The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-10-07
Threat of Long Standing Is Carried Out;
Man Who Committed Act, Gioat-
ing, Claims 1t Was Justified
Feud of Several Years eliminates in a
Killing; One Old Man Jealous of
Another; Story of the Crime

up Hall, and the conversation was con-
fined to talk about his work of the
day and kindred topics. Hall did not
mix in the conversation, but shortly
arose from the table, and walked into
the parlor and back a couple OF times
and busted himself with putting Il
small package into his trunk.
Going out the second time, from the
dining room, he slammed the door lead
ing into the sitting room with great
force. Mrs. Crook was startled and
listened, and in a moment thought she
gun, and second later Hall came
back into the dining room from his own
apartments in the front of the house
with small single shot Remington
rifle in his hand, carrying a thirty
two calibre cartridge. He remarked
as he entered the room that he had
heard enough while down town that
day. His niece stepped up to him and
asked him what he was going to do
with the gun, but he said nothing.
Mrs. Crook then tried to sieze the gun,
but Hall commanded her to let it
alone. The daughter began to scream
and cry, for she saw in the aged man.
eye and manner deadly and murder
Gus purpose.
Fired at Close Range.
Crook at this instant got up from
the table, where he had been quietly
eating, and slowly walked toward the
As he reached the door, something
seemed to cross his mind. as though
he might have thought that he ought
not to leave his wife and daughter
alone with the armed and desperate
man. He turned toward Hall. when
only step or two from the door and
at that instant Hall fired at him with
the rifle. without raising it to take
aim. The men were not over six feet
apart, and the muzzle of the rifle was
so close to Crook that the latter's
clothing was powder burned. The bal
entered Crooks stomach. and he fell
to the floor, with an agonizina
"O-o-h."
Either Crook or his daughter ex
claimed, run to Frederick's, and Mrs
Crook and her daughter ran there as
soon as the shot was fired. The Fred
ericks are the next door neighbors
their house being few rods east
Crook was able after he fell to rise
again, and passed out of the door
following his fleeing wife and daughter
and went around the rear of the hOus,
in the direction of the Frederieks resi-
dence, but on reaching the corner, pos
sibly sixty feet from where he was
shot, was overcome with weakness ant
put his arms about a large tree, from
which swing was suspended. There
he sank to the ground, with one arm
ing position. Hall evidently followed
him to make sure that he was dead
for the rifle was found lying on the
ground few feet from the dead man
with an exploded shell in the chamber
None Dared Return.
Mrs. Crook wanted to return to hel
husband, but was persuaded by thu
Fredericks not to do so, and none O.
the family dared to 90 to the house
where the tragedy had been enacted
for fear that Hall would shoot them
Three quarters of an hour passed be
| fore Mrs. Crook found the body of hel
husband, cold and stifiening Death hat
evidently followed closely after re
ceiving the wound.
John Fredericks saw DR.. C. +. Bige
! law, bthe village doctor, driving by, and
went out in the road and hailed him
and informed him of the shooting anC
ably needed. DR.. Bigelow was on hi.
way to see a patient. but at once stop
ped and went into the house where
Hall was The house was dark, an(
he went into the sitting room, and saw
no one. He stepped to the telephone
and called up his patient and explained
his delay in coming.
While DR.. Bigelow was talking, HI
heard Halls voice asking who was
there, and he told him. Hall then came
to the door, and DR.. Bgelow saw thu
outline of his figure in the darkness
and descerned the fact that he wa
carrying double barreled shotgun
DR.. Bigelow asked Hall to put ava.
his gun, but the man refused. Thu
doctor then aked for lantern tt
use in searching for Crook. This wa
finally produced, but the physician
feared that if he found Crook and thu
later was alive Hall would shoot hin
again, as the man refused to lay hi