The Mankato free press., 1905-05-19
SATURDAYS PROCEEDINGS

The famous Koch case went to the
Jury this forenoon, and it now only
remains for the twelve men to say
whether Koch is guilty or not. Many
people look for another disagreement. 1t
is believed that Judge Cray will keep
the jury out until Monday forenoon in
case it does not get together before
that time. He has term of court at
St. James, beginning Tuesday, and of
course will want to get the Koch case
out of the way before then. If there is
any hope of agreement the jury would
no doubt be kept out until Tuesday
morning, rather than put the county of
Brown to the great expense of third
trial.
The closing arguments were listened
to by very large audiences. The bail
ifs were vigilent to see that there
were no demonstrations of approval for
any of the speakers, and perfect order
and quiet prevailed.
During the trial there were fifty-six
witnesses examined by the state and
fifty-seven by the defense, five in re-
buttal by the state and one in esurre-
buttal by the defense.
the members of the jury have retain
ed their health remarkably well, con-
sidering the long strain. Juror Ander
son was little under the weather for
couple of days thisN week with sore
throat, but was able to be on hand
promptly at all of the sessions. 1t had
been a constant fear among the court
officers and the attorneys lest some
member of the jury should get sick.
General Cnilds has received many con-
gratulations on the very fine argument
he made to the jury. 1t is conceded to
have been one of the ablest, most logi
cal and exhaustive presentations of a
case to jury that has ever been deliv
cred in Blue Earth county.
Mr.. Browns Argument.
The defense has been treated as
though they were lepers and not fit
: to associate with the counsel for the
state. | am not offended, but sur
prised. The counsel has the audacity
to charge that the two old hammers in
troduced by the defense were manu-
factured for the purpose of this case.
f,I- -
they are not old [ will stake my life
on it. The counsel can knock the han
dies out now and see. The hammers
were brought here merely to show you
now hammers are similar and how diff
ficult it is to tell them apart after a
lapse of time.
Twelve witnesses in all were called
to testify about the hammer Who
could better be called to prove the
ownership of the hammer, than the
owner-old man Koch? Why didn't
Reinhold Dahms testify to the hammer
at the last trial? Because he expected
that E. G. Koch could bring his ham
mer there. To whom did he confess
this awful secret tnat he had been
holding SO long, unless it was to Father
Silverson? Then there is Dingler, boy
who don't know whether harvest comes
in August or December. We are told
that Heaven sent Dingler to further
the cause of justice in Brown county.
But what is the testimony? He was
seen by the Pinkerton detective and. he
didn't know the hammer then | could
not identify a tool on my own place,
yet Dingler comes here and Identifies a
hammer he had seen but once. The
state said that he was uncouth unedu-
cated-and it should have added unre-
liable.
Young Dahms was shown the other
tools and got about half of them right
and half of them wrong. He heard his
father testify at the first trial. He is
stone mason and an American citizen.
He knew all about the defense, and the
public authorities had taken the ham,
mer to him and he had said that it was
not koch's hammer. 1t won't do to ex-
plain about this. He was lying when
ne said that. 1t wasn't perjury, but it
was ten times worse. 1t was accessory
to the crime-it was treason! Now he
comes on the stand-a confessed liar.
man worse than a double dyed per-
jurer. Is it worth while to comment
upon his testimony? He may think
that he is telling the truth, but no man
can be certain about such things. No
one will dispute that the young man
is mistaken or is pursuing his occupa-
tion of lying.
Dingler, Dahm & Co.
Now, we take into the firm another
member, and we will have it Dingler.
Dahm & Co. Mrs. Kasz is presented to
you. Trembling, they say, what for ?
Because she was afraid of the aaudience
or her heart failed, they say. The