The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-06
STATE ASSAHS THE
ALIDI OF DR.. KOCH
Two Young Women Among
Those Who Testify Regard
Ing Gebhard Murder
Special to The Globe

NEW Ui1M, Mimi, Jan. 5.-ThiS was
busy day in the Gebhard murder.
trial and numerous witnesses for the.
prosecution were examined. The alihI:
which stands between DR.. George r.
Koch and conviction Of the murder of
DR.. Gebhard was strongly attacked by:
the state. This alibi Is the crux Of the
whole case, for if the truth of DIR.
Koch's story as to his whereabouts on
the night of the murder can be estab-
lished beyond controversy, the entire
fabric of circurnstantial evidence WOW
en- by the state about him will fall to
pieces. On the other hand, if the state
can show that the alibi is not perfect
and that the defendants account of the
way his time was spent while the dead
dentist was being killed is not true,
then the circumstancial evidence of the
handkerchief, the pencil, the hammer
and the wound on the defendants hand,
together with the other things which
Gen. Childs has promised to prove.
have damaging significance.
Young Man and Two Girls
The first witness at the afternoon
session was Joseph Polta. He was
asked if he heard any noise, the even
ing DR.. Gebhard was murdered, coming
from his office. He said he was ac-
companied by two young women, Miss
Francis Roesch and Cecilia Martinka
and first heard cries from the dental
parlors when he was in front of the
New Ulm Post building. A chair was
heard to fall in the dental parlors. The
trio walked past the foot of the stairs
leading to DIR. Gebhard's office. The
sounds were similar to those which
|. would come from a patient having a
tooth pulled. The witness testified it
was about $50 when he first heard
these sounds and while they were
standing in front of the Review Office
they observed Brooks and Cavanaugh
go up the stairs leading to DR.. Geb-
hard's Office.
During the oss-examination the
young mans movements that evening
were traced. He first entered Kretsch's s
saloon on North street at $50, and
remained until 9:05, when he came out
and met the young women on Minne-
sofa street. They walked south seven
or eight blocks, turned around and
came back on the east side of the same
street. The time consumed after first
hearing the noises until they passed
the Ottomeyer block and went, home
the witness thought was eight or ten
minutes.
| Brothers on the Stand
Herbert Baltrusch was the next wit
ness. Mr.. Somerville asked ( him
whether there were screen doors at
the foot of the stairway leading to DR..
Gebhard's Office at the time of the
murder, and exhibited the picture to
him which was placed in evidence this
morning. The witness stated he did
not hear the screen doors slam when a
party went up stairs, as they usually
| did. He told his brother Oscar to go
| out and look up the stairway leading
! to DIR. Gebhard's Office while the per-
son was going up, but Oscar did not
| do SO.
| Oscar Baltrusch was placed upon the
stand. He. explained his position in
the Review office and told what he was
| doing on the evening of the murder
He had heard. the barber shop door
| open and shut: observed DIR. Koch
come out and pass by the Review Of
| fee, wearing derby hat and a. BLACK
overcoat. Immediately afterward he
heard some one ascend the stairs lead
ing to DR.. Gebhard's office.
Upon cross SS-exam1nation the witness
stated he did not hear the screen doors
at the bottom of the stairway open oil
| shut, but heard some one go up stairs
very heavily He 1stamped loude.
4 than anyone / ever heard, said the
witness. He slammed the door ard
walked loudly across the floor.' Wit
ness stated that the buzzing of the
doctors machine stopped ediately
About ten minutes after Yhey heard ths
fperson go ups the stair they left The
lsof1ice and started for hol5le, going dowf