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


der in the second degree is life impris-
onment.
DR.. Koch was subjected to a searching
cross examination yesterday afternoon.
He was on the stand for four hours,
while his mind and thoughts were being
searched by the questions of the at
with remarkable fortitude. He answer
ed all questions, no matter how point
ed or sharply directed, in the same con-
versational, boyish tone, and never once
was disconnected. Only once did he show
emotion, and that was when General
Childs put the question to him whether
he had ever, from the murder to the
present time, told anyone that ne did
not kill DIR. Gerhard.
If the question of the guilt or inno-
cense of the accused had been left to
a vote of the audience when court took
a recess at $3.50 p. M, undoubtedly he
would have been acquitted by practi-
cally unanimous vote. Ladies could be
heard calculating as they filed out, "The
poor boy" "How he has been persecut-
err" 81 just know that he is innocent"
and the like. The appearance and man
ner of tine defendant were certainly in
his favor.
Judge Cray may order the defendant
to the keeping of the sheriff immediate
ly upon the retirement of the jury, to
remain in custody until the twelve men
shall have reached an agreement.
The defendants story to the jury, con-
timed from yesterdays issue, is as fol-
lows:
1 awoke at 1880 a. m. Hippauf was
gone, but Willie was dressing himself.
He asked me what / had learned about
the Gerhard murder. l got up and
asked him what he knew about it, and
ne said that he did not know very much
about it himself. Ate my breakfast
with Paul Hippauf and went down town
with my sister, Ida. l wore the same
suit of clothes and overcoat and hat
described before Left Ida near the
school house and then went down town
to the alley back of DIR. Gebhard's of
flee. When got to the alley | saw Prof.
REIN and we went into the alley to look
at the window back of the Gerhard Of
fice Saw Mr.. Kroak there for the first
time that morning. Then the three of
us went around to the front of the
building. We went into DR.. Reineke's
office because Dr. Gebhard's offices were
closed Then l went to mi office.
Had Carbolic In His Office.
1 have a case of small bottles in my
office equipment, carbolic acid bottle
among others, to sterilize cacity in
the tooth. 1t is necessary to refill the
bottle every week or two, because it
|degenerates. l changed it that morn
ing, filling my bottle from DIR. VogePs
bottle. Did this in my laboratory. I
| was afterwards making srown with
a blowpipe and gasoline blaze. l was
soldering a crown, with the blow pipe in
my hand, and l set the pipe down, and
it tipped towrad me, with the flame
coming out. In trying to straighten
the pipe l overturned the carbolic acid
bottle and spilled little on my hand.
| 1t turned the skin white and later turn
ed red. Soon afterwards 1 washed my
hands. Spoke to DIR. Vogel about it
and he advised me to use alcohol. l
didn't do it that day. There was no
breaking of the skin. I operated on
perhaps half dozen people. l had
scratch on the palm of my hand and
bruise on knuckle. The Sunday be-
fore l was out hunting quail with Miss
Fitzpatrick holding the horse. went
| in to the brush to get the quail, a
threshing machine came along and
| frightened the horse and / ran through
the brush to the horse. l got scratch
on the palm of my nand. 1t was a
little over an inch long and lasted per-
haps a week. Oct. 23rd. / was duck
hunting at Swan Lake and a slough
near Lafayette, and in taking the back
seat off of the carriage l skinned my
third finger knuckle. A scab formed
and came off the Friday after the hon.
icide. I got a cot Wednesday noon at
a drugstore and put it on the third
finger of the right hand. Did not put
a cot on any of my other fingers.
Went home to dinner Wednesday. Oft
en- went to the postoffice, which is un-
der my office, in my operating coat.
After dinner went back to my office,
and went home to supper. Had the
same clothing on as heretofore men,
toned After supper 1 went down town
with my sister, Ida. / went to AL
wins drug store and saw number of
young people there. Alfred Vogel ask
ed me whether | had read that the
Il 4 e