The Minneapolis journal., 1905-09-08
WITNESS FIXING
IS NOW CHARGED.
DEVELOPMENT IN
JOHNSON BABY-FARM CASE.
Mrs. Pretzel, Chief Witness for the
State, Makes an Affidavit Charging
Certain Persons Connected with the
Defense with Subornation of Perjury
Grand Jury to Investigate.

Charges of inducing and bribing wit
nesses to give periuredl testimony have
been made against a lawyer, a young
woman and two local detectives con-
nected with the defense of Mrs. Ida
johnson, the "baby farmer indicted
on the charge of performing criminal
operation and extradited from Seattle,
Wash, after much trouble and advertis-
ing.
If affdavits made by the complaining
witness in the johnson case and now
in the hands of County Attorney AL j.
Smith are true, then several persons are
guilty of committing felonies. Wit
nesses have been subpenaed and the
grand jury will make thoro investl-
cation. .. ---
According to an affidavit made by
Nettie Pretzel, the complaining witness
and the person upon whose testimony
the last grand jury indicted Ida John,
son, there have been various and varied
unlawful efforts made to induce her to
perjure herself in order TO save the
defendant. This affidavit is sworn to
before a deputy clerk of the district
court and several other witnesses. A
revealed, and the young woman claims
to have been piled with drinks, threats
promises and offers of money If she
would but lend herself to the purposes
Of the men who were concOct1ng case
for the accused.
Mrs. Pretzel stated to Journa
reported today that about the lst day
of last August woman whose name she
gives, came to her fiat under the pre-
who never lived in that vicinity
Recognizing Mrs. Pretzel, with whom
she had become acquainted at Mrs
Johnson's 'baby farm the woman
said she would stay little while. Sht
stayed and later. asked the complaining
witness to go with her to Wonderland d
The two women went and the visito!
paid the bills. Before they wen
and on the way, Mrs. Pretzel says he:
companion asked her what she had tol(
the grand jury against Ida johnson
and when informed stated that sh
could have goodly sum Of the johnson
woman s money if she would tel1sa diff
| ferent story when the case came tt
At Wonderland the two were. joine'
| by Ida Johnson, who also asked abOu
Mrs. Pretzel's testimony and told he
that if she didn It change her story, sh
would be in it too, as she would be &C
cused Of participation in a simila
crime. Later the party was, Joined b.
two men, who are private detectives.
number of drinks, after which it wa
proposed to Mrs. Pretzel that she e
with the rest up to a certain lawyer
office. The witness consented and wen
to the lawyer office, arriving there a
6 O'Clock in the evening and fndin
| two lawyers waiting for her.
Mrs. Pretzel AYERS that she was aske
further questions about her TESTIMONY
and told how she would testify. Sh
told the lawyer she was afraid sh
would get into trouble, but was il
been frightened when she vert befor
the grand jury, and had been threat
ened by the county attorney, and ha
therefore sworn to lie. Then, sh
says, the lawyer dictated somethin
which was written out and which sh
signed, without reading it or having
read to her. She afterwards foun
that it was a statement that all she ha
testified to before the grand jury Wa
false.
The witness also claims that an effo1
was made to get her husband to testif
falsely, but he refused and will max
affidavit to this. On the next day afte
the conference at the lawyers offe
Mrs. Pretzel says she was induced
go to the house of detective wit
out knowing where she was. She a
leges that for two hours the detectiy
coached her as to what she was to test
fly. She says Coleman told her tt
questions that the county attorne
would ask and what answers she mu
! make. ~ #.. <..-.~
Owing to the foresight of County A
torney Smith, Mrs. Pretzel was SUI
penaed and appeared week before tt
opening of the term. She was que
toned and unhesitatingly told the who
story.