The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-01-11
TRIAL OF DIR. KOCH.
State is Attempting to Break Down Alibi
of Defense as to Time.

new Olm the evidence OF the STATE
during the early part Of last week,
after the murder was proved, was
largely along the line OF attempting
to disproye the alibi of DR.. Koch,
particularly as to the time when
the crime was committed. The de-
tense contends that it was about
9:45 to 10 o'clock, while the state
contends that it was at9:30, or even
at an earlier hour, this being, done
TO lay the foundation for evidence
showing that DR.. Koch was seen on
the street, 10 the neighborhood of
DR.. Gebhardt S Office, shortly before
the time OF the murder, and that a
few minutes after he was seen cries
were heard coming from the MUIR
dered dentists Office.
Late Friday afternoon Chief of
Police Klause, on the stand, pro-
duced some hairs which he said he
found on the floor near Gebhard S
head on the night of the murder.
The hairs were sprinkled with
blood. They were not of the color
of Gebhardt's hair, ard the infer
.ence is that it is the intention to
show that these hairs resemble
those on the head of the defendant.
Perhaps the most significant bit
OF evidence brought out was that of
Alfred J. Vogel, a lumberman, who
testified that not more than forty
five minutes before the murder he
had given TO DR.. Koch among others
an advertising lead pencil exactly
like that which was found later
floating in a pool of the dead den
lists blood. Vogel had received
thousand of the pencils the day
before, intending to distribute them
among his customers and friends.
On the fatal night he had dropped
into the law Office of Hoidale u Som
sen, and, haying some of the pen
ellis in his pocket, handed them
around to those present. Among
the men who came in was DR.. Koch,
and, although Vogel was not posi- |
tive, he thought he had given the |
accused man one of the pencils. |
Moreover, he was certain that he
had given no such PENCIL to DR..
Gebhardt, @hich provedj to the sat
isfaction of the state that the bloody
pencil had dropped from the pocket
OF the murderer in the course of the
deadly struggle,
The state also began to trace the
history Of the sawed off hammer
with which mortal blows had been
tdealt TO the victim. BY the cyl
dence of Henry Karstau, who had
run the Office for some time while
DR.. Gebhardt was away on vaca
ton, it was established beyond
much question that the hammer did
not belong to Gebhardt. Karstau
knew and had used all the tools in
the office and the hammer was not
one Of them.
The injuries to Dr. Koch's hand
were brought out in bold relief by
the evidence Of Thursday. They
were noticed by Mr.. Vogei the day
after the murder. when they were
music for the funeral,
and by Cleveland Frederick, drug
clerk, who saw Koch putting rub
Der cots on the wounds, which he
explained had been caused by spill
ing carbolic acid.
Seven witnesses were examined
in the afternoon session of the court
Thursday, and, although they all
testified to hearing sounds in DIR.
Gebhardt's Office, they disagreed in
time, varying at from 9:28 to $40
o. m. Every one of them estimated
the time, and careful examination
of the things they had done showed
that the latter hour was more near
ly correct.
Joseph Polta said that it was $50
o clock when they heard sounds.
He said that the last time he. looked
at clock was at 9:05, when he left
saloon on First North and Broad
way streets. He walked three
blocks, stood on the street corner
awhile, until he met Miss Martinka
and Miss Roesch, and then the three
walked eleven blocks before they
heard the noise. Shortly after
wards the church clock struck and |