The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-08
POISON PLAYS PART
IN THE KOCH TRIAL

FOfSON PLAYS PARI
IN THE KOCH TRIAL
Continued From Twenty fifth Page.
strychnine, which would kill him If he
partook Of it. To prove this he asked
leave to introduce evidence showing
that box containing a dental nerve
killer had been sent to DR.. Koch, and
other dentists in Minnesota by whole
sale drug house in Minneapolis and that
the box so received, being blue, with
white corners, was used by DR.. Koch
in which to send the poisonous dope
to DR.. Gebhard. The request was al
lowed and Gen. Childs began on the
new line by calling to the witness stand
shortly before the noon recess DR..
Reinecke, the physician who occupied
offices adjoining those of DIR. Gebhard.
DR.. Reinecke's Story
DR.. Reinecke, in response to Gen.
Childs, related his own experience the
night DIR. Gebhard was killed. He told
how he had left DR.. Gebhard that night
at S:45 and going straight home how
he was aroused an hour later at his
home by telephone; how he had ridden
on his bicycle back to the Office and had
found a dozen men at the foot Of the
stairs, besides the chief of police. DR..
Reinecke testified that he unlocked his
Office and went In to see If the asSaS-
sin of DR.. Gebhard was there, as it was
thought he might be. He was not.
1t was then that DR.. Reinecke dis
covered the broken window screen
through which the murderer escaped
| a f6c ,PI hi h axxyfy, ,l0rr
curtains and the sash itself.
Then it was the state received con-
ditfonal permission to question the
witness about the parcel of poison re-
ceived through the mails by DR.. Geb-
hard. The defense interposed many
objections, maintaining that no foun-
dation had been laid for the introduc-
ton of such testimony, in that the
state had not shown the defendant to
be in any way connected with it, but
the court overruled the objection and
allowed the testimony with the condi-f
ton before outlined.
DR.. Reinecke testified that on the
Saturday before the homicide DR.. Geb-
hard showed him the parcel which he
had received. 1t was blue paste
board box with white corners and a
rubber around it. It contained blue
bottle with a white label, '.Bromo
Caffeine" Pasted on the box was the
typewriter address, 'Dr. L. A. Geb-
hard, New Ulm." DR.. Reinecke said he
had told DR.. Gebhard to dump the
stuff out. He regarded the box as a
peculiar one, unlike any he had ever
seen except one that he had recently
received.
what did the bottle contain, doc
tor?" inquired Gen. Childs..
"A whitish, granulated powder,
coarse as onion seeds" replied the wit
ness.
you say you received a package
resembling it?"
Eyes. 1t contained bottle with the
same label and the word Sample
when did you next see the bottle
sent to DR.. Gebhard?"
Il saw 1t in DR.. Gebhard's cupboard
the day after the homicide. 1t still
contained some of the powder adher-
ing to its edges
What did you do then?"
Il gave it to the coroner and told
him the story, all knew"
DR.. Reinecke related how he had
talked with DR.. Gebhard in the latters
laboratory for half or quarters
of an hour before leaving on the night
of the murder, about 8:45 or $50 p. M
Cross examined by Senator Somer-
vile. Dr. Reinecke said he had receiv-
ed a box similar to that and had given
it to Detective Rydell to look after.
Why did you advise DR.. Gebhard to
send for directions how to use the
powder?' asked Senator Somerville
Because no drug house sends out
a bottle like that without inclosing
some literature explaining its use,n was
the significant reply. This practically
closed DR.. Refnecke's testimony, save
for the statement that he saw another
box like the first one in Gebhard's Of
ice the second day after the murder"
What Miss Schapekaham Saw
Gen. Childs then recalled Miss
Schapekaham, who worked from April
last until Nov. in DR.. Gebhards Of
nee. Miss Schapekaham testified that
Dr. Gebhard received a package by
mail about a week before the homi-
eide. Witness got it at the postoffice
ana TOOK IT to DR.. Gebhard's Office on
the Saturday before his DEATH. The
witness saw DR.. Gebhard pour the con-
tents OF the bottle into the sink and
place the bottle on the shelf in the
laboratory. Witness put the box In the
waste paper basket. Miss Schapeka-
ham testified that DR.. Gebhard had re-
ceived similar box by mail two or
three weeks before he received the one
exhibited. The box inciosed sample
bottle, containing what the witness
could not say.
Mr.. Somerville oss-questioned Miss
Schapekaham very closely concerning
the opening OF the bottle OF powder re-
cefved the week before the homicide.
She testified she had seen DR.. Geb-
hard open the box, take the cork out
OF the bottle and empty the powder
into a sink.
On the redirect examination the wit
ness testified that DIR. Kochs hair was
dark and wayy.
The next witness was Fred KftzuId.
| OF Minneapolis. superintendent of the
box department of the Haywood Man
ufacturing company. Mr.. Kitzuli tes-
tified that his company made box
similar to the one exhibited by Mr..
Chlids exclusively for a wholesale drug
mouse in Minneapolis. 1t had manu-
factured about 1000 of these boxes for
that firm.
Fred 81. Tucker, of Minneapolis. was
called. He is clerk in the employ
Of the Minneapolis drug Ifo1,se and bo 9