The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-04-29
MURDERER WAS
MAD OR DRUNK
DEFENSE IN KOCH MURDER
TRIAL HAS NEW THEORY
TO WORK ON.
BOYS ARE STAR WITNESSES
TELL OF WILD TUMULT ON THE
STAIRWAY THE NIGHT OF
THE CRIME.

Mankato. Mimi, April &c. - Three
women who were not witnesses III tne
first trial of DR.. George X. hoch TOT
the murder of DR.. Louis A. Gebnarot'
will be introduced for the state IN the
second trial The testimony OF one
of the women, Mrs. J. Dahms OF New
Ulm, was exploitea in detail by Form
err Attorney General Childs for the
state in his opening address yesterday
afternoon. The last juror was sworn
about 2 o'clock. and Immediately
thereafter Gen. Childs delivered his
opening address, at the conclusion or
which court adjourned for the day.
Mrs. Dahms, according to the state
ment of Gen. Childs, will be intro
duced to give evidence regarding the
finding of blood stains upon gate
post which is situated directly in front
of her house and on the road DR..
Koch was accustomed to take in walk
ing homeward from his Office, and
that she
Saw a Man Running
toward the Koch home the evening or
the murder. Miss Lena Wiedman and
Miss Catherine Waess of New Ulm
will be the other women who will take
the stand, but the nature of their tes-
timony was not exploited by the
states counsel in his opening remarks.
Those arrayed On the side of the
prosecution, however, say that their
testimony will be of startling nature
and will greatly strengthen the case
against the accused man.
Dwell On Hammers Identity.
The state doubtless will dwell
strongly upon the Identification of the
hammer found in DR.. Gebhardt's office
after the murder had been committed.
1t is declared by the state that wit
nesses will identity the hammer as one
frequently seen about the Office of Dr.
Koch. A son of Mrs. Dahms will be
introduced to testify that the hammer
frequently was
Seen About the Koch Home,
and still another witness, it is said,
will testify that DR.. Koch was seen to
return to his Office between 9 and $3.50
o'clock on the night of the murder,
strike a light and take from a drawer
something that appeared to be the
hammer in question. The latter wit
ness, according to Gen. Childs, saw
the occurrence through one Of the Of
fee windows, and the reliability OF the
statement therefore is questioned by
the defending attorneys.
The nature of the testimony to be
introduced by Miss Wiedman and
Miss Kaess seems at present to be
puzzle to the defense, although it is
strange indeed if Koch's attorneys al
ready are not familiar with it, for
their untiring efforts in the case have
been noteworthy. Regarding the state
ment of a farmer named Grusek, who
told County Attorney Wilson Saturday
night that he saw the murderer Of DR..
Gebhardt
Escaping From the Scene
of his brutal task, there was nothing
said in Gen. Childs' preliminary adj
dress. The county attorney yesterday
stated that in all probability the state
would not introduce Grusek. When
asked why, the attorney said he did
not care to discuss the reason, but he
would not declare the statement unim-
portant or unreliable. He refused to
discuss the mans whereabouts.
The last juror sworn was Albert
Hageman, farmer who lives out a
mile south of Mankato.
To the great satisfaction of the de-
tense, Gen. Childs did not ask that
DR.. Koch be placed in custody during
the trial, and it is therefore likely that
he will be at liberty until verdict is
secured.
Mankato Mimi, April 27.-Was the
murderer of DR.. L. A. Gebhardt in
sane or intoxicated? This is a ques-
ton the solution of which promises to
cause more debate in the trial OF Or.
Koch than any other feature which
has yet developed.
Two witnesses for the state, boys
who at the time of the murder were
employed in the Office of New Ulm
newspaper, stated yesterday that on
FIND MISSING MANS BODY.