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

-
went, to visit my children. This was
in October, 1908. : was there two
weeks and then returned and went to
Wisconsin one other time.
Why Crook Left
"Now, Mrs. Crook, why did your hus
band leave the place where you were
living. April 0. 1907" asked Mr. Bene-
dict
II don't know whether / can answer
this question:" replied the witness. 81
suppose he left because it was made
pretty disagreeabel for him at home"
Mr.. Crook and Mr.. Hall, prior to
that time, had been having a good
deal of trouble, hadn't they
Not great real, that l know of.
A few days before that they had some
trouble"
Didn't Mr. Hall tell Crook that he
could take his family and leave and
let him alone -
4 mo, sir"
+. "Who made il uncomfortable for
him."
He did not want TO be under obli-
cations to uncle, so he left"
4 The witness said that when her uncle
bought the place he had agreed to deed
il 10 her at once An agreement was
made 1T the time of moving on the
place. that | was TO provide home
for my uncle, and he one for me. Ny
husband did not in any way enter into
this agreement. L did not write to my
husband while he was away, but would
ask the children where he was when
wrote. Mrs. Hall and / were close
death that she wanted him to make
some provision for me.
Three years ago, Crook came and
wanted TO take me and the children
from Halls, TO 90 and live with him.
but | was satisfied to remain, as /
had no other home to go to except
by promise. There was trouble that day
between Hall and Crook, but the wit
ness had left the room and did not
see it, Hall had started the trouble.
Mr.. Benedict tried to bring out that
Crook took chair and tried to hit
Hall, bnt was ruled out on objection
by the state.
i Trouble Recommended
+ When Crook came back June 9th
last. he came from Elysan, and Pearl
came with him. From the time that
he came home there was some trouble
between him and Hall. There was not
very much trouble. but some words
The words were caused by Hall being
dissatisfied because Crook had come
back. Crook told me and also told
uncle that he wanted to come back and
live with his family and was willing to
do what was right by Hall.
"A short time before the homicide
butcher knife and say he would cut
his quits QUIT" asked Mr.. Benedict
The court ruled this out as not
proper cross examination, on objection
j by the state
Crook worked for Louis Pitcher on
October last. When Hall came home
that day at $50 p. m. he asked me
why | was pairing potatoes and / told
him that | always pared potatoes, and
he walked around the premises. fed
the pigs. etc.
'Was he drunk that night ?" asked Mr.
Benedict.
II would call it So" replied Mrs.
Crook
! Did he stagger:"
some
i "Whcn he went to feed the pigs did
he stagger?"
Il was not looking at him"
when he came in did he sta@ger?''
II don't know"
What did he do when he came in 2"
4 ''Ile went into the Kitchen, washed
! his hands and said that he was very
hungry as he had had nothing to cat
all day. | saw my husband pass nv
uncle at the pig pen and Crook said
hello and Hall said hello back. At
the supper table Hall taxed with Pearl,
saying, pud, we have always been good
friends, haven't we?'"
Crook Not Expected Back.
i There was talk when the deed was
made out about Crook not coming back.
Hall asked whether Crook would come
back if he decided the place to witness,
and she had said that he would not. as
she did not know that he was coming
back then.
The night of October /, uncle did
not seem nervous or excited, but was
restless and walked back and forth a
good deal. Before he came out with
the gun | heard a click and told nv
husband that the noise sounded like the
click of a gun.
i Mr.. Benedict asked the witness to
take The gun and show how Hall held
it, but the court objected to her point
ing the gun, rs it made him and the
jurors nervous. The attorney said that
he had examined the gun and it was
not loaded. He. took the weapon to
illustrate how Hall held it. Mrs.
Crook said that the gun went off as
though it had been previously cooked
and she did not see Hall cock it i'm
the dining room. Hall did not bring
the gun up to his shoulder, merely fir
ing after he had raised it at an angle
He stopped four feet and four inches
from the sitting room door. He did
not make any threats, but stood still
on the dining room floor. l said, "Why,
L