The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-09

Smith, the man who is charged with
completely in the Ledbeter murder,
things will leak out from the cell
wherein the "unspeakable" fellow is
confined. All sorts of stories have been
in circulation during the past few days,
all of which were alleged to- have
emanated from Smith. 1t is true that
Smith has been saying things, and now
he insists that he was told to say
| them. From what can be learned via
the underground wires, gentleman
purporting to be lawyer from st.
Paul was a few days ago placed in the
cell with Smith for the purpose OF
sounding" MIN and to find out if he
would relate any different version of
the Staying of Ledbeter than that which
| he gave to The Free Press and the
county attorney at the interview fol-
lowing the discovery of Ledbeter's body.
1t now develops that Smith had been
J ''wised up" to the visit of the lawyer
and he was advised to "string" him.
When the so-called lawyer was Sc
curely locked in the cell with Smith,
the latter's vocabulary organs were set
rapidly in motion. He related tine
story connecting Garner with the muir
der. When asked by one of the at
torneys for the prosecution why he
told the story, Smith replied by stat
ing that the st. Paul lawyer told him
to do so.
The attorneys for the state admit
that they permitted the st. Paul law
yer to occupy the cell with Smith.
Baxter Never Engaged By State.
Attorneys for the state declare that
! William Baxter, the Minneapolis detec-
tive, never was engaged by the state.
Baxter came to Mankato last week and
offered his services to the state. He
was told to "stick around" for few
days and if he proved to be just what
the state wanted ne would be en-
gagged to work on the case. His work
was not satisfactory to the prosecution.
according to the statement of one of
the attorneys for that side of the
case
The attorneys for the prosecution de-
clare that Smith has not changed his
original story. Attorneys for the de-
Tense are equally as emphatic in a
declaration that Smith has amended
the story of Ledbeter's taking off.
Smith has made the statement That
the hole in the barn where Ledbeter
was buried was dug the night before
the murder was committed, and it was
covered over with hay. He has related
more stories of his intimacy with Mrs.
Ledbeter. He has informed the states
attorneys that the attempted suicide
story in which Ledbeter figured as the
, principal was fake gotten up by
himself and Mrs. Ledbeter.
: Smith is very careful not to con-
, meet himself with any plans that were
laid to murder Ledbeter. He declares
that he did not advise the killing of
!, Ledbeter. but admits that Mrs. Led
, better often said to him that she wished
, her husband was out of the way;
| wished he would die or run away and
similar sentiments.
. Garner Will Stick Here.
William Garner has informed the
+ states attorneys that he will remain
here as long as they want him to.
Garner claims to have no knowledge
| of the crime, but following Ledbeter's
disappearance he called at the county
. iaiI and informed the sheriff that Led
e beter's body would be found somewhere
in the barn.
e Garner explains why he believed Led
! better to have been buried in the barn.
by stating that Smith had habit OF
). burying things near horses. He was
e all along of the belief that Smith had
hand in killing Ledbeter.
Mrs. Ledbeter, in her letter to the
|. Redwood Falls lady friend, stated that
|, Ledbeter left her with but 30 cents
{ AS matter of fact Ledbeter had 500
, or whereabouts in one of the banks and
Mrs. Ledbeter has used up the money
: \ yxr:II:.xu, D,nJo1ph ra iIrO1d man OF