The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-05-12

pearance from carbolic acid. There was
one abrasion the size of the end of a
lead pencil. 1t may nave been an old
scab fallen off or an irritation from car
bolic acid The skin was still broken and
it was red. Saw no other spot, scratch
or blemish on either hand Stated to
Koch at that time that he was suspect
ed of the offense. He did not say word
to amount to anything. Saw him ly-
| ing on his couch in his office that after
noon. and he said he was cold and /
covered him with his cravennette over
coat and my fur coat. He appeared
downhearted Saw him newt day, Fri
day in his office. Friday or Saturday
saw Chief Klause, Sheriff Julius and
Detective Rydell in Koch's office They
made a thorough examination of his
clothing including his black cravennette
overcoat Koch continued to wear his
brown hat and his cravennette overcoat
| for some time afterwards. On Friday
evening | saw Koch at his house. He
said that he was feeling sick, had
headache and was chilly. The charge of
murder would have shock on the ner-
vous system of a person like Koch, and
would cause chilliness. | saw his hands
and he had extensive blisters on his
right hand and small one on the
thumb of his left nand. He said that
he was placing alcohol on his hands,
he felt cold and put stick of wood
in the stove and the alcohol took fire
and burned him. There were no cuts
or bruises on his hands previous to
that time except as mentioned. The
next morning, with Drs. Weiser and
Stricken, / examined his hands. I
brought the other two doctors to pro-
tect myself / made in their presence
as thorough an examination of his hands
as | was able to make. There were no
previous injuries of any kind except as
stated. | then dressed the hands. /
opened the blisters at several places to
let the serum come out. Saw Koch
again Saturday afternoon at his home.
1t was Sunday that Mr.. Shepard was
at the house. Monday or Tuesday DR..
Koch appeared down hearted and de-
pressed and / took him home, after
telling him to brace up and hold up his
head He returned to his office work
as soon as he was able to, or even be-
fore that, and ever since then he has
acted himself and his conduct has been
the same as before and he continued at
his practice. Have not noticed any
change in his appearance down to the
present time.
Was at DIR. Koch's home Sunday
morning and dressed his hands. Three
newspaper reporters, Messrs. Shepard,
Davis and another whose name l do not
remember, came while | was dressing
his hands | was in another, room, re-
moving piece of skin from DIR. Koch's
hands. The reporters came in before |
got done and had conversation with
him. DR.. Koch was somewhat down
hearted then. 1t is not true that | shut
off Mr. Shepard or interfered with his
conversation. ! had practically remov
ed all of the skin from the blisters on
the three fingers and was about to put
ointment on when the reporters enter
ed The injuries then looked raw and
fiery. There were no other injuries ex-
cept these. On Monday, Messrs.
Shepard and Davis had talk with DIR.
Koch in the latter's office Koch did
not say that he had lost a handker-
chief out of his pocket.
In HoidaIe & Somsen's office Tues
day evening DR.. Koch was given an
advertising pencil of Mr.. Vogel. On
the Thursday following 1 saw lead
pencil of this kind on DIR. Koch's work
bench. / left it there. Dr. Koch did
not say to Mr.. Shepard 'Here is
where the cocaine fiend lay, and when
he went away I missed my handker-
chief"
Both Shed Tears.
On cross examination, the witness
said that he had been the close friend
of Dr. Koch for years. When we first
heard of the charge against him, DR..
Stricken and l talked it over, we both
wept over it. I have always given DR..
Koch the benefit of the doubt. Knew
and talked about the scratch on his face
all along. When he was told of the sus-
PIGEONS upon him, he did not act diff
ferently or say anything, but was
downhearted. 1t is true that 1 testified
at the New Ulm trial that ne stood it
better than l would have. Knew of no
bodily ailment to cause his downheart-
edness, and the carbolic acid burns
would not have caused it. The day of
the funeral he and his brother took din
ner at the Dakota House. Would not
expect any blisters or sores to be caus-
ed by carbolic acid if the hands were
washed soon with soap and water, as
this is somewhat of an antidote for
carbolic acid spilled on hands Wednes-
day, it would not do much good to pour
alcohol on Friday afternoon. l would
not recommend it. To have results,
the alcohol should be used at once Do
not remember whether I testified at
the Henningsen hearing that I was sur
prised when DR.. Koch said that he had
put the alcohol on for the carbolic
acid burns. Did not examine his hands
Wednesday morning. Saw cot on one
finger. 1t is true that at the Henning-
sen hearing. l testified that on Mon
day before the murder Koch showed me
mis- hand and said that he had cut it
the dav before while hunting that l
said that it looked like scratch; that
| said that | could not remember
whether / saw gouge; that 1 said that
on Thursday afternoon / told Koch not
to be bluffed, that he had the pencil and
to stick to that. 1t was expected then
that Koch would be arrested at once
| The morning recess was taken here
Attorney Somerville Testifies.
Attorney Somerville took the stand.
| Il