The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-05-12

identification of the writing of any par
ticular typewriter seemed to be more
reasonable than that of Mr.. Baird.
At the New Ulm trial the defense
was unable to get samples of the type
writing, for the machine did not arrive
until the day before the trial began,
and there was then not time to do it.
Attorney Brown, in speaking of yes
terday's typewriter testimony, said:
1--WE went more into detail this time
and made our case thirdly as strong as
it was at New Ulm. The state didn't
go into the details as much as it did
there, and did not seem to make much
point of it."
1t appears now as though the defense
would rest sometime tomorrow. The
state will then put on some rebuttal, to
be followed by surrebuttal.
Tests for Strychnine.
After the afternoon recess yesterday.
the witness, Prof. Richard Fisher, said
that sulphuric acid will not evaporate
unless subjected to high temperature,
wnen it will pass off. The cat seen at
the Koch premises appeared to be gray
1t ran away and | could not see it well
enough to see whether it was white.
read the paper half way between the
corn crib and the barn, and again near
the fence toward the Herman monument.
Also leaned the folded paper against a
part of the fence toward the Herman
monument. Am the life long friend
and school mate of the defendant.
On redirect, the witness said that he
went to the Koch premises Sunday
night in order to ascertain the effect of
the city light in Illuminating the prem
ises. There were no other lights except
the street lights. Two OF three parti-
cles of effervescent salts or strychnine
tablets would not pulverize readily if
in bottle with very little powdered
substance. The witness produced bot
tie with several of these particles. He
mad carried the bottle since Friday and
they had not pulverized to any extent
The defense offered the bottle in evil
dence. 1t contained piece of strych-
nine tablet and a portion of salt cry
stall. Am the life long friend and
school mate of Mr.. Pfaender
DR.. j. w. Andrews was called. The
ordinary commercial strychnine tablet
is considerably larger than pin head.
1t is made of sulphate or nitrate or as
state of strychnine and sugar of milk.
If test for sulphuric acid, is made by
adding sulphuric acid, it will destroy
the ability of testing for sulphuric acid
in the original composition The only
way to determine is by the cumulative
test The only way TO make test is
to get a reaction fer sulphuric acid
The blue bottle would hold 600 to 800
half-gr tablets; and from 1000 to
to fill it. If 80 to 95 half grain strych-
nine tablets of ten per cent purity, were
pulverized and added to enough pulver-
lied bromo caffeine to fill the bottle,
there would be less than one-half of one
per cent of strychnine in the compost
ton, or four and half grains.
On cross examination, the witness
stated that pulverized strychnia tablets,
placed in bottle of bromo- caffeine,
would have tendency to work down to
the bottom. The witness explained how
he would make test for strychnia.
He would make an aqueous solution,
evaporate and apply the Dragondorf
test Having ascertained the presence of
strychnia in order to ascertain the
quantity, steps would have to be taken
to drive out all other substances, which
is long and complicated process.
More Typewriting Testimony.
j. G. Fulcrut, typewriter salesman
of Minneapolis, said that he had follow
ed the business for fifteen years. He
had been office boy, repairer, salesman
and manager He is now manager of the
Lacrosse office of the Remington COM
pany. l do repairing right along, Am
familiar with the Smith Premier ma
chine. 1t is claimed that the Smith
Premier will show variation of align
ment quicker than any other machine,
because of the construction making an
unequal strain. The same letter may
occupy relatively different positions,
when the machine is out of alignment.
Examined the machine in question at
the first trial. The carriage was rigid,
but the typebars were loose, showing
hard wear This causes uneven writing.
The wide carriage machine gets out of
alignment more easily than the stand
ard size The roller at the last trial
was very slightly marked, and covered
with rubber mould, indicating newness.
L found only few points of punctu-
alton marks in the center of the cylin-
-, fbrn,,nb tho