The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-02
ORIGIN OF HAMMER NO. TWO
State Declares It Was Made in Man
kato-Defense Denies.

kato-Defense Denies.
Special to The Journal. H. ~ l"@.
Mankato, MIMI, May Ex-senator
Somerville declared today that the
story that the mysterious second
hammer, the one with the left claw
broken, was made by Captain Andrews,
a Local guns;m9itsh, is false, and that
sible for the publication of such
statement. -,
~ confess that I do not know Just
where the second hammer came FROM
said the senator, "but I know it came
from New Ulm. did not see it there,
but [ have received positive informa-
tion concerning it, and I know that it
IS not true that it was made up here in
Mankato. ...-. ...g =.
''It should be borne in mind that we
are not disclosing our evidence as to
this second hammer. We have not
claimed that it was the hammer which
the Kochs say disappeared from their
place eight months before the first trial;
nor have we said that it is not. We
have definite purpose in view in bring
ing in that hammer, and we could not
! be expected to let it be known what
that purpose is.
The States Explanation.
| It was said by one of the counsel for
the state this morning that information
had come to him at the beginning Of
the trial that a local gunsmith was at
work making hammer that resembled
the one which was said to have disap-
peared from the Koch home. The fact
was known, it was said, that this ham
mer would be produced, but no way was
seen to head it off.
1t is pointed out that the production
of the second hammer did not befuddle
the Dahms boy, who had worked at the
looked at both exhibits and without
hesitation or qualification picked out
the one that was found in the Gebhardt
office as the one he had often used while
working at Koch s.
It was different with Mrs. Kaess, how.
ever. The scrubwoman who had previ-
ously identified the bloody hammer as
Offices, and who had been called by the
state with the expectation that she
would make the same Identification or
the stand, became confused, the defense
says, when she saw two hammers sc
strikingly similar, and would not make
a positive statement with those two ex
hibits in front of her.
! If the defense accomplishes no Other
purpose by the introduction Of the mys
w
paid, according to the state. But it re
mains to be seen just what will be thu
t final claim made for the second ham
. mer, and its ultimate effect.
Andrews and the Attorneys Deny.
Mr.. Abbott of the defense said thi
, morning That hammer was neve
made in Mankato. It has been in us
. for ten years.
Henry Somsen, brother-in-law Of TIL
. defendant, said: elf the hammer wa
2 made in Mankato, we know nothing o
it. Somebody has a bum steer
Captain Andrews, the gunsmith VIII
! is said to have made the handle Of han
mer No. 2 and stained the wood to Civ
s it the appearance Of age, pronounce
! the story foolish as well as false.
: Reineke and the Hammer.
9 When DIR. G.. f. Reineke was eros.
! examined yesterday he performed
most unpleasant duty with good grac,
r On direct examination he had told Q
r the condition Of his office thru whic
d crime had been committed. Gener;
Ell Childs did not ask him any thing abol
I'll the hammer, and when Mr.. Abbot
o cross examining, brought up the subjec
General Childs objected strenuousl.
= but without avail. Turnout the tri,
is Judge Cray has overruled every obie
3 tion Of all, facts touching on or appea