The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-05-19

a man SAYS that this man would COM
NIT murder because of business jeal-
ousy, he must have looked into the
mans character, or he has no warrant
for the statement.
Ole Ulen stands unimpeached. If he
was unreliable, the defense would have
had witnesses here to show the falsty
of his testimony. His statement bears
its own seal of truth. We know that
in the history of crime men have hir-
ed others to commit murders. 1t may be
that when this young man was filled
with passion, he thought that he saw
that in Ole Ulen's fact which would
serve him, or he would not have spok
en- such foolishness to him. The pas
sion must have been SO predominant in
him that when Ole Ulen mentioned that
DIR. Gerhard had done some work for
him it at once led to the conversation
that Ulen testified to.
We have also the testimony of the
brother of Attorney Hoidale. Bear in
mind that the defendant said that he
and DIR. Gerhard were friends. A few
days before the homicide, he tells HAL
mar Hoidale that Dr. Gerhard is ga dou
bic faced -" Is that the langu
age of a gentleman, or of friend? But
the defendant says that he used the
language toward Mr.. Pfaender. In this
he made two mistakes. He said that he
had heard that Mr.. Pfaender had tried
to get Mr.. Hoidale to resign. Why,
Mr.. Pfaender had been out of the city
during all of that time.
Whom shall you believe, Ole Ulen
or the defendant? Whom shall you be-
lieve Hialmar Hoidale or the defendant?
There is no doubt about the truth of
the testimony of Ulen and Hoidale. 1t
is important as showing the state of
mind of DIR. Koch, who entertained
most hostile and bitter sentiment
against the deceased.
When we are dealing with this ques-
ton, it is unwise to Judge the author
of the murder by the standards that
govern normal man. The man who
killed Dr. Gerhard was not a normal
man. The man who had the nerve to 90
into that office that night and murder
DR.. Gerhard had the nerve to walk
down the street the next morning, to
attend the funeral of his victim and to
sing in the quartet. The only instance
when the defendant showed the slight
est interest in the murder was the
morning after the murder, and that
rests upon the testimony of his broth
er only.
A recess was taken until $3.50 a. m.
today.
Gen. Childs continued his argument
this morning. He said that if there ever
was a time when there was a grave
and solemn duty resting on human
brain it was this morning, upon the
jury in this case. The state has shown
a motive, depraved mind and an in
tent to murder Dr. Gebhard. 1t has al
ways seemed to me that the evidence
relating to the poison is marvellous in
the number of facts ascertained and
their consistency.
SC. r. X" on the handkerchief led
to one thought. There was one man in
New Ulm with those initials, George r.
Koch, and suspicion was directed to
him. There had been something about
the blue bottle that mad aroused DIR.
Gebhard's suspicion, and he had pour
ed out the contents. A search for the
bottle was made, for if it was found
that there was poison in it, every RAJ
tional man would say that the man
who slew Dr. Gerhard was the one who
sent the poison. The little remnant in
the bottle was sent to the most Compel
he state university, who found strych
nine in it, The detective was then sent
on his mission and found that Dr.
Strickler's medicine chest was in the
care of DR.. KOCH and the doctor found
that 80 to 100 tablets of sulphate of
strychina were taken since he had last
seen it. When man steals strycnnia
he does it for purpose. 1t was found
that other persons to whom the strych-
nine was accessible had taken only half
dozen tablets. 1t was then found
that the Park, Davis Co. had sent blue
boxes and bottles to Drs. Koch and Geb-
hard But the defendant says that mis-
brother-in- law, Mr.. Somsen, took his
blue box three days after the homicide
Mr. Somsen is a lawyer and bright
one.
Suspicious Gathering About.
Suspicious were gathering about the
head of DIR. Koch How happy cir
cumstance it would have been if his
office had been thrown open for search
by the officials, the citizens commit
tee and the public, and if they had