The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-03-18

jury in the case of Robert S. Piifer.
The inquest took place in the un
dertaking rooms OF the John Kleir
Undertaking rooms at ten o'clock this
forenoon. Coroner Kennedy conducted
it, and County Attorney Plymat die
the questioning.
Mrs. Pifer and her oldest son, Ed
gar, were present, as well as Juliu.
Coult, the lover of Miss Maude Pffer
the wounded girl. The only charac
tiers lacking in the dramatic personac
were Miss pfifer, who lies at st. .]O-
was taken to the potter's grave, m-
attended, just prior TO the holding OF
the inquest. The services had consisted
only OF a prayer, offered by Rev. W.
y. Jameson.
Mrs. Pfifer was CARRIED in black and
even her features were partially con
cealed. She spoke in Il slow, rather
drawing voice. Coult looked the typi-
cal young farm hand. He is dark com
pleyioned large and well built, with
an honest appearing face.
Physician Tells His Story.
DR.. j. NJ. Edwards was the first wit
ness called and testified that he was
called to the pfifer home Thursday
night. He had found that the daughter
was shot At the point OF the right
hip. but could not tell that the bullet
had penetrated the intestines. Those
greater pain, and he had gone To the
latter's house to see him. The fatal
bullet in his case entered the right
side Just below the margin OF the ribs.
After giving a dose of morphine to
stop the flow of blood and the pain,
he was taken to the station on Il cot.
Then the witness had returned and
examined the daughter and found Il
strong probability that the bullet had
gone into her abdomen and took her
taken to the hospital and subjected to
y rays, and Ptifer was first operated
on. and il was found that the bullet
had penetrated the chest wall the lung
substance, diaphragm and stomach. but
the bullet was not found. There was
Il hole in the stomach the size of Il
quarter. Presumably, the ball went
through the stomach and panereas, and
undoubtedly death was caused by Il
pancreatic hcmorrhage. The bullet that
struck the left side tlattcned against
the ribs and was picked up on the
floor the next day.
The daughter was operated on at
1890 p. m. Friday. In making an
incision. following the path of the
bullet, it led 10 the large intestine.
and penetrated the covering. below the
appendix. This was sewed up. and sew
eral other small tears. The girl had
been found 10 be pregnant, about
three months along. She is still in
the hospital and very i'll.
No Doubt of the Shooting.
Pfifer shot himself and daughter ac-
cording to statements made, and there
was no question in his mind but that
he did it, The daughter had said
that she knew that she was pregnant,
and she had told witness that her father
was to blame. These were in reply to
questions that witness had asked her.
The witness felt satisfied that the
shooting was done because of her con
dition. Witness thought that Pffer
feared that her condition would soon
become known, and that he had taken
trivial occasion to pick Il quarrel
with her. There had been no serious
trouble before, nor any to drive him
TO a frenzy. Miss Pffcr was rot an
ticipating death when she made the
statements, as the witness had assured
her right along that she would get
well.
Widow Called to the Stand.
Mrs. Ida Jane Pffer, widow of the
deceased, was called and testified that
she is thrtysiy years old. Coult
came about 1870 p. IN. to call. There
was no trouble while he was there.
He stayed ten or fifteen minutes.
Plifer took chair and sat beside the
girl and asked her whether she liked
that Frenchman better than she did
him, and she said: no papa, there
is nobody in the world that / think
more of than | do my parents. "Well,'
he said, 'you know what / have told
YOU. If you. marry that Frenchman
/ will fix myself so that / will be
out of the way" Then he drew his
revolver and said: This thing will fix
ALL" He shot himself twice and then
shot his daughter. Then he came to
the kitchen door and shot at the wit
ness. The witness had jumped out
of the kitchen door and switched
around the house" to keep away from
him. She heard the bullet go by as
he. shot and she had run around
the corner of the house. She had TO
go down six feet. He was standing
i'm the kitchen near the table when
he shot at her. and she was go
ing around the corner of the house,
twelve feet from steps.
Pffer was forty-two years old, and
they had been married twenty years
The younger children were living at
home The were married ut the Rose
L,,d Ara,au In South naGoto They