The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-01-27
TROUBLE JUROR
Attorneys for Koch Say One
Committed Perjury.
His Arrest May Follow, Just
to Set Example.
Bail Application to Be Heard
Next Saturday.
Friends Send Defendant Flow
ers and Cigars.
-Snecial to The Free Press

Especial to The Free Press.l
New Tim, Jan. 23.-There is trouble
in store for one of the jurymen in the
Koch case. He is liable to be arrested
for perjury on the grounds that his
statements while qualifying as a juror
after being challenged for actual bias
were false.
The iuryman, whose name is withheld
was challenged for actual bias by the
defense. He then swore that he had mel
Their formed nor expressed any opinion
as to the guilt or innocence of the de-
PENDANT. Upon this testimony he was
accepted as a juror.
But as soon as it was learned he had
been accepted, several persons told the
attorneys for the defense that two OF
three nights before he was drawn as a
Juror, he had engaged in heated argu-
ment at the Woodman lodge over the
Koch case. He maintained that Koch
was guilty, while the other man said he
was innocent. The argument grew hot
and came near ending in a serious quar-
rel.
When the jury disagreed Friday and
the attorneys for the defense realized
that they were to face another trial, it
was decided that it would be well to
make an example OF this iuryman SO
that in the next trial no man who had
been so radical in his belief as to the
Guilt or innocence of DIR. Koch would
have the hardihood to attempt to get on
the jury. They at once ordered tran
script of his evidence, and if the reports
of his dispute can be proved, they will
ask that he be arrested.
Il don't know who is worse, the man
who killed DIR. Gerhard or the man who
would perjure himself to get on the jury
to convict Dr. Koch of his guilt" said
w. ID. Abbott, one of the attorneys fol
the defense. '.We have not decided def
niteIy to proceed against this juryman
but we must do something TO protect
ourselves"
Judge to Decide Bail.
1t will be up to Judge Weber t.
decide whether Koch shall be admitted
to bail. The application for bail will b.
l. NNnhIn, +,,r
day. At the same time the date ant
place of holding the next trial will bt
Koch could secure bail to the amount
of $25,000. 1t is very doubtful, how
ever, whether this big sum will move
Judge Weber 1t is not often that {
person charged with murder in the first
degree is admitted to bail.
Many people here would like to have
the trial held in Mankato.
DIR. Koch is not forgotten by hi:
friends. If he were new member o.
congress just taking his seat, he would
probably receive no more choice cut flow
ers than were carried to his cell today
by loving friends. Many of the latest
magazines were also taken to him. His
cigar bill ought to be light, as severa
boxes were sent to him today.
The young dentist declares he is MOI
concerned about his present plight ex
cept as it affects the folks at home"
Could Not Identify the Man.
Hanska, JAN 23-"I could not identi
fly the man who gave me package t,
mail on the train some time in Octo
Der. / know such package was handle,
to me, but whether a young man or al
old man asked me to mail it | am utter
ly unable to say"
This statement was made to The Min
neapolis Tribune correspondent by j. |.
Thompson, agent of the Minneapolis 4
st. Louis railroad at Hanska, who i
the man whom the state has depende,
on to furnish mass of new evidenc
tending to connect DIR. George r. Kocl
with the sending of the poison packag
to DIR. L. A. Gebhardt.
Mr.. Thompson was very positive tina
he could not remember the man who ask
ed him to mail the package or tn
package itself. He thinks he remember
the address, CDR. J.. A. Gebhardt, Ney
Ulm, Minn.," on the package, but hi
general recollection OF it is hazy afte
the lapse of several weeks.
There was not the slightest thing il
connection with the circumstance t.
make him recall the feature of the per
son who gave him the package, except
iocular talk he had with the mail clerl
afterward, as it was one of the hundre
and one little services that a station
agent is called upon to perform almos
daily.
Jurymen Became Hostile.
The correspondent of The st. Pau
Pioneer Press writes that the jurymel