The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-12-17

SMITH

that he had breathless to her and wished Led
beter's iasket. She had asked why and /" had said
that he would tell her later. you were as sssr,i
and pale as you will be when you deal,
declared Mrs Ledbeter glowering at Smith.
WANTED TO KNOW IF SHE QUARRELED:
Smith, among other things, asked Mrs Ledbeter
whether she did not quarrel with her husband the
last month to get him to run away, and she replied
that this not She generally replied IN the
Yankee way, by asking why she should do this or
that, but sometimes made fiat denial. Smith said
that Mrs. Ledbeter bad said that another wanted
to marry her and that she was afraid that Ledbeter
would live too long, his mother had lived to be
to be gotten rid of in way.
"In what way?" asked Mrs. Ledbeter.
Didn't you try to get me to buy poson? asked
Smith
Frank how can you stand there and say that?
asked Mrs. Lelbeter, apparently much worked up
81 tried to get you to buy poison, you dirty,
filthy thing Why should 1 do it?'
Mrs. Ledbeter said that she had objection to
giving the name of the Redwood Falls doctor that
asked by reporter what his said that it
Dr. Brand of Redwood Falls. When asked why
she wished to get the drug, she replied that she had
wished to use it to take medicine stain from
dress.
Mrs. Ledbeter asked by reporter when she
thought Smith committed the murder she had
cused him of it, and replied that she thought that
it not until Ledbeter had returned recently. She
thought that he had first disappeared and then
turned, and that it then that Smith had killed
him. Asked whether her husband was not power
full man, for whom Smith would be equal, unless
he was asleep, she admitted this. She went on to
say that Smith had reported having tracked him or
something
At point of the controversy, Smith remarked to
Mrs. Ledbeter: 81 am in it the same you are"
Mrs. Ledbeter retorted: "You in it deeper than
County Attorne, Plymat questioned her to what
she meant by this, but she turned it off by saying
that she meant that both in jail.
AT another point, Mrs Ledbeter declared to the
officers that they could look at the bedding "You
can look at the things, the blanket, etc"
BURNED THE BLANKET
"You burned the blanket put in Smith
1.-The ashes in the stove yet, and can be ex
amined' replied Mrs. Ledbeter, but Smith thought
that the burning long ago that the ashes
not there yet.
Smith put question to Mrs. Ledbeter to what
she did the night of the murder, introducing it
follows: "Now, Mrs. Ledbeter, after you helped
kill him, didn't you' etc. This not noticed until
reporter asked Smith what he meant by the words,
"After you helped me kill him." Smith repeated the
words several times and said that they were right
but finally said that he meant, "After you helped
bury him." He said that he thought kill and bury
meant about the same thing, and if they didn't he
Asked about giving Smith the gun and telling him
to watch the premises one night Mrs. Ledbeter said:
Il gave Frank the gun and told him to watch the
chicken COOP.
Had there been any chickens stoen?" was asked
why several hundred have been stolen lately"
replied the woman
Smith became eXasperated at the way Mrs Led
better denied all of his statements, and said "Mrs.
ledbeter it would be better for you you would tell
the truth Mrs. ledbeter replied: 81 have told
the truth. If they catch in lie it will be time
enough to talk
Smith demurred to this, and the woman replied:
when tell as many lies you will expect to be
caught up "a I>isislETgI
Smith: 81 have not told as many as you have
Smith asked Mrs. Ledbeter whether She had not
directed him to pillow the ground where the BODY
was planted, and she asked, in return: 'Didn't 7
call YOU bull headed Dutchman, and YOU went and
planted the potatoes in spite of what said to
your"
When Smith told of Mrs. Ledbeters alleged ipfatrs.
ton for him. Mrs. Ledbeter asked with sheer. aS,
you are trying to make people believe that I am
in love with you, your" She then asked whether
he thought that she could have affection for such
man as he was, making surrng reference to him.
Asked about the cutting of the brush along the
ditch Mrs Ledbeter admitted that she had ordered
it cut, but said that she did because everything
dull and lonesome about the place.