The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-07


the events of the morning of May .,
when her husband disappeared he
fixed the time when she saw her hus-
band i'll the barn door at Cos, and
the time when NTH came into the
house at twenty minutes later. Even
with her own story, it was a most
remarkable thing if Smith committed
the murder in those twenty minutes,
and Il most remarkable thing if Smith
did it and she knew nothing about it..
She said that she saw no blood when
Smith washed his hands, nor any
peculiar appearance or action about
Smith Gentlemen of the Jury,
Smith could never have killed Ledbeter
i'll that time, unless she assisted him.
When she told the story to neigh
bors, she never expected the body to
be found, but told it to explain what
she had done. If Smith had one it,
his hands would have been stained
with blood" said the speaker. The
latter used the tragedy of Macbeth
in illustration OF the prisoner at bar,
liking her to Lady Macbeth, who had
wrung her hands and exclaimed that
all the perfumes of Arabia could not
remove the stains from her hands
Truth hurts no one, but error dies
in its own agony he said.
'The explanations in behalf of the
defendant weaken her case and
Of hon ho ctn ,oI
the speaker.
The Bill Garner Story.
General Peterson then took up the
Bill Garner story. The defendant had
declared that she did not know whether
to believe that story and that she
does not now believe it. This story
was a connection of the conspirators
to put the crime on someone else in
case it should appear that Ledbeter
had been killed. This story was in
tended to throw off the public and to
justify the defendant in putting it
upon Garner. The FIRST story was
merely concerted action to put it
upon Bill Garner. This is the story
she urged Smith in the jail to stick
to. There was no one else connected
with that murder except Smith and
the defendant. 1t was claimed that
Garner murdered Ledbeter at the hole
in the barn, but the defendant visited
that part and saw no blood, on her
search of the barn, as she told. There
was nothing to this story.
Tho had llnd Erapl- Sp,jfb
to the stand but he had exercised
his right not to testify, and that was
not for or against the state. As
to his testimony, the opening of Judge
Geddes would have to be corrected. So
with the opening speech of the de-
Tense, when it promised to prove
things that it failed to.
General Peterson referred to the
claiming up of the dog. After the
disappearance, by the horse barn door,
as shown by witnesses. He referred
briefly to the private road, over which
Borgmeier said that he had hauled
fifty bushels of grain. The defendant
had sent p. A. Ledbeter and the shcr-
if two miles further, rather than have
them 90 by the grave to where Smith
was working, probably.
The speaker made an eloquent per-
Grafton He said that his duty had
not been pleasant, but onorous. The
volunteers had fought in the civil war,
because it was the duty of good citi-
zenship "On Lord Nelson's flagship
was the motto "The People of Eng
land expect you to do your duty" So
the people of Minnesota expect this
jury to do its duty. The government
of Blue Earth county is on trial to-
day. Shall it be sustained? Are the
men who are given the administration
of the law strong and firm enough to
do their duty?" asked the speaker.
Inspite of the evidence against the
defendant, it might be that the
mothers love was still strong for her
children. 1t might be that they
would prosper by, adversely The oak
grows stronger when buffeted by the
storms, and sends its roots deeper The
newsboy on the street is making his
way faster than the pampered lad. So
clety would see thaI the chiiuieh aie
given a home and education and prop
erly brought up.
Courts should be strong enough to
do their duty The people of the
county are watching the jury, as the
case is one of considerable Importance,
and want and expect it to do its duty,
regardless of fear or favor. 1t is the
duty to make true delverances be-
tween the state and the defendant.
Good government demands this" The
argument closed at ESQ p. m.
Defense Opens Argument.
S. B. Wilson addressed the jury on
hehalf of the defendant. He said