The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-07-28


venience of going into court that you
We're willing to have a young man con-
victed of murder in the first degree
when your testimony might have saw
ed him."
Gen Cbilds objected on the ground
that there was nothing to Justify this
question, and the court sustained 1t.
The reference to Miss Weidemann's tes-
timony saving the defendant referred to
the first trial, when the state held that
he did not return to his office that eve
ming, while the defense held that he did.
The state now takes the position that
he returned to get the hammer.
Miss Lydia Schapekahm, office girl for
the late DIR. Gebhard, said that he was
thirty years old, and unmarried and
roomed at Mrs Zelle's and took his
meals at a club of young men across
from the office. She described the fur
niture and fixtures in the offices. No
questions We're asked about the poison
bottle OF blue box, so it would appear
that the state has decided not to touch
upon that at this trial.
On cross examination, the witness
said that she never saw a letter address
ed to Dr. Gerhard in which were the
words: "Iook out for Ed" or Look
out for Fred"
Cleveland Fredericks, who was a clerk
in the City drug store at New Ulm
last fall, but who is now reporter on
a weekly paper, said that DR.. Koch's of
fee was over the drug store. He saw
DR.. Koch 90 behind the counter in the
middle of the store during the noon hour
on Nov. End, and fit a cot to one of
his fingers The witness described the
bruises and skinned places on DR.. Koch's
fingers. He did not think that the in
iuries were due to carbolic acid burns.
DIR. Koch was in the habit of visiting the
drug store twice day on the average.
On cross examination, the witness said
that DIR. Koch was frequently behind
the prescription counter and he did not
think this strange.
The noon recess was taken here.
Albert Koch, a miller at Echo, was a
visitor at the trial Yesterday and today.
He is brother of DIR. Koch.
1t is hardly believed that Judge b.
F. Webber of New Ulm will be sub
poeaned to rebut the testimony of Asa
P Brooks. This will be covered by w.
/. Eckstein, who arrived this morning.
1t is expected that the state will rest
tomorrow and that Mr. Brooks will
take the stand in the same way that he
did at the second trial.
Cross examination of Mr.. Fredericks
was completed this afternoon.
Julius On the Stand
Sheriff w. ]. Julius of Brown coun-
ty gave much stronger evidence than he
did at the last trial. He had arrived
at the scene of the murder at 1905 p.
IN. or 1910 p. IN. On the Saturday
following the homicide he and Chief
Klause went to the Koch home and eX
amined Dr. Koch's handkerchiefs, cloN
ing and hands Mr.. Klause had asked
the defendant about the bloody hand
kerchief with &C. r. X" on it. DR..
Koch said that he had not seen the
handkerchief, but his sister, Ida, had
and thought that it was his. The de-
PENDANT appeared to be broken down. He
had three sticking plasters on the
knucllles of his left hand, and the right
hand was bandaged. The witness had
said George, you had better not
come down town in the condition that
you are in. The people might hang
you" He only smiled OF laughed The
witness said that he examined a num-
Der of pairs of pants belonging to the
defendant. They were all gray and
striped.
did you ask the witness whether
he examined pants or housers?" asked
the court of Gen. Childs.
did You examine pants gentleman's
pants?" asked Gen. Childs of the wit
ness.
"1es"
did you mean trousers also where
you spoke of pants?"
"Yes."
The witness said that he saw DR..
Koch at his office the Friday after the
murder He said nothing about the Nom
icide. Something was said about the
handkerchief that had been found, and
DR.. Koch had said: "If it is my hand
kerchief, the socaine fiend must have
got it from my coat pocket" The wit
ness saw the defendant the morning af
ter the homicide, between eight and nine,
at DIR. Reinekes office He was sitting
on the edge of table facing the recep-
ton room He wore no overcoat, and
said nothing. The other people were
moving around.