The Mankato free press., 1905-05-12
FRIDAYS PROCEEDINGS

The defense in the Koch trial has
gotten good start, and expects to get
all of its evidence in by Monday after
noon. 1t is thought that the rebuttal
and surrebuttal will not take more
than a day, and that the arguments to
the Jury will be submitted on Wednes-
day, so that the case will go to the
jury either Wednesday afternoon or
Thursday morning.
Asa p. Brooks was on the stand a
little longer this time than at the
last trial, because the cross eXamina-
tiOn was more thorough The state gain
ed point yesterday as compared with
the New Ulm trial, being able to lay
the foundation for the introduction of
evidence to impeach Brooks. At the
New Ulm trial it was not able to do
this on the cross examination, and when
it wanted to do so Brooks had left the
city and could not be found. Now the
| state is in shape to call a half dozen or
more witnesses to testify to converse
tions had with Brooks in which, it will
be claimed, Brooks admitted that the
man he saw might have been DR.. Koch,
or that he couldn't tell until he had
seen Koch's face again, or words to that
effect. Among these witnesses will be
Judge B. f. Webber, before whom the
case was tried at New Ulm, and Court
Reporter w. T. Eckstein
| Mr. Abbott, in speaking of the case
after the state had rested yesterday,
said: "The case is in much better
shape for the defense at this time than
| it was when the state rested at New
| Ulm. This time we have been able to
bring out a good many things from the
states witnesses that we did not be-
fore, and which did not come out un-
til we put our own witnesses on. Now
we have brought out our points stimuli
taneously with those made by the state.
and the jury has had them both to
think about at the same time. In my
opening address | merely sought to tell
what the defense intends to prove by
it's witnesses, that the jury might have
this in mind as the witnesses are called
Everything will fit in its proper place.
and the jury will be able to form a
good idea as we proceed"
Brooks, who is the star witness in
the case, was calm and collected while
on the stand. He made good witness
and only in one thing did he contradict
the testimony that he gave at the New
Ulm trial, and that had nothing to dc
with this case. At the New Ulm trial
in January, he said that ne was thirty
four years old. Yesterday he testified
that he was thirty six, saying that he
was born in 1868.
The only new point brought out this
cIo
trial, was the cross examination regard
ing Shepard's interviews with Brooks
This was part of the foundation for i'm
parchment
Brooks Cross Examined.
On cross examination, the witness
Mr.. Brooks said that he was born in H.
linois; couldn't tell when he cast his
first ballot. Moved to several places
but didn't remember all of them or how
long he lived there. Lived in half 8
dozen places in Pennsylvania. Began te
shift for myself when twelve years ole
in Kansas, stayed there a year, tner
went to Tennessee. From there went tc
Redwood Falls, but don't know when
got there. From there went to Mankatt
and stayed a month, then to Sleepy Eye
the nto st. Paul, and back to Redwood
Falls. Then to Jackson, Mimi, to run
paper; didn't like the situation, thef
went to Mapleton; didn't like it there
then went to ST. Paul and helped tt
start an evening paper. Broke up il
this, and then went to Alexandria; The
paper there was sold, and then went
to Sauk Center, and worked for Mr.
Hendricks for a year. Then went tt
st. Paul enroute to Springfield, Mo-, tt
work on magazine. Met some friends
and they wanted me to enlist. | did 81
! and served nine months. Went to Red
wood Falls after my return thence tt
Sleepy Eye and worked with Hodges fol
two years, then went to New Ulm foul
years ago. Left Hoidale & Somsen's of
flee at 9:35 the night of the murder anC
-. .9sr... 4.gr tt1A ara