The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-05-05

Ida Koch part Of the time, ana an
other sister, and during the latter par
of the conversation f. G. Koch, fathe
of the defendant. The defendant look
ed sick, and his right hand was on tn,
left, palms together, with cloth be
tween. On the knuckles of the index
second and third fingers of the right
hand there were wounds, to which my
attention had been called by DR.. Vogel
The one on the index finger looked a.
though the skin had been broken ant
raised and had fallen back again. Th'
one on the second finger looked like {
gouge nearly as large as dime. There
was carbolic acid burn either on thu
little finger or thumb, There was {
scratch on the inside of the left nand
The defendant spoke in a very low tone
and mumbled his words. Koch said tina,
he was in Simmet's barber shop or
the evening of the murder and that he
passed the Review office. DIR. Vogel told
him not to make any statements as tC
time, but he said that he was at the
barber shop at about 9:20 p. m. We
asked him whether he had met any
body on the way home, and DR.. Voge
told him not to say anything about
it. Was in DR.. Koch's office that Sun
day afternoon. Drs. Koch and Voge
and Mr.. Davis were there. He showed
where he hung a coat beside the couch
He said that the handkerchief was in
his coat pocket near the couch. HI
showed where the cocaine fiend sat anG
said that he was working and wher
the man left his handkerchief was gone
On crossexamination, the witness re-
iterated that it was Sunday afternoon
when ne was at Dr. Koch's office and
DR.. Koch was there. / testified at the
New Ulm trial, but was not asked
about the condition of DR.. Koch's hands
and made no attempt to describe them
Won't say positively that Koch said
that he missed a handkerchief from his
coat, but that is my impression.
when you saw DR.. Koch it was
right after DR.. Vogel had operated upon
mis- hands, was it not" asked Mr.. Alb.
bott.
81 don't know" replied the witness.
"Had not the skin been cut off where
it had been burned?"
"Dr. Vogel had been dressing the
hands,"
Witness said that something was
said about little wound being made on
a finger by carbolic acid wound and
burning of alcohol put ON it. / didn't
like the story and did not pay any at.
tention to it. sent in story that the
wounds looked like cuts, but don't
know how much of it was published.
sent in the alibi story.
On redirect, the witness said that Mr.
Somsen had corrected the alibi state
ment befor it was sent in. The story
of the interview was submitted to Mr.
Somsen and approved by him before il
was sent in.
On second cross examination, witness
said that there was nothing in the abb
statement about the hands.
Chief Klause was recalled by the
state and said that he saw the defend
ant on the morning following the homi
eide in front of the postoffice about 6
a. m. He was not wearing an overcoat
He went up the stairway to his office.
On cross examination, the witness
said that he did not know whether DIR
Koch mad been to his office previous
to this. Detective Callihan and I took
the bottle to the different drug stores
to try to find where it came from. We
had it about six hours. This was Nov
9Th.
Sheriff Julius was recalled and told
of having the poison bottle in his possess
ion for a few moments. He did not
open it.
| After the morning recess, Detective
Rydell was recalled by the state II
testify in regard to bottle resembling
the poison bottle, and which did not
bear the label, physicians Sample
Saw the defendants hands Nov. 4th il
the afternoon, in his laboratory. / wa:
introduced by Chief Klause to DIR. Kocf
and saw small sore on the knuckle Of
the second and third fingers of the RICH,
hand, about the size of a lead pencil
and reddish in appearance. Started t.
interview the defendant, but Mr.. Somer
vile entered and insisted on being pres
ent, so nothing more was said. Walked
| from DR.. Gebhard's office to the Koci
residence, through the Herman park. 1,
took Is minutes and 45 seconds.
On cross examination the witness
said that DR.. Koch was willing to Civ,
history of his life up to the time o.
the homicide, and was talking freely
when Mr.. Somerville entered. The con