The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-12-31
THE IEOBETER TRIAL
Continued From Page Three.

could do 1t. The woman stayed on
the farm and toiled from morning
until night for days. One night she
worked in the storm and rain until
eleven o'clock to do the chores. Would
she go within few feet of her hus-
bands grave in the barn, late at
night, if she knew he was buried there
at the time?
The Jail Conversations.
Mrs. Ledbeter, after her husbands
body was found, was arrested. 1t
would be shown that Smith made a
statement that Mrs. Ledbeter and the
Schwandts had nothing to do with it,
and had implieate Garner and another
This story came out while Smith was
in Jail, and Mrs. Ledbeter thought that
he was going to tell this at the pre-
liminary hearing. But Smith told the
same story that he did at the coro
ner's inquest. Mrs. Ledbeter, in the
Jail. asked him why he had not stuck
to his second story, and parts of these
conversations were overheard. Smith
was laying foundation for his own
defense. He had claimei that the
killing was done in the woods, and
Mrs. Ledbeter haC asked him to tell
her just the facts of the killing. Bill
Garner had been sent for and brought
back and kept a day or two. Smith
claimed that Garner had offered him
$1,000 not to stick to his second story
Murdered in thn Rarn
1t was expected to show that the
murder could have been produced at
the opening in the second floor above
the steps, and that blood was found
on the boards there and on the steps.
The defense gave notice to the state
that it wanted it to produce the maui
that Mr.. Wolcott had found and
turned over to the state.
\ condition would be shown where
three to five minutes work would be
sufficient to do the murder in the barn
and hastily bury the body. 1t would
take no half days work. The testi-
mony of witnesses of the statements
about the time elapsing was merely
their recollections. 1t would have been
the height of folly not to have called
the neighbors under the circumstances
appearing to the defendant at the
time.
a recess was taken until Monday
at a. III. The court said that he
was very sorry that the jury could not
go home for Christmas. He hoped
they would have as happy a Christ
mas as possible under the circum-
stances.
The defense expected to consume
about three days next week with its
direct testimony, finishing some time
Wednesday. Mrs. Ledbeter will take
the stand. The case will prob
ably be disposed of by the end of
next week.
Assistant Attorney General Peterson
returned to st. Paul on the noon train.
From Mondays Daily.
The jury that is trying Mrs. Grace
Ledbeter had probably the finest
Christmas dinner Saturday that they
ever enjoyed. 1t would have done
credit for the largest hotels in the
country. Mrs. A. n. Riley, who is pro-
viding the jurors with their meals, put
on royal spread for them. All of
her meals are high class, but the
Christmas dinner was extraordinary,
and the jurors could not make much
impression upon it, individually, al
though collectively they did it ample
justice. The bill of fare was as fol-
lows:
Blue Points
Celery Lemon Baskets PURGE Toma-
toes with Cretons
Filet of Beef with Mushrooms
Lima Beans
Roast Turkey stuffed with
Oysters Cranberry Sauce
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Maraschino Punch
Baked Potatoes Sugar of Corn
Lettuce Salad
Pumpkin Pie Charlotte Russo
Christmas Fruit Cake
Fruit Nuts Raisins
Coffee Cheese
The dinner was served at l2:45 p.
m. The rooms were decorated, and
each of the two tables had a Christ
mas tree upon it, decorated with can
dies, which were lighted at supper. The
jury attended the Christmas services at
st. Johns Episcopal church in the fore
noon, and in the afternoon strolled
about the city, accompanied by the
bailiffs. Many of the jurors received
gifts from the ''folks at home"
Sunday forenoon the jury attended
the Christmas services at the Presby-
terrain church. and in the evening some
of the members attended services at
the German Lutheran church.
The jurors are all enjoying good
health and standing their confinement
well. They sleep and live in two jury
rooms off from the court room, at
the court house
How the Prisoners Fared.
Sheriff Donahue and his good wife
prepared a feast for the prisoners at
the county Jail Saturday. 1t consist
ed of roast chicken and dressing, with
cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with
brown gravy, mince pie and apples.
Roast turkey. left from the s sheriff
oil H.,