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

Sdllol lldC he Teau az inc tiAoi VI
Frank Smith 1t was in reference to
an offer of $1,000 that Smith seemed
to have been offered if he would make
a different statement, and which he
said he would make if paid. The
voice had replied Eyes" when Smith
had said: "They said that if we had
buried the body deeper it never would
have been found out" The answer
had also been "yes," to the question
whether her father would not have
moved upon the farm if we had not
buried him in the barn." Smith had
remarked, "That was a hell of game
anyway" and the voice had said "yes, y
and something more that the witness
did not hear. The voice had said that
she was afraid that if she got out
people would kill her, but she prom
ised to send her children to see Smith
and bring flowers to him. Smith had
asked for candy, and four pieces had
been tossed to him. The conversation
had been concluded with kisses on both
Sides
This voice came from the direction
of the cell in which Mrs. Ledbeter was
confined. 1t was woman's whispered
voice
The state offered the witness steno-
graphic notes for the inspection of the
attorneys for he defense. 1t also Of
fered the rest of the answer to "That
was a hell of game, anyway" but
the defense objected to this.
Got His Pay.
Cross examined, the witness said
that he was standing where he could
not see Mrs. Ledbeter's door.
The state admitted that Smiths
true name was Frank Lavendoski.
The witness said that he had gone
to the Jail at the request of Mr.. Ged-
des. He did not publish it in the
paper, as Mr.. Geddes desired it as evil
dence. Mr.. Geddes had paid the wit
ness $35 for the testimony. He could
not understand all that he heard, as
Lavendoski spoke in a brogue.
On redirect, the witness said that
the voice was not in brogue. He had
filed his bill with the county auditor,
after it had been approved by Mr..
Geddes and the county attorney and
it was allowed by the county board
and no appeal was taken.
Did you get the money for going
to the Jail, or for Withholding the story
from the paper?" was asked. The state
objected and the court ruled the ques,
ton out.
Talked Over. False Grave
George Pond, chief of police, said
that he got his first information of the
disappearance of Mr.. Ledbeter from
Mail Carrier Watts. He had dragged
Schafer lake. Mrs. Ledbeter telephoned
the witness the day that her husband
disappeared, saying that her husband
had disappeared and that they were
searching for him. A day or two later
she visited the witness at his office
and asked what steps she ought to
take, and he had advised her to have
notices published in the papers and
postal cards sent out. Later she had
told something of how her husband
had disappeared. He had asked her
whether it was not possible that Smith
killed her husband and buried him
without her knowing it, and she said
that it was impossible, for she had
seen her husband and Smith meet in
the doorway, and Smith had come to
the house Immediately. There was q
talk June 26, in the evening, at her
house, when the reporters of the daily
papers were present. The talk was
about the false grave in the field.
Smith accused Mrs. Ledbeter and Mrs.
Schwandt of directing him to dig it,
and they denied it. Smith asked if it
was not talked of at the breakfast
table, and both wOmeE mitted this.
There was talk of the patch of ground
plowed up and planted to potatoes
Smith had said tina Mrs. Ledbeter had
ordered him to plH' IL up, but witness
| did not remembt. ner answer, as there
| was so much denial back and forth.
Smith said that she had ordered him
| to cut the trees along the creek, and
she did not deny it. Smith was cut
| ting the limbs when the witness ar
rived there, and the limbs were fall
| ing into the creek. The witness had
arrested Smith that evening and
brought him to Mankato.
This Mornings Proceedings.
| Chief of Police Pond continued his
$ imony this morning. He had ask
Mrs. Ledbeter again Sunday wheth-
ei it was not possible that Smith
-illed Mr.. Ledbeter, and she had re-
led the same as Saturday. This was
az hour and half before the body
was found. The dog was tied to the
chicken coop. After the body was
found, the witness had taken the de-
fendanC to see the body, and SHE had
recognized the jacket. She did not get
out I. the buggy, but put one foot
on TIE step. They then drove back
to the house. The witness did not
recall that she made any demonstra-
tions of grief, except that she began
to cry little at the grave. The de-
PENDANT was then placed under arrest
and brought to the countyjail. There
was a conversation on the way to
Mankato
| vrl