The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-01
GEBHARDT KNEW
LIFE WAS SOUGHT
Laughed at Suggestion that Muir
der Was Planned, but In
vestigated Quietly.
STORY OF RECEIPT OF
POISON PACKAGE RF.ToI.D
Koch's Counsel Vexed by His
Sally at Krause, New Ulm's
Chief of Police.
BY w. P. Mcclure.

Mankato, Mimi, May Testimony
George R. Koch tended to prove that
Dr.. Gebhardt,r the murdered man, was
haunted by a fear, inspired by the re-
ceipt of a poison package, that some
one sought his life.
Miss Lydia schapekahm, who was
DIR. Gebhardt's office girl, told the |
story of the receipt Of the package thru
the mail and Of the manner in which
the murdered dentist considered it at
that time. The day is being devoted
by the state to an effort to prove that
a previous. attempt had been made on
| the life of DIR. Gebhardt and that DR..
Koch was responsible for it.
''Blue Box Thru the Mails.
Miss Schapekahm said that when
she went to the postoffice at noon
about week before the homicide
she was uncertain just which day, she
received with several letters a blue
box.
This box she gave to her employer
Immediately upon her return to the Of
fee. He opened it, she said, and after
i looking the bottle over carefully and
scrutinizing the label on which was
written in blood-red ink the single
, tested the odor, and then went straight
into his laboratory and poured the
y Waste.drawer. fT he put the bottle
on high shelf in his cupboard.
Returning to his operating room, Or.
} Gebhardt, the girl said, picked up the
) box and wrapper and examined them
) carefully, as tho curious as to whence
E they had come. He looked closely at
:, the postmark and then turned to Miss
/ Schapekahm and asked her if she coulc
f make out anything from it., Together
: they examined the postmark and the
Tasss eS thsy e2a te af sst Dr. put dsb
e. hardt returned to his work, a patien
coming in, and the girl threw the DO:
into a waste-paper basket.
K Bottle and Box Found.
O The blue bottle which came in tn
h box, the witness said, remained on tn
e shelf where she saw it from time t
> time every day until after the murder
n When the police and other authoritie
Y, were investigating the crime, the wit
e ness was questioned and she. told then
n she said, Of the receipt of the mysts
rious package. They asked her what ha
id become Of it, and when she had tol
# them they upset the WastePaper baske
6. and, while she looked On, tried to find !!
d But they were unsuccessful. The wi
@ ness said she then thought perhaps,
IS might be on the shelf near the bottl'
t. They looked there and, to her surpris'
" found the box in the pigeonhole abov'
e and to the right Of the one in which tn
r. blue bottle stood. .. - ...
If "You were surprised when you sa,
a. it there, we're your asked Mr.. Abbot
N on cross-examination. ~
m 81 was" said Miss schapekahm,
% Gebhardt Was Investigating.
At The story. told by DR.. G. F. Reinek
n whose office is off from the same rece]
e. tior room which DR.. Gebhardt use1
re taken in connection with Miss Schap
1T kahn 8 testimony today, makes it ev
dent that DR.. Gebhardt was trying
p ascertain who it was that sent him th
Ill poison package.
~ Immediately after the homicide, D
ne Reineke said that DR.. Gebhardt ha
n shown him the mysterious package jul
al after he received it. They had exam