The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-02
SMITH WAS PLACID AND JOKED.

During Saturday the digging out
the hole Smith stood the spot where edbeer lie buried and
laughed joke. He remarked the crowd You dig
here but will find nothing"
Smith stated that he dug the hole Friday morning between
and eight o'clock He also powed about half of ground
He poughed awhile and then dug awhile and admitted that all the
while he digging what good joke would be the searces
when they body During all Smith
stood close where edbee buried but of the
search realized that they standing where Led
better covered with earth
SMITH DENIED EVERYTHING.
The Smith is of the coolest propositions that Blue
Earth county officials newspaper lie
with perfect the plausible relate
in that would convince unuspectng people of their
truthunes During Saturday he put
box and every rfce known brought play
tempt him Ledbe He denied
that he had committed denied that he had made
at Minnesota Lake concerning Mrs Ledbees his
timacy with He May 21,
tween the hours of nine and ten o'clock the morning. he talked
with Ledber that the latter had cautioned him tell of his
temperance Smith told his story said
that he at work planting that he heard call Frank
that he did not look up until his repeated German
"Fran Then he looked up and just the edge woods
he Iedbeter who beckoned him him. Smith
walked where he and edber asked him how
thing getting along Smith replied all right told Led
better that he was causing his family good deal of trouble by
naming "Iha all right said Iedbeter e" will back
in short time and raghen everything up Ledbeter told Smith
that he had not been than twenty miles from the farm
night following disappearance he returned and
slept the barn. On another night Ieter returned and stood
outside of the window of the his overheard
sister, Mrs Schwandt Ledbe wanted Smith take Mrs
Ledbeter but this Smith declined to do When asked why he
fused Smith replied that he did have the take the
all edbe had with him $1115 and he would need
that himself Iebeter wanted to Smith getting
along with the planting Smith hills and
picked out the kernels. These he exhibited to edbee who
marked that Smith doing the work all right Ledbe told
Smith that he would write to his wife He shook
hands with Smith and disappeared in the woods.
TELLS STORY TO MRS. LEDBETER.
Smith did not tell this fairy to Ldbeter after
he had his dinner She reported by Smith have ordered
him not to repeat the story that they would await Lbeers
the she
leading to his whereabouts
Mrs edbee admitted Saturday all the story except that
part which referred to the saving of the reward When asked by
the newspaper reporters why she did tell the neghbors
medate of dbee return she replied that she did want
her husband dgaced by being led home he small
should find him. She would rather
of his At first she believed Smiths claimed
that she tracks made by her husband the house,
recognized tracks made by him in the con-feld When questioned
Saturday. Mrs edbee stated that she had made her mnd that
Smiths not true and she believed her husband still
alive She claimed she up several nights after Smith related his
story of having and talked with her husband expecting him to