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

for purchased the home in Madison
Lake. I told Crook that if / took
him there he must stop his drinking
/ had the deed made in my own
name. l heard that Crook objected
that the deed was not made to him
/ therefore made will and left the
place to Ida, and foolisbly told her OF
it. That winter Crook worked but
little and drank a great deal. He
treated his family most shamefully
abusing them. L took him through
the tremens once. He threatened to
| beat Alma's brains out He was a
very profane man, always cursing at
table, before his little child. On one
occasion when Crook was particularly
ugly, ! told him to shut up. He said
that there never was a Hall that he
could not down, and sprang for me.
was weak then, but overpowered him
without harming him. and ordered him
to leave with his family in the morn
ing, as l owned the place. Crook
slept in the haymow that night, re-
fusing to stay in the house. He had
given me a note for $ll5, which I still
hold, and wanted me to sell his house
or take bill of sale for it until paid.
Crook sold the horse and blew the
money instead of paying the note.
Troubles With Crook.
I The witness related different Incl.
dents of trouble with Crook, at length,
in spite of efforts to shorten the story.
There were threats by Crook during
the winter of 1867 and in the fol-
lowing fall, when Crook returned to
Madison Lake to try to get his fam
lily to go back with him to Wisconsin
Mrs. Crook refused to go. In the fall
of 1908 Crook returned and threatened
to knock the witness brains out. He
| made no more direct threats to the
witness until two weeks before Oct.
/. but witness had heard that he had
made threats. Witness heard of these
threats at Madison Lake and Green
land. He made threats Oct. |. also.
The witness said that after buying
the Madison Lake property he built an
addition to the house. built new fences
tile draining. etc. While Crook was
away, the family consisted of Mrs.
Crook and daughters and the witness
The latter had provided for the fam.
lily, mostly, during this time.
When l decided the place to Mrs.
Crook an arrangement was talked over
with her whereby Crook was not to
return. The deed was then given.
After Crook returned, he used me in
way that / did not think that be ought
to-withOut the respect that l thought
that he ought to.
Just Before the Shooting.
On Oct. l, went down town about
g a. H., and concluded / would not
90 home to dinner. I drank some,
but not as much as some of the wit
nesses have pretended. rode home
with Eddie Stagmeier, and met Crook
in the yard. l was feeding the pigs,
and Crook made some unsuitable re-
marks because | was feeding his pigs.
He said, "I'll show you that you will
not be here long. feeding my pigs"
He said, "I'll make a pauper of you
before | get through with YOU"
l had supper, and things wrought
on me so that decided to make
Crook own up to some things that I
had heard that he had said, as his
wife would not believe them when /
told her. l thought I would make
him own up to his wife, but didn't
know how and protect myself. Then
I thought of soaring him with the
gun, as he was afraid of the gun. /
got it and carried it close to my
right leg, in my right hand. / walked
to two or three feet of the table,
and started to say, II have heard
enough talk down town. intending to
go on talking. Ida then asked what
was going to do with the gun, and
L said / was not going. to do any
thing with it Crook shouted, "Run,
Ida, he is going to shoot u.s." With
that he got up, leaned forward grasp.
ed the gun barrel with both his hands
and pulled it toward him, and the
trigger caught my finger and injured it.
There was a report and flash, but
Crook ran out and | did not think
that he was shot. | never saw him
again. / showed my sore finger to
the Jail officials. When Crook told
Ida to run, she did so, and / turned
my head toward her, to tell her not
10 I oil hn
from my hand and as | looked again
l saw Crook pulling it.
Mind a Partial Blank.
l went into my bedroom to so to
bed, as | was determined to face the
music. When the gun went off felt
that | was in bad situation. ] don't
know what happened from then until
found myself in the Madison Lake
Jail My brain got in a whirl. and
it was four or five days before it
cleared up. l had shotgun, but it
was not loaded, as | shot it off about
month before. | do not remember
seeing the doctor at the house. The
first thing I remember was seeing
Dan Brown and crowd of men around
the jail. The next day | was ter
rbly nervous and weak and excited.
l did not come to myself for two or
three days after that.
/ remember saying to Dir. Bigelow
Saturday evening that Crook might
shoot me through the window. I first
learned that Crook was dead while on
| tho ride to MankatO. 7 did not know