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

yesterday afternoon. She was witness
at the first trial but not at the second.
She told of her walk the evening of
the murder in company with Cecilia
Martinka and Joe Polta, when they
heard cries and noises coming from DR..
Gebhard's office. They sounded like
somebody calling for help, but were not
very loud and there were no words
spoken She heard them block away
and the three passed by the office, and
heard the sounds for half block after
passing. The three halted in front of
the Review office and saw man come
down the stairway and 60 up again. The
witness was unable to locate the time
any more definitely than that she and
Miss Martinka had left the latter's
sisters at S:45 p. m. for their walk, and
had walked long distance somewhat
slowly
Behnke Tells His Story.
F. II. Rehnke, who showed great self
possession and much leadership on the
night of the murder, testified that he
heard soou after $3.50 p. M. that there
was trouble and he went at once to
the Gerhard offices. He overlook Police
man Weisenborn going up the stairs.
The policeman tried to kick in the
door. His first impression on going in
was that it was a case of suicide. He
noticed the pencil on the blood near the
shoulder of the dead man. The witness
telephone1 to the chief of police and
got searchlight and sent Cavanaugh to
get Doctor The room had the APP
pearance of a struggle having taken
place. There was heavy carpet rug
on the floor. The safe contained $50.0l.
The witness searched the rooms for the
murderer and discovered the hammer
and handkerchief lying six inches apart
and four feet into the reception room
from the operating room. He turned
these over to Coroner Fritche. There
were fresh saw marks on the end of the
hammer. Witness had no such pencil.
The state offered the hammer and hand
kerchief in evidence.
Cross-examined, the witness said that
at first, when informed by Policeman
Weisenbaum that there was live man
in DIR. Reineke's rooms, thought that
they had the murderer foul, as he did
not think of the man going out of the
window. Seven or eight minutes after
the door was broken open the town
clock struck ten. There was back
stairway to the Gerhard and Reineke
officers that a person could 90 up and
down.
'Did the hammer and handkerchief
have the appearance of having been de-
liberately laid where you found them?"
asked Mr. Abbott.
"Well, they laid there where they
WERE" replied the witness.
'Were they away from any furni-
ture?"
eyes, sir"
How did the pencil lay?'
"The pencil lay on top of the blood,
George Schmidt book keeper for Cud-
dy & Cavanaugh at New Ulm. said that
he left the Simmet barber shop at sos
or 9:l0 p. m. and met DIR. Koch at
the corner of Minnesota and Center
streets, going north on Minnesota, on
the west side. There was nothing un-
usual in his actions. He wore a long
overcoat and derby hat. He wore a
similar coat after the homicide to that
which he wore before. He was going
in the direction of the barber shop and
of his office.
A recess was taken until $3.50 a. m.
The state began to put on its new
evidence this morning. 1t had kept the
secret of this evidence well, and there
was general surprise when Mrs. Ida
Berndt of New Ulm was called. She is
young woman of pleasing appearance.
She said that her home Nov. lst was
at the corner of First street north and
Payne street, block south of the
Dahms residence She had flock of
ducks that roasted near board fence
on the First street side. Between GAS
p. m. and 10 p. m. the witness was out
in the yard near the fence picking up
kindling wood, when somebody ran by
eastward on the road going very fast,
toward the slough. The ducks flew up
and squaked, and Mrs. Dahms' dogs
barked. She told her husband about it
that evening and the next morning she
went to Mrs. Dahms residence and
spoke to her about the matter. The
night was dark.
Cross examined by Senator Somer
vile, the witness said that she is "a
sister of Philip Liesch, editor of the
Brown County Journal.