New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-08-09

to lose. our interests are mutual and
as long as we are honest in them we
should all have the respect of each
other.
But want it understood that this is
not to be interpreted to mean that am
begging for any PERSONS sympathy or
his respect, if [ am not entitled to it as
a citizen of this place then [ am not
worthy to be a citizen, and [ don't
want any man to come to me with a
dagger in one hand and the other out
stretched in friendship. An open enemy
is better than treacherous friend.
ASA p. BROOKS.
Principals That Were Wrong.
There are three people who have had
a part in the prosecution of DR.. Koch
who are deserving of censure. Not SO
much because they we're not engaged
in a commendable purpose in trying
to ferret out the perpetrator of
dastardly crime, that much Of it was
right and the part of justice, but they
were too intent upon the theory that
they were right in their conclusion.
One of these three in particular is
Chief Of Police Klause. He was the
lacky for Popham, the caddy for Ridell
and the puppet of Childs. He is said
to have remarked at the beginning of
the investigation that he would stake
his life that DR.. Koch was the man who
did the deed.
He might have thought this and have
been within the bounds of duty, but
when he tried to make case and, as
it looks from the evidence at the trial
covered up facts that circumstances
might be made to fit theories, he was
going outside his duty and acting the
part of a criminal. In doing this he
has compelled people to be witnesses
against DR.. Koch who did not realize
the position they were in nor the great
injustice that their testimony was do
ing. Mr.. Klause cannot defend the
an officer or as citizen and there is
nothing that he can do that will be a
sufficient reparation for the wrong he
has committed in thenam of authoritv.
even though his excuse is that he was
acting upon the advice Of others.
The second is a collective Individual,
the head of which was the mayor of
the city; that body Of excellent men
whose names in this city have always
been the synonym of that which is
honest and true, but who put their
trust in a stranger and allowed their
own good common sense to be warped
by the opinions of an attorney who
found a sentiment here that was tuned
to his will and ready to respond to his
touch. This committee was all right
The purpose of its organization was
laudable but it refused advice from
the man whom the people of the county
elected to advise in just such cases,
and wanted a stranger to take his
place; and they acted not upon the
assumption that possibly the man they
suspected was innocent but upon their
positive conviction that he was guilty
and no other
They took the matter out of the
hands of the court and the officers Of
the law and became Judge and jury
and the people of the city believed that
these men in whom they trusted would
not make the statements they did il
they did not have reliable evidence .tc
back what they said; but there was
evidently no desire for proof of limo
cence and the search for testimony was
only to convict. Here was the injustice
and here the wrong. That they were
! honest no man can question, but tina
they were tools in the hands of false
leader all men must admit
4 The third party who is deserving O
censure is the prosecution. The writer
told Gen. Childs privately at the be
ginning of the first trial that only
confession from DR.. Koch would eve
convince him thathe could be mistaken
and asked Mr.. Childs if he would ad
wise him to testify differently, and tina
attorney said that if he did other thai
testify that the person was not Geo
Koch he would think that he should b.
sent to the penitentiary, and in tn
face of this, on the flimsy testimony h
had, that great lawyer went to work t,
prove a case that if sustained by
jury would have been at once set asid
by the supreme court. Knowing thi
as he did and owing it to his homo
and to the people of this county who's
Z money he was using, it was his sdut
: to have had the case dismissed afte
: the first trial.
4 No censure can fall upon the grea
hoard of Witnesses that were called
Most of them were drawn into the cas-