The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-10
CROWD OF CURIOUS
PACKS The COURT
Famous Family A1ibi Is Com
pleted Except for Evidence
of Defendant.
STATE PREPARED FOR
FIERCE EXAMINATION
Jury May Not Have the Case Be-
fore Saturday Night-Fea-
lures of Trial Today.
By w. p. Mcclure.

BY W. =. mcclure.
Mla1,ksato, MINI, May 1o.-''Dr.
The thin. clear voice Of Mr.. Abbott
was distinctly heard by everyone of the
hundreds Of spectators who had gone to
the courtroom more than an hour be-
fore the afternoon session Of the trial
of DR.. Koch opened today.
A slender young man with dark hair
arose from his seat between gray.
with elastic step walked quickly to the
witness stand. He raised his right hand
high above his head, and in sonorous
tone Clerk Thorne repeated the oath
formula. The young man nodded his
head and moved his lips.
The clerk did not ask the witness
to give his name. Everybody knew
that the slender young man was the
defendant. He settled himself in the
chair and, closely watching Mr.. Alb
bolt, who began his rapid question
ng ans we Srs qpbl Or nna c Which
he was in the hands of his counsel,
the witness appeared perfectly com
posed, there being no sign OF aglta-
tion either in his movements or voice.
Tells Of EARLY Life.
The first part of DR.. Koch s story re-
lated to his early life. He said he was
"a and was educated in the public
schools of New Ulm and in dental col
lege in Chicago, where he spent three
years. Except for those three years he
had always lived in New Ulm. When
tice at New Ulm with DR.. FritschIe, a
brother of the ex-coroner, but in July,
1901. opened an office for himself.
He next described the branch Of
fees which he had at Hanska and La
fayette. He said that his last visit to
Vat viii al, yxaC h
fourth Friday in October. The last
previous visit which he made to that
town, he said, was on the fourth Thurs
day in September. This, counsel for the
defense have contended proves that the
defendant was not in Hanska when the
so-called poison package was mailed to
Or. Gebhardt. :.aq -
State on It's Guard.
That the state is determined to be
very rigid in the examination of DR.
Kooh was ind i;ds BY an sa; INTERRUPTION
'sIIl state to the counsel right here
that T shall object if he leads the wit
"Wen expect that said Mr.. Alb
WI II object to the last question az
leading,' said General Childs.
"The last question was rather lead
ang,' said Judge Cray.
Dr.. Koch then described his return t.
New Ulm from Hanska when he aban
doned his practice there He said tha
Hanska and rode to New Ulm wit!
him. Mr.. Hage is the man who testi
fed at this trial, and not at the first
that he saw the blue box like the one il
evidence at the station at Hanska thu
same day DR.. Koch left.
His movements on the evening of tn
homicide DR.. Koch described in detail
There was no deviation from the &C
count which he gave at the first tria
Dramatic Scenes Expected.
The state will conduct a most search
ing cross examination, and the larg
crowds that have focked to the court
house to see the defendant on tn
stand and hear his own account of tn
night DR.. Gebhardt was murdered, ar
looking for the most dramatic scene
of the entire trial.
The defense has been going over tn
ground more thoroly than previousl,
and it's examination Of it's many wi
nesses has been in such minute deta
that the trial is being dragged out MOI
than was expected. Last Sunday coul
ready to rest Tuesday evening, but
is thought now that the case will NJ
get to the jury much before Saturda
night.
If it does, then it will be due to tt
efforts Of Judge Cray to expedite Il
trial. Last night he held court. unit
$3.50; this morning he cut the mid-se
sion intermission from fiji teen to te
minutes, and began this afternoon sc
sion at 1870 instead Of at 2.
Koch May Go Back to Jail.
When, both sides have rested and IL
arguments to the jury are finished, tt
state will ask to have the defenda,
committed to jail pending return
the jury's verdict.
DR.. Koch was arrested on Dec. 9. +
remained in jail until after the jury
the first trial had failed to agree
Jan. 81 he was admitted to bail of $2
600. Since that date he has been
liberty.
When the second trial began, it W
understood that the state would ask
have the defendant locked up pendi
the outcome, but this was not dol
Then it was rumored that when t
state had rested it would ask to ha
the defendant committed to Jail, b
there was no motion for that.
s It was learned today, however, th
before the jury goes out or immediate
q after it leaves the room the court W
| & be asked to place DR.. Koch in the G.
IL tody of the sheriff until the jury sh
have returned it's finding.
| 81 This question is entirely within t
e discretion of the court.
The principal witnesses this morni
were Paul Hippaqf, the student W
lives at the Koch home, William
@ Koch and Emma Koch. In the D
III vious trial General Childs argued tt
more weight should be given to t
81 statements Of Hippauf than to those
rs members of the Koch family.
Hippauf said today, as previous
@ that he first saw Koch that night
about one minute before 10. I
statements of the father and sister
Fl the defendant are essential to the ali
\ inasmuch as they declare that it Y
about twenty-five minutes to 10 WI
George Koch returned home.
Hippauf testified that on the eveni