The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-12-31
MANKATO FREE PRESS

submit motion, and it would take
time to pass on all the points This
case had been a peculiar one from the
start, as uncontradicted affidavits at
the commencement of the Smith trial
had SHOWN. He felt more like insist
ing on his rights now, because his
rights had been disregarded before the
trial.
The court suggested that tie witness
be withdrawn and that the state pro-
coed with it's other testimony, so that
he could take time to consider the
matter, and he would announce his
decision later.
Rural Route Carrier Tells His Story.
Frank Watts, rural mail carrier,
testified that his route is past the
Ledbeter place, and he frequently met
and talked with Mr.. Ledbeter. He saw
him a few days before his disappear
ance. He never noticed that he was
not in normal condition. The dogs
were generally about the place before
his disappearance, but he did not re-
member seeing the large dog after
wards, and did not recolect having
seen the bull dog running around after
that. Mrs. Ledbeter had told him
that they expected to see Mr.. Ledbeter
back; that Frank Smith had come up
from the field one day about 1890
o'clock, white in the face and coat
less and hatless, and would not tell
what was the matter; that at noon
he had told that Ledbeter had APP
peared in the field had replaced his
high laced boots for shoes, that ne
had $ll.l5 and wanted Frank to take
SO and give to Mrs. Ledbeter, that
Frank had told him that he needed
it worse than she did, that Ledbeter
had said that he had not been twenty
miles away, and that he would come
back after he had rested more. Mrs.
Ledbeter said that the night after
Smith claimed to have seen Ledbeter
someone had slept in the vacant house
across the road, that some one entered
the barn door and the next morning
tracks were found from the barn door
across a field, and one of the children
had identified them as Ledbeter's. The
witness had said: 'Mrs. Ledbeter,
that story was made up" She had
burst out crying and seemed much
excited and grieved and said that she
did not know how much more she
could stand. Witness had told her that
she could not believe that Frank Smith
as he had told so many stories and
was so imaginative Mrs Ledbeter
had come out frequently to talk, but
after that conversation she came out
to the box less frequently. Two or
three days after the disappearance,
Mrs. Ledbeter had said to the witness
that they suspeced that Mr.. Ledbeter
was murdered and that may be Bill
Garner did it. She had said that only
fifteen minutes elapsed from the time
that she mad seen Ledbeter until she
had started the search. Witness had
told her not to worry, as no man
could be murdered in broad day light
in fifteen minutes and the body be
disposed of. She had not answered
this, witness thought. She had told
of the alleged attempted suicide of
Ledbeter as fact Witness had once
told her that he thought that he had
clue, and her face had frightened
up. He had told her of a man resem-
bling Ledbeter being seen coming from
a saloon at Kasota, and she had said
that she would notify the authorities
at once. He had seen her and Frank
Smith working in the field beside the
road. One time she had said that
people were prowling around the place
nights, after the chickens, and that
Smith had used the gun once as a
bluff. Once Mrs. LeGbeter had said
that people were beginning 10 talk
about the propriety of Frank Smith
remaining there, AID she had asked
witness to write an envelope of letter
addressed to Mrs. Goldie Schwandt for
her to come, and the witness had
done it. The defendant had remarked
that she and Goldie Schwandt hal
agreed to stick together. One time
she had said that Frank Smith was
II regular coward. That was the time
when she told of people prowlng
around nights. The witness passed the
house on his route about noon.
Cross examined, the witness recalled
when he saw Mrs. Ledbeter put her
hand affectionately on her husbands
shoulder. He knew that she called him
pa" The witness had once remarked I:
Mrs. Ledbeter, the Lord is always on
the right side," and she had said:
Eyes, and if it was not for that l
don't know what 1 would do" When
she spoke about suspicioning Bill Gar
ner, she had said that Smith had told
her that Garner had already killed one
man. Mrs. Ledbeter had been trying
to get girl to stay with her before
she wrote for Mrs. Schwandt, and had
asked Rev. Osgood of the Christian
church about the matter.
On redirect, the witness said soon
after May that she had not no,itie;!
the authorities, because neighbors had
advised against it as making unneces-
sary publicity in case he returned. He
had advised her to notify the authori-
ties, and she lad asked him to do So
Mabel Ledbeter Testifes.
Mabel Lebeter, the twelve year old