The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-09
MRS. LEDBETER'S CAREER AT
redwood FALLS.
What Free Press Representative Learned About the
Who Is Charged With Numbering Her Husband

heart and soul. She was converted
apparently so-at least. She made
public confession of her wrong doing an,
asked forgiveness for her sins. To Rev
Sunday she confessed her act of adul
terry, and the evangelist is said to hav,
advised her to go and ask the for
giveness of the woman she mad so gross
ly wronged. This she did, but tn,
highly indignant wife was not in 3
forgiving mood at just the moment
Mrs. Ledbeter made her confession. anC
those who happened to overhear thu
interview which took place between tn,
two women declare that it was a rea
warm number and that Mrs. Ledbetel
was given piece of one woman's
mind in language that could not be
misunderstood. However, Mrs. Ledbete,
became a member of the Christian
church and sang in the choir and PLAYED
the piano also. She was one of the
singers during the Sunday revival meet.
ings. A number of the women objected
to her entrance into the chorus, but
her champions stood by her and sue
ceeded in wiping away all obstacles
Mr.. and Mrs. Ledbeter were members
of the Christian church Bible class and
the gentleman who presided over that
class told The Free Press man that
there was no one more faithful in
attendance than Mrs. Ledbeter and her
lessons were always carefully prepared
She became an active worker in the
church, and at the revivals held in
that church year ago last winter she
assisted greatly in making them a
pronounced success. She presided at the
piano and sang in the choir Many
women who had previously passed her
by on the other side, now welcomed her
to their circle and the work of uplifting
and cleansing a darkened soul pro-
crossed nicely.
Marked Effect on the Home.
Mrs. Ledbeter's conversion had a
marked and beneficial effect on her
home life. The change was noticeable
in Mr.. Ledbeter. About three months
before the family moved to the farm
near Mankato friend was talking
with Mr. Ledbeter and some reference
was made to his home life Mr.. Led
better remarked that matters were pro-
crossing nicely at home; that he and
his wife were getting along well to-
gether. He said that she wanted him
to remain at home much of the time
and if he went anywhere she wanted to
go with him. The Ledbeters left Red
wood Falls a year ago early last spring.
Has Friends in Redwood.
Mrs. Ledbeter mas several staunch
friends in Redwood Falls who do not
believe that she could have committed
the crime that is charged against her.
They do not believe her capable of COM
hitting such a horrible deed. They
admitted that she had expressed her
regret that she had married Mr.. Led.
better, but gave no particular reason.
She intimated that the children kept
them together. One resident of Red
wood said to The Free Press representa-
tive: eff she murdered her husband she
will confess the crime. Sine is that
kind of person." Another aequain-
lance of the woman said: "She is a
peculiar person. She can say pretty
Things to you one minute and in the
next minute she will turn about and
curse you.
Notified of the Disappearance.
On the Friday following the disap-
pearance of Ledbeter, Mrs. Ledbeter no.
titled friends in Redwood Falls of her
troubles. There was one lady in that
city whom she had been on intimate
terms and to this friend she sent a
message which did not reach her until
the following Sunday. A few days later
Mrs. Ledbeter wrote letter to this
lady and asked her to come to Mankato
as she wanted someone to console her
in her hour of trouble. In this letter
Mrs. Ledbeter wrote that her husband
chad disappeared as if the ground had
swallowed him. | was sitting by the
window waiting for him to come to
breakfast and he didn't come. The day
before we were SO happy, and now am
heartbroken." Several days later Mrs.
Ledbeter wrote another letter in which
she stated that nothing had been heard
from Mr.. Ledbeter and referred to the
of the neighbors.
The Third and Last Letter.
On June 2 last Mrs. Ledbeter wrote
the following letter to her lady friend
at Redwood Falls:
"Yours reed today and will now ans.
We have seen nothing or beard nothing.
l do not believe you folks are very in
terested in Hollis disappearance for l
am certain that if such would have
happened to your husband we would
have been there long before this. !
think there would be Just as much
Christianity in it as drilling children
for some doing-or doing SO much
church work and | think Christ would
have been just as well pleased. | think
the Bible teaches as mucn about help
ing one another as it does about do
ing so much publicity, society doing.
l certainly have found out who my
friends are in my troubles. Those that
were such good friends when [ had no
troubles are my worst enemies when
need them. God knows | certainly
have had lot to hold up under. Now