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

the upstart of it all was that Smith
would not stand for taking the blame
| for it all upon himself. One person
could not have done it all, alone. II
one did it, the other must have help
led. If the cunning of woman was
used, some heavy work had to be
done, and Smith must have helped
with the graves, and it was apparent
that he must have been a party to
the cOncealment of the grave. Smith
was being sweated by newspaper men
and other good citizens. 1t was adj
mitted by Smith, Goldie Schwandt and
the defendant, herself, that the digging
of the false grave had been discussed
at the breakfast table the day before
How is that consistent with the in
nocence of the defendant? She had at
least overheard, without reprimand
Smith say that he was going to dig
holes for spite, to give the searchers
something to spear into. Her hus
band had disappeared, and searchers
were seeking him, and yet she allowed
this. 1t is evident that they never ex-
pected this to get out. So, when the
parties were pressed for answers at
that time the truth partially came
out. No opposition on the defendant
part to Smiths apparent plan to de-
ceive the searchers was shown by the
evidence.
Mrs. Ledbeter Shielded Smith.
Mrs. Ledbeter shielded Smith be-
fore the body was found, telling Mrs
Miller that Smith was good man on
the farm and good to the children. The
breaking out of the charges of Smith
June 26 against her shows practical
concert of action. A wife cannot have
anything to do with the murder OF
her husband without being a princi-
pal. There is no such thing as half
way taking part in the commission OF
the crime. If she is in it, she is in
lit to the full extent. There is no
such thing as being an accessory after
the fact.
The check given by Smith suddenly
came out to show that he was a liar
1t was given in March, but nothing
was said about it until June 26. 1t
then suddenly dawned on the defendant
that Smith was liar. No word of
his being liar until he began to
press her about the digging of the
false grave. At that time there was
a breach between the defendant and
the hired man, and it had been grow
ing wider ever since, although an I'M
successful effort was made to patch
it up. Murder will out, you know, and
when Smith charged, she had to charge
A few days after the disappearance
of her husband, the defendant asked
the mail carrier, Watts, whether she
had better borrow any money from
Smith. The evidence indicates, gentle
men of the jury, concert of action
between Smith and Mrs. Ledbeter
The state has great power, and the
officers of the county have authority
to delve into the mysteries of a
crime. 1t had nothing to start from
but the finding of body. 1t was the
good offices of the brother that led
to the finding of the body, and all honor
should be to him. The state got the
witness Franciscus to 90 to the jail
to overhear a conversation. 1t was
lawful and right, and he was paid for
it. 1t was not a pleasant thing to do
THE fact of his payment was no cir.
cumstance to be taken into considera
ton as to whether he was to be be-
lieved or not. There was no question
but that Mrs. Ledbeter was the voice
testified to. The proceedings of courts
are taken down in short hand, and
these reports are read with me
chanical and absolute accuracy, as is
well known to iuries. Franciscus took
down all sounds emanating from Smith
and the voice, and his testimony il
entitled to absolute belief. Why did
the defendant seed to carry on a
whispered conversation? If it was
above board, it did not need to be
whispered. The defendant asked
where the cap was. Why did she ask
where the top of the cap was? All OF
the other clothing has been accounted
for. Why would she ask, but that it
showed guilty knowledge on her part
She must have known that a part OF
tie cap was lost in the shuttle, for the
body was removed from the house to
the barn, and from the bars to the
grave in the field. A story had been
told in the preliminary examinatio;i
by Smith duplicating the defendant.
Another story, had been told, and she
bad asked I'm to stick to the first
story, letting her out. Smith had
asked: of we hadn't burie HIN in
the barn, your father wo'i have lived
Acre, wouldn't he" ard she had an
swered "Yes." It's shows that each
had hama in the burrying Of the
boiy, or the digging of the grave. Here
is an admission brought out in con-
versation had by the defendant with
her hired man IF she was q Marty