The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-01-13


was in the shop again at 0:2O. In his
alibi statement Koch put the time of en-
tering the barber shop at 9.:l5. Simmett
knew it was 800 because he had invited
Druggist Pfefferle to have a game of
pool and Pfefferle declined, saying the
hour was late. Simmett looked at the
clock and said it was only 0:20. From
the cross examination it developed that
Simmett and Koch had been discussing
politics during the campaign and were
negotiating bet on the result of the
governorship. The negotiations, however,
were never brought to conclusion.
When Druggist Pfefferle was placed
under the care of the attorneys for the
defense he admitted to the soft impeach-
ment that Simmett's barber shop was
quite place for the boys to gather and
talk politics.
Attorney Somerville endeavored to
"ball up" Alfred Heinze, the boy who is
employed i'm Simmett's barber shop, who
testified on the direct examination that
he stood out on the sidewalk and talk
ed with Koch. This was at 9:lO p. m.
Koch walked north and returned where
Heinze was standing. Soon after
that he entered the barber shop. The
boy stated that he observed that GER
tain stores were open. Attorney Som
erville was quite anxious to find out
from the lad why it was that he persist
ed in standing out on the street that
evening.
|, Boy Not a Sherlock Holmes.
''Was you acting as detective before
the crime was committed;" asked the at
torney with some display of sarcasm
The boy replied that he was not at.
tempting to follow in the footsteps OF
Sherlock Holmes.
Albert Baltrusch, the young man en-
ployed by The Review, told the jury.
men that he was at work in the office
on the night of the murder. His brother
was busy also. They were in the office
until 9:45 or few minutes later. He
saw Koch come out of the Simmett bar
Der shop which is just across the entry
way from the printing office. This was
about 9:30. AS he was but eight feet
from the window he saw Koch plainly
Immediately he heard someone ascend
the stairway leading to DIR. Gebhard's
office. He heard the door to the dentist,
reception room open and close. He
heard him step to the operating room
where DIR. Gebhard was working at his
machine The noise of the machine ceas
ed and nothing more was heard. HI
heard no one talking up stairs. He saw
no one pass the office at the time Kocl
passed by
Later in the day Baltrusch was recall
de to the stand by the defense. He stat
ed that screen doors opened into the
hallway leading to the stairs up which
he heard the person walk heavily. He
did not hear the screen doors open that
night, although he had heard them oper
and close on other. occasions. 1t would
be possible, too, for person to walk
up the stairs without his hearing him
Polta Had a "Date."
Joseph Polta, cooper by trade, was
put on the stand just after court was
called to order in the afternoon. He
related how he started out to walk with
some ladies, and when within half a
block of DR.. Gebhard's office he heard
someone ''holler" He thought some per.
son was having his tooth pulled. During
all the time that he traversed the dis
lance of half block he heard the noise
He heard noise as if chair and spit
toon had dropped Polta ands the two
girls stood in front of The Review of
flee for few minutes and while there
they heard the noise, though not SC
loud, coming from the dentists office
Witness thought it was about half past
nine when he first heard the noise He
did not remain long in front of The Re-
view office. Polta said that he left the
Steure saloon at 9:O5. He met the girls
on Minnesota street. While standing in
front of The Review office he saw two
persons on the sidewalk il. front of the
Pfefferle drug store. He saw Brooks and
Cavanaugh go up the stairs leading to
Gebhard's office. He did not see any
one else.
When on cross examination Polta
said he had been playing pool in the
saloon for about three hours.
"You had date with the girls -
inquired Attorney Somerville. Polta de-
MED this, but it afterward developed
that the cooper expected to meet the
young ladies. He told the jury that