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

.tHe WlCneSS Will lidNilS SOlllc k1lOWl-
edge of the digging of the false grave
in the field, and the hot words fol-
lowed.
AT that time was Smith beginning
TO talk of the death of your husband
and the manner OF his disappearance? %
NO, sir
AT that time was he beginning to
talk about the digging of graves?'
''He talked of holes"
"Was he dragging you into the trou-
ble?"
Il don't understand how to answer
it." sI
what did you get so excited about
during that Conversations"
Because he was telling lies"
"And at that time you ordered him
taken away"
"Yes, SIR
"When Smith talked of digging the
holes, at breakfast the day before,
what did you say"
Il did not say anything"
'Why, your hired man proposed to
dig false holes OF graves to mislead
the searchers for your husband, and
you said nothing?"
Il didn't think he would do it
Morning of the Disappearance
The witness said that she saw Smith
at the horse barn door on the morning
of May 5, but did not hear her hus-
band call him that morning. She might
have sat at the window ten minutes
and it was then between five and ten
minutes after six. She could not tell
how long it was after she saw Smith
with the wheelbarrow that she saw
him in the house, but judged it was
about twenty five minutes. She saw
no blood in the water where Smith
washed his hands, although she passed
by him. Smith threw the water out
on the ground She did not remember
seeing blood on the towel that he used
She went alone to the barn to look
for her husband, and had no apprehen-
sion that Smith had done away with
him. She did not 90 to the horse
barn door first, but to the big sliding
Later in the forenoon she first saw
the pail near the opening in the floor
under which the ladder led to the
basement. The pail was enarly full of
barley.
did you see any blood on the floor
by the opening?"
81 was not looking for blood"
But did not you see blood?"
Il don't remember that | did"
The witness said that she went
down to the basement and looked
around She might have gone up the
ladder with Mrs. Borgmeier in the
forenoon She did)not remember see
ing any blood onltthe ladder. She
had called "Holl" several times, and
thought that it was funny that he
was not in the barn. From the barn
she went along the creek to the IA
| vine She met Smith down in the
field and he had told of Mr. Ledbeter
getting so mad at the COW that he
pounded her, and had suggested that
the blood might have rushed to his
head and caused him to wander off
She was not very excited while search
ing the barn, but had thought that
her husband ought to be there. When
she got back to the house she called
Mr.. Borgmeier by telephone. The
children were up. She did not notice
the towel, and did not kiiow who took
it down. She was not sure who wash
ed it, unless she and the children did
lit together. a4
"When did you last see Mr.. Led
beter?"
Il can't say as to that"
why, you told Mr.. Hussey-'
Il saw him in the barn door that
morning
The witness said that she saw hel
husband coming from the alley and
passing inside of the horsebarn door
He was turning to go back of the
was Just when Smith came out OF
the door with the wheelbarrow. The
witness, in making statements OF
what happened that morning, did not
stop to consider how much time had
elapsed between events, she said. She
might have made some of the state
ments, such as that she had given the
alarm within fifteen minutes after the
disappearance, but she lad not stop
ped to consider about the time.
This Afternoon.
| Mrs. Ledbeter stood the cross exam
nation this forenoon admirably. Sht
, did not at any time appear to be dis
concerted, and answered up promptly
and generally decidedly. She proved
to be good witness for herself today
| This afternoon the court room helC
a crowd that surpassed i'll size any
ever before assembled in it, probably
not excepting the Koch trials. The
bailiffs handled the crowds without
difficulty, and the spectators maintain
ed good order and avoided demonstra
tions. A large number of the spec
tators were farmers an their wives
and some were present from as fal
away as Medic and Minnesota Lake
! Mrs. Ledbeter took the stand agaiI
this afternoon and the cross examina
tion proceeded. She corrected testimony
given this forenoon, when she hat
Al