The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-05-05
DIR. KOCH AGAIN ON TRIAL
Charged With the Murder of DR.. Gebf1ardt
at New UIm.


word before the close of this trial
there will be sensational exposure
of the testimony of certain witnesses
for the state, and this exposure will
be of sufficient importance to arouse
sudden respect, l tell you that"
Says He's Angry.
"Iisten," he said heatedly, leaning
forward. his face agloW with earnest
ness. II know it were much better
for me if / did not speak too freely
about this case. but | am angry, | am
provoked and I can't help it.
"A certain witness for the state
swore, after he had raised his hand
toward heaven and called God to bear
witness to the truth Of his words, he
swore that my sister identified the
handkerchief found near the body OF
the murdered dentist as one belonging
to me. This is false. We will prove
it. It is false-lsten, This witness
did not tell of that identification at
the first trial He is an officer of the
law; why did he not tell it then? This
witness was on the stand at that time.
Why was his testimony on that point
not brought out at the last trial?
Tell me that will you?
Said 1t Wasn't His.
What | tell you in this regard Is
true-as true as truth. That witness
who swore that my sister identified
the handkerchief came to our house
as he said, but my sister told him
then that the handkerchief in question
.I ~ y, nj
another who was present at that time
will swear to it. This other witness
is no relative of mine, and his evil
| dence will be accepted anywhere as
against the testimony of the witness
of whom | speak"
At this DR.. Koch reassumed his
wonted silence. Urge him as you
might he would say no more.
Defense's Claim.
SHERIFF julius will testify that the
sister of the defendant did not identi-
| fly the handkerchief as one OF
| Georges, said one of the attorneys
| for the defense yesterday.
Two Star Witnesses.
Saturday the state placed on the
! stand two of its star witnesses, Miss
| Lena Weidermann, who testified that
| she had seen DR.. Koch in his office
one half-hour before the murder of
| DR.. Gebhardt was committed wearing
slouch hat and apparently taking
| something from the wall and placing
! it in his pocket: and Mrs. Wilhelmina .
| Dahms, who testified to hearing the
| sound of running feet, after she had
| gone to bed, and of finding blood .
stains On her gate post the next morn
| ing.
Mr.. Abbott put Mrs Dahms through
a severe cross-eXamination, but failed
to weaken her testimony.
| MankatO Mimi, May 3.-In view OF
! the evidence presented in the Koch
trial yesterday it is doubtful if the
state will be able to prove conclusive1
| ~ that the hammer found near the
murdered body of DR.. Louis A. Geb1
hardt was the one owned by the
young dentist who is charged with the
crime.
Heretofore, the evidence with the
exception of that of Mrs kars. has
one owned by the Koch family. bu
Dr. G. F. Renieke. whose Office joine
DR. GebharGt's admitted on the stan
yesterday that he identified the ham
mer at the coroner's inquest as on
belonging to DR.. Gebhardt. He said
First Said It Was Gebhardt's.
'In my own mind l had connecte
l.
man with one had heard DR.. Gel
hardt speak of long before this. A
Asa Brooks said that the hammd
! found near the murdered man b
longed to Dl. Gebhardts office. l J
last came to the conclusion that Il
was right and that it was Gebhardt
hammer. Because of this conclusid
| told the coroner's jury the ne
morning that the hammer, which wa
then shown me, was fixture of II
Gebhardts office: that I had seen
there before"
Changes His Mind.
But DIR. Renieke said, "upc
closer consideration, | now say tn
the hammer did not belong about I'll
office of DR.. Gebhardt. SO far as
| know
In the cross-examinaticn of
| Reneke the defense labOred lOl
and hard, apparently attempting
make the witness admit positive
that he did not know whether t
hammer belonged at the Gebhardt
fee. But while no testimony of tt
nature was elected from the witne
a foundation for his impeachme
was brought in an admission that
had plenty of time to think over t
identification of the hammer befd
the coroner's inquest, and also that
had good opportunity to make a
mute inspection of the hammer befC
that time.
ALLEGED SHORTAGE is GROWI