The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-12-09


o'clock, and the defense also rested.
A recess was taken until $3.50 a. m
today, as the attorneys did not desire
at that time to go on with the argu-
ments.
Closing Arguments for State.
When court opened this forenoon
the state and defense submitted re-
quests to be incorporated in the judges
charge to the jury.
County Attorney Plymat made the
closing argument for the state. He
opened with lengthy Bible quotation
closing with the commandments, one of
which was "Thou shalt not kill" Man
was made in the image of his Creator
but a little lower than the angels. He
has conquered the elements, rides on
the surface of the water, dives under
its surface, and now rides upon the
wind. Yet how uncertain is life.
Crook was living in his happy little
home, trying to live down his past, un-
til stricken down by this self confessed
murderer. And yet they say he has not
done anything, and should go free. Life
is sweet, and it is sweet, indeed, to
close our lives with those we cherish
Can a man rob a man of his life, take
him from his wife and child, and then
60 free. You should pause before rem
dering such verdict.
Murder in the first degree involves
generalization, and Halls confession
shows generalization, and if the grand
jury had indicted Hall the evidence
we believe, would have warranted a
conviction, and that conviction would
have stood the test of the higher court
The grand jury showed all of the
mercy that should be shown in this
case, having taken the defendants age
into consideration, etc.
The indictment for murder in the
second degree charges wilful murder
When Hall entered the dining room with
his gun he had ii pointed at Crook,
ready for action, with murder in his
heart. Crook, whom Hall says was
afraid OF gun, shouted, as soon as
he saw Hall, shouted to his family
Run to Fredericks', he is going to kill
US ALL" With anger and hatred in
his heart he said, Il have heard enough
over to town today" He had plotted
trouble for years, and months and
years before told different people of
his intention. He told old Mr.. Broad.
bent three years ago that if Crook
returned he would shoot him, and last
summer told Otto Lamm that he had
a notion to 'clean out the whole fam
lily and then shoot himself OF drown
himself in the lake" During the hour
after the shooting spent with DR.. Bige-
low he expressed not one word of sor-
row or sympathy. Instead of this he
wanted to go out and take the gun
along and finish Crook up. A man who
wanted to do this would have intended
to do just what he did.
Mrs. Crooks testimony at the cor
oner's inquest and the preliminary
hearing stands unimpeached. Not an
inconsistent statement was made by
her, even under her terrible stress, anC
this must show that she is absolutely
telling the truth and the whole truth
Her account of the shooting is orrobo,
rated exactly by the position and di.
rection of the wound that her husband
received.
Crook was little man, unarmed
"a hoA
times, and was not afraid of him. Hal
was doing an unlawful act, even on
his own statement, SO he cannot claim
self defense.
Is it reasonable that Crook got on hi:
knee and grasped the slippery barre
and drew the muzzle to his BODY? No
he would have grasped the stock ant
kept the muzzle as far from himself a.
possible. 1t is likely that after tn,
shot was fired Crook grasped the gun
in falling, if he grasped it at all, bu
it is more probable that Hall followed
Crook and threw the gun where it wa.
found, five feet from Crooks body, anc
not on direct line from the door t,
VIC Douv.
One OF the two parties who witness
ed the murder is telling lie. TIL,
time has not come when wOn,an can
not tell how murderer killed her hus
band without being branded as liza
and perjurer. You know what Hall.
interest in this case is.
Men have Travelled distances befor,
dropping, after being shot. Doctors O.
anybody else can tell what men vii
do In particular cases, but the doctors
say that it was not impossible in th
case, and he did 60 to where he wa.
found, which is the best evidence.
AS to Halls alleged brain storm O.
delirium trcmens, men do not los
their reason under such circumstances
He says that he was not drunk tina
night, and he says he was not mad a
Crook, but was grieved at him, and We
he lost reason and had a lapse of mem
DRY. This is beyond belief. He seem
to be man of unusual strength O
mind. A man is presumed to be SAN
and responsible, and the burden o
proof is not on the state to show it.
Everything, practically, that he toll,
to DIR. Bigelow that night and t,
the reporters the next day, he says wa
true, so he could not have been out o
his head. His claim is flimsy efror
of self-confessed murderer to escape
He admitted the truth of all state
ments of these witnesses except that h
killed Crook. He never had other peri