The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-09-21
Wife Beaten Given What
Was His Due.
TRIAL LASTED TILL EVENING.
Testimony Was Of an Interesting
Character to the Spectators Who
Occupied Seats in Court.
From Saturdays Daily.

The trial of August Michel on the
charge of assaulting his wife resulted
in his conviction. The jury retired at
six o'clock, and soon after supper re-
turned with verdict of guilty.
The only witnesses for the prosecu-
ton were DR.. Bjelland and Mrs. Niebel.
The defense called Niebel to the stand
first, and he denied the charge and gave
his version of the trouble, which hap
pend last week Friday morning instead
of Thursday morning as stated in the
complaint.
Mrs. Thomas, the next door neighbOr,
testified that when Niebel came home
Thursday evening he found the door
locked and he got an axe and pried it
open. "NIrs. Michel was inside and
pounded hard on the table with stick,
and the way she pounded she talked, "
said the witness. "She was saying she
wouldn't stand for it," Mrs. Niebel called
Officer Klughertz.
cat, about ten o'clock, continued the
witness, 81 heard an awful noise, and
l thought at once that it was trouble
by Niebel again. 1t was like pounding
on the door five times with an axe. She
talked loudly to him. You cursed dog,
tomorrow you get ont of the house.
Come down, you cursed dog, and l will
| fight you as long as there is drop
of blood in me- He said he had as much
right as she had there, and for her to
keep quiet as the neighbors wanted to
sleep. Cross-examined, Mrs. Thomas adj
mitted that she did not get along very
well with Mrs. Niebel.
| Fred Dollar testified that he first met
Mrs Niebel at Otto Dollars house. She
was there last Sunday at 3 p. m. under
a tent, drinking beer. This was when
Mrs. Niebel said that she was confined
to her bed by her injuries.
The defense tried to prove by this and
subsequent witnesses that Mrs. Niebel
had been out driving with Otto Dollar
evenings. This was the first appearance
of the white horse mystery" in the
trial, but as the tender was made in
writing the crowd present did not know
what it was sought to prove. The court
ruled the line of evidence out.
Mrs William Dollar said that Mrs.
Niebel came often to Otto Dollars house
and visited him when she was living
there. This was ordered stricken out on
objection of the state. Sunday between
3 p. IN. and 4 p. m. Mrs. Niebel was in
the tent with Otto, Jack and Ella Dol
lar and man called Ole, drinking beer
Witness saw her there last Friday night
and also this week Thursday night.
Mrs. Minnie Miller, daughter of
Otto Dollar, injected spice into the pro-
ceedings. She had known Mrs. Niebel
for sixteen years. Had gotten acquaint-
ed with her at her fathers place, where
she came nearly every day. She had
seen her there this summer in the even.
ing. The next question was "What
were they doing?" The state objected
and the objection was sustained. The
defense rested here.
Mrs. Niebel was recalled by the state.
She said that the pounding that Mrs
Thomas heard was when she pounded
on the wall for her husband to come
down and unlock the door to let her
out of the closet, as he had locked the
doors and taken the key upstairs with
him. She was not at Otto Dollars last
Sunday, last night nor last Friday
night.
Otto Dollar was called. He had been
subpoened by the state, although the
defense had also wanted to subpoena
him. He said that Mrs. Niebel was not
at his tent last Sunday. Cross-examined,
he was asked what he had the tent up
at his house for.
81 put the tent there to dry OUT re-
piled the witness.
'How long ago did you put it up?"
"a month ago"
did it take that long for it to dry
out ?"
'No, but lots of people have tents in
their yards"
SLOW long have you known Mrs. Me
bel?"
81 couldn't say"
about how long?"
81 couldn't say"
"Are you married?"
eyes"
"And divorced?"
eyes"
"How many times?"
"Twice"
SLOW well do you know Mrs. Niebel?"