The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-12-29
WITNESSES TESTIFY AS TO
GRACE LEBBETER'S ACTIONS
Strong Evidence Woven by Various
Neishbors and Officials Accused Woman Tried to
Shield Smith and Deceive Searchers.

He gets his information in the sa-
| looms"
Mrs. Ledbeter had insisted, before
several witnesses, that Ledbeter had
been seen by Smith since he disap-
peared, and she had seen Ledbeter's
tracks in the fields and identified
them by certain peculiarities of Led
beter's manner Of walking.
The Free Press reporter read the
report of a conversation taken down
by him in shorthand in the jail cor
rider, between Frank Smith and a
woman supposed to be the defend
ant. 1t was in reference to an offer
of $1,000 that Smith seemed to have
been offered if he would make diff
ferent statement. and which he said
he would make if paid. The voice
had replied yes when Smith had
said: "They said that if we had bur-
led the body deeper it never would
have been found out" The answer
had also been Eyes" 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 hell of a game
anyway" and the voice had said
yes" 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 promised 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.
Chief of Police Pond of Mankato
testified as to various converse tons
with the plaintiff, and in particular
of the time when he placed Smith
under arrest, June 26th. There was
a talk in the evening, at her house,
when the reporters of the daily
pacers 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 women
admitted this. There was talk of
the patch of ground plowed up and
planted to potatoes. Smith had said
that Mrs. Ledbeter had ordered him
to pillow it up, but witness did not
remember her 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
cutting the limbs when the witness
arrived there, and the limbs were
falling into creek.
Sheriff Schueller of Redwood coun-
ty was also called as a witness, testi-
flying to his visit to the farm before
the body was discovered and to con-
versations with Mrs. Ledbeter. She
had said she had no idea where her
husband had gone, that it seemed
as though the earth had opened and
swallowed him, that he had not had
any trouble with the hired man.
Witness had told her that Redwood
Falls people were much interested
and some had requested that he
come and learn all he could. and she
had replied that she was glad that
he had come. She said that her
husband had had a farm deal on
the day before he had disappeared.
He had wanted to sell the farm and
go back to Redwood Falls. She did
not want to sell. but this had not
made trouble between them; that he
had said he had got tired glowing
off the hills. She had said that Mr..
Ledbeter had gotten up in good
spirits on the morning that he had
disappeared.
Other witnesses from Redwood
Falls reported were ]. j. Tiffany and
D. L. Crimmins. Mr.. Tiffany said
that he had known Mr.. and Mrs.