggy
The defense did not get through ex-
aiming him at noon. Adolph Wagner
Prof. REIN, DR.. Weisner and witness
named Stork went on the stand and tes-
titled as to experimenting with alco-
hol by putting some on the hand and
touching a match to it and that the
result was a severe burn. 1t was pro-
posed by Attorney Somerville that be-
fore the examination is closed, an ex-
pertinent be made with alcohol, similar
to that described by witness Koch, for
the benefit of the jury, it is very likely
that the state will accept the PROPOSE
tion.
Paul Hitpauf, who rooms at the Koch
home, testified this morning that NO
hammer of the description of the one
found in the Gerhard office, was OH the
Koch premises so far as he knew. He
had never seen one there.
Miss Emma Koch, sister of the de-
PENDANT, took the stand again this morn.
ing and gave some testimony as to the
whereabouts of DR.. Koch on the Thurs
day prior to the murder. He was in
Hanska on the morning of that day.
The state will cross examine Koch
this afternoon and the feeling here
among a great many people is that if he
bears up under the sross examination
that it will have great weight with the
jury. There is hardly any person in the
room that holds to the opinion that Koch
will be found guilty. 1t is generally
conceded that the jury either will acquit
him or disagree, and the proposition that
they will disagree seems to be the most
favored, yet there are many who declare
that he will be acquitted. Attorney
Somerville stated to a correspondent of
The Free Press that he was more conf
dent of an acquittal, as the case draws
to close. That he can see nothing in
the evidence produced by the state that
would warrant verdict of guilty. At
torney Childs is not given to making any
expression, but he feels that the state
has made a strong fight.
This Afternoon.
A special telegram to The Free Pres:
at four o'clock this afternoon says that
Koch testified that he was in Hanska the
Thursday preceding the murder and re-