New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-06-12
WOMAN's PIIIFUL STORY
Mrs. Minnie GALES Testiies In
Her Own Behalf.
Tells Why She Disposed of Her
Infant Child as She Did.
Tells Also of Her Early Life in
Nicollet County.


tried in the Ramsey county district
court on an Indictment charging her
with the murder of her own baby,
testified in her own behalf Monday
afternoon. Senator Rieke of Fairfax,
who is assisting in the defense, took
charge of the witness and in introduce
ing her evidence made the remark that
the prisoner had been employed as a
domestic in his home and in the homes
of other well-known people in Fairfax
and New Ulm. He said that there
would be no lack of reputable
people to come forward and give her
good character in this her no ur of
trial.
The defense, as outlined by counsel
and afterwards testified to by the de-
fendant herself, pictures Mrs. Gales
as the unfortunate victim of circum-
stances. Alone in the middle Of the
night of April 8 she unexpectedly dis
covered that she was about to face the
trying ordeal through which all
motherhood must pass. She dare not
call for help, for that would betray
her condition to her friends in the
house, including the man whom she
was engaged to marry at Easter. Her
pangs warned her that she could not
go elsewhere for assistance.
In a low tone of voice, that at times
could scarcely be heard, the unhappy
woman, with Unsurpassed emotion,
related the secret sorrows OF that aw-
full night. The ill-adapted means
which she was forced to be employ to
| assist herself through those hours of
agony are now used against her as
evidences of guilt.
She shook the baby to see if there
was life in it's little body. She ex-
amined it closely to see if it breathed.
It did not, She noticed undue moisture
about it's mouth and washed it out
with the end of the cloth she had
placed about it's neck to see perchance
if that would help. When she was
convinced that the baby was dead, to
use her own words, she "laid down
and cried and cried" She wrapped the
lifeless form IN the old clothes she had
hastily thrown onto the bed and placed
it in her trunk. She was stranger
in the house. Only five days. before
John Gales had brought her to that
home where his sister lived and in
PRODUCED her as his future wife. She
did not try to get rid of the body, be.
cause she wanted it to have decent
burial. The only people in the city
with whom she was acquainted outside
this family were the people at the shop
where she was having her wedding
dress made. When asked why she
took it there she said she thought
they would bury it for her.
The story of the defendants life as
told by herself and by her counsel is
that of simple, Woodworking country
girl, modest, unsophisticated, good
natured and ignorant Of the world an6
of books. Her aged father and mother
young sister and the man whom SHIT
recently married are faithful to bel
in her hour of need. There were tear!
in her mothers eyes as the daughte
related her sorrows, and the defendan
could scarcely suppress the tears as
she told of going home from the place
where she was employed to take car
of her sick mother. The man who sh
says is responsib for her trouble
has left the state. She never told he
condition to the man she married.
John GALES, the husband, however
is still faithful to the woman he ha
sworn to protect, and counsel sal
Monday that be would testify in he
behalf.
The defendant from childhood ha
been used to hard labor. During tn
busy season she did mans work il
the fields on her fathers farm il
Nicollet county before they moved t.
Fairfax. She pitched and raked hay
shocked grain and pitched bundles
drove team, did chores, churned an
performed all kinds Of houseworb
She went to school at irregular inter
walls until sixteen years old. Afte
she was sixteen she began going OF
to do housework, always returning t
the farm, however, to assist during th
f. harvest.
Count Ernest Reventlaw Gre;
Britain is afraid of showing the worl