The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-01-13
This is damaging testimony to the
States Hard Fight.

States Hard Fight.
New Ulm, Jan. 9.-The second week of
the Koch murder trial came to an end
with the state not more than well start
ed in the presentation Of evidence. Lit
tie that is new thus far has been brought
out in the testimony, and 1T is evident
that the state depends, as General Childs
said in his opening statement, upon cir
cumstantial evidence to prove DIR. Koch's
guilt.
The attorneys for the state made no
further attempt Saturday to get Detec-
tive Rydell on the stand to testify re-
garding the blood stains on the door of
the creamery where it is claimed DIR.
Koch stopped to wash his hands while
on his way home. The objection of the
defense to the introduction of this evil
dence may squeezed in shutting it out
altogether, although the matter has not
been ruled upon by the court.
The state diverted Saturday from the
course which has been followed and be-
gan touching upon the theory of pre-
mediation. All the testimony offered
during the afternoon and part of the
forenoon related to the supposed bottle
of poison which was sent to DIR. Geb-
hard about week before the murder.
Claim Poison Was Sent BY Koch.
The state will attempt to prove by a
series of circumstances that the poison
was sent by DIR. Koch. The same ques-
ton confronts the state here, however,
as in the case of the creamery door tes-
timony. Against the objections of the
defense the state is being allowed to
offer testimony on the bottle of poison,
with the understanding that unless it is
proved DIR. Koch was concerned in the in
cident, all the evidence will be stricken
from the records. The defense succeed
ed in disqualifying one of the states
witnesses relative to the poison theory,
leaving a flaw in the chain of circum-
stances.
One other feature of Saturdays pro-
ceeding was the attempt of the defense
to impeach the states star witness in
the Identification of the hammer found
near DIR. Gebhard's body.
Talk of Bribery.
Edgar Dingler, young teamster,
swore that he saw the hammer at the
Koch residence about seven or eight
months ago, and that he saw it shortly
after harvest time in 1903 at the Koch
barn. Dingler's cross examination was
spectacular, with view to establish
ing that he had asserted on the streets
and in saloons, that he expected $500 for
his testimony. He denied having made
such statements, but the defense expects
to put witnesses on the stand to prove
that he did. 1t is understood that the
defense will make no direct charge of
bribery, the purpose being to impeach
Dingler's testimony by his own words.
DR.. G. f. Reinke, the physician whose
office was in the rear of DR.. Gebhard's,
both using the same reception room, was
the first witness called by the state to
testify regarding the bottle of poison.
He told what he knew of the events on
the night of the murder. His testimony
on this phase of the case was compare
lively unimportant.
Poison In a Blue Pasteboard Box.
DIR. Reinke testified that the poison
was sent to DR.. Gerhard in a blue
pasteboard box held together by rubber
band and containing blue bottle filled
with white granulated powder about
as coarse as onion seed. The bottle or
iginally was for bromo caffeine, but the
label was somewhat torn. The word
sample was written in red ink on the
label. The cork had red seal, which
had been broken The witness testified
that he talked with DIR. Gerhard about
it the Saturday before the murder, and
advised him to preserve the contents and
see whether letter of instructions
would follow.
After the murder DR.. Reinke found the
bottle in cupboard in DIR. Gebhard's
office. The greater part of the contents
had been poured out, but few grains
of the poison remained in the bottle.
1t was given to DR.. Fritsche, the coroner
The blue pasteboard box cut quite a
figure in the testimony and it was shown
that three such boxes are concerned in
the case. One was sent to DIR. Koch, one
to Dr. Gerhard three or four weeks
before the murder, and the third con-
tanned the bottle of poison sent to the
murdered dentist.
Box and Bottle Identified.
Miss Lydia Schapekahm, the young
HE MEANS SCOTS