The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-07-21

the body and the condition of the rooms
when he arrived there at 1907 o'clock
on the night of the murder. The pen
ell was quite deeply imbedded in the
blood, he said. The body was lying on
the stomach and right cheek and he
turned it over. He had called in Gen.
Bobleter and the latter had taken pa
pers from the vest pocket to identify
the body and had put them back loose
". This was before the coroner had
arrived. Mr. Klause described all the
blood spots, recalling several that he
did not mention at the last trial He
said that there were drops of blood on
the mirror and telephone in the recep-
ton room and some on the floor of the
laboratory. There was a second pool
eight inches wide a foot from the larger
ane and having no connection with it.
At this point the evening recess was
taken.
Chief Klause was on the stand for a
long time this forenoon. He said that
on the afternoon of Nov. 4th he exam
ined the defendants hands at the lat
ter's office, and next day at the Koch
residence, when the sores did not seem
as large. The right hand was then
bandaged and there were court plasters
ON the knuckles of the left hand. On
Nov. 5, at the house, the witness and
Sheriff julius saw the defendant and
his sister, Miss Ida Koch, and examined
the handkerchiefs. Ida Koch said that
she had seen the bloody handkerchief
found in DIR. Gebhard's office, and that it
was one she had marked. The defend
ant said nothing about the handkerchief
that day, but the afternoon before at
his office he spoke to witness and Sher
if julius about it. Witness had asked
him whether he could explain how the
handkerchief got in DIR, Gebhard's office,
and DR.. Koch replied that his sister had
that it was his. DIR. Koch explained
that a cocaine fiend had sat near his
coat in his office and could have taken
the handkerchief, as he generally had
two or three handlerchiefs in his coat
pockets. The witness told of his eXamin-
alton of the defendants clothing. He
had on JAM end walked from the Geb-
hard office to the Koch residence in
IA % and had run the distance in 72O.
The defendant had told the witness that
on the evening of the murder he had
walked up Center street as far as the
Blanchard residence. The latter is l60
feet from Minnesota street, and from
that point lights in the rear windows
of the Reineke office can be seen. Wit
ness saw the defendant at a. M, Nov.
End, and he had no overcoat.
Mr.. Abbott subjected Chief Klause to
a severe cross examination. Mr.. Klause
said that he had found two cuff buttons
near the body of DR.. Gerhard. He had
stepped on one and broken it. He never
told this before, because he had just re-
membered it. He had examined the but
tons at the Koch home, but found none
similar. Did not testify before in regard
to the conversation with DR.. Koch
about the handkerchief because he never
was asked about it. Mr.. Klause was
questioned at length in regard to state
ments made by him at previous trials
regarding his examination of the defend
ants clothing.
Mr.. Abbott went into several matters
at great length. He questioned Mr..
Klause carefully about the injuries on
the hands and about the handkerchief.
DR.. Vogel did not arrive at the office
until that part of the conversation
about Ida recognizing the handkerchief
had been had DIR. Koch was not arrest
ed until December The witness did
not remember much about the letter
which said, "look out for Fred" or. Ed,
as he did not think it important,
''You were appointed by Mayor Silver
son, were you not ?" asked Mr. Abbott
The state objected.
''You hold your office by virtue of an
appointment by Mayor Silverson?"
The state again objected.
did you hear Mayor Silverson tes-
.ify at the last trial that"
The state objected, but the court said
that the question could be put
'Did you hear Mayor Silverson testi-
fly that he would like to see DIR. Koch
hanging as high as his smoke stack %
The state objected loudly, and said
hat this was an unfair way of getting
before the jury something that was not
in the case and had no business in it.
The court sustained the objection and
subsequently, at the request of Gen
raj Childs, ordered the question strick
N from the record.
Regarding the Mysterious Letter.
''When did you find the letter refer
ring to Fred or Ed?"
"On the night of the murder or the
next NIGHT"