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

WEDNESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
The members of the Koch family
nave made good witnesses for the de-
PENDANT, and any doubt remaining in
the minds of good many people as
to the guilt or innocence of the young
dentist has been removed by what his
old father and brothers and sisters have
said in his behalf. Mr.. Koch, the
father of the defendant, told mis- story
like any old gentleman of his age would
do. He is rather feeble, made so part
ly by the great strain and sorrow that
have come upon the family, and it was
hard to follow his testimony. Miss Ida
Koch, the daughter who teaches school
in New Ulm, and who has been a con-
slant attendant at the trial, was self
possessed, and left a favorable impress
sion.
1t is easy to be seen that the Koch
family has always been held in the
highest respect, from the position which
they occupy The children have turned
out well, all having good position, or
being well married.
Judge Cray held court until $3.50 p.
M yesterday. 1t was said in the court
room that he was dissatisfied with the
progress being made with the case and
wanted to get along faster. He has a
term of court coming on at ST. James
next week, to be followed shortly by
the June term in this city, and he has
been particularly DESTROYS of getting
the Koch case out of the way this
week. 1t now looks as though the case
might not get to the jury before Sat
urday afternoon. 1t is expected that
the state and the defense will each oc-
cupy an entire day in making the
closing argument. If the defense rests
today, then tomorrow will be taken up
with rebuttal and surrebuttal.
E. G. Koch Cross Examined.
The cross, examination of +. G. Koch
yesterday afternoon was conducted by
Gen. Childs. Don't remember what
was reading or how long l had been
reading when George came home.
saw him when he came in. Cannot say
what he did with his hat. Did not see
him take it off. He did not say any
thing except "Good evening"" He was
not outdoors more than three or four
minutes when he went out Am not
positive, but don't think that it could
have been longer. Think he had on his
hat when he came back and when he
went to the cellar. 1t was ten or fif-
teen minutes after he came in the sec
Ond time that ne went to his bedroom.
He had his hat on all of this time.
Saw his hand after he had been down
cellar He was eating an apple, sitting
by me. Don't think that my daughters
were there then. Don't know when
George came home Monday evening or
Sunday evening or Wednesday or
Thursday evening. The only evening
that week that l can say exactly when
my son came home was Tuesday even
ing. When he went down stairs the
first time Tuesday night, he said 81
feel like going to bed. Good night"
heard Thursday noon for the first
time that he was suspected of the muir.
der. When he came up from his room,
he said, ''Well l guess I'll have to eat
an apple first,' Then he went down
cellar and got an apple and came back
He had been in the habit of eating ap-
pies evenings. l got the old hammer
some forty odd years ago. 1 missed it
in June or July, 1908. 1t had been
lost and reappeared several times be-
fore then. 1t was the left claw that
was broken off. The only way l can
say that it was the left claw is because
watched my grandchild playing with
it. Think | testified to this at the
Brown county trial.
Gen. Childs read the testimony taken
at the Brown county trial, and there
was nothing said about Mr.. Koch know.
ing that the left claw was broken off
because he had seen the hammer in the
hands of his grandson. The last time
that l saw the hammer was in nv tool
chest about June, 1903. Do not know
what time George came home on any
evening during the week preceding the
homicide. | always said that it was
9:45 p. m, by my clock when he cot
home Nov. lst, and that my clock was
seven minutes fast. Did not tell Anton
Richertz that George came home at 10
o'clock, or that George was home at the
time of the murder. Richertz made
some such statement as that the murd-
er was committed before ten o'clock. I
told Ricnertz that George was at home
with me when the murderer was seen
IN the room, if | said anything at all.
This was all that l could have said.