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

2
it being insane jealousy and hatred.
The testimony of Mrs. Neary and
DR.. Bigelow shows the jealousy, and
other witnesses had told of the hatred.
When on his way to Mankato the
night of the shooting Hall said that
he was glad that he did it, he would
swing for it, and could sing GLORY
Hallaluiah. He had convicted and SEN
fenced himself.
The interviews with the reporters on
October 2 and IA were gone into by
the attorney.
Regarding Halls Memory.
In conversation of 600 or 700
words with Soaring Hall admits the
truth all but thirty-nine words, which
he does not remember, and yet Hall
claimed to have been out of his mind
at the time. 1t wouldn't be possible for
a human mind to be blank and yet say
so much that was true in converse
ton of such length. In the CONVERSE
ton with Franciscus, consisting of
nearly 500 words. Hall denies only
S"ShN. -tNO WINS. hC Joi 70 WIG Y
Hall denies in these conversations are
those parts that make him out Grim
inal--his confessions that he did the
job. There was no need to hire detec-
tives to convict this self confessed muir
derer. In the conversation with Scar
ing October IA Hall admitted that he
took the gun to brighten Crook into
certain admissions. This was an un-
lawful act on Halls part, and if the
gun was discharged and Crook wound
ed and died from the wound, Hall was
guilty of manslaughter. Hall was try
ing to separate man and his wife, ac-
cording to the evidence, which is also
an unlawful act.
The state offered Pearl Crook as Il
witness, but she could not talk, be-
cause of her emotion, and the court
excused her from testifying. The state
also offered the little child to the de-
Tense to question. 1t is a dangerous
thing for person to get a little child
to testify to falsehood. Anyone who
will argue that the girl ought to have
been forced to testify is heartless. The
state did not put on the sheriff, deputy
sheriff and police chief because the
state is always attacked for using its
officials as witnesses. The evidence
was put ON through others who have
no interest i'll the case i'll any way.
| The clothes worn by the deceased were
not produced because the doctors tes-
titled to the powder burns. They were
where the defense could have produced
them if it had wanted to.
The only fault that Crook had was
that he had the drinking habit when
he first lived in Madison Lake. After
his return June last he had reformed,
and was trying to live a better life,
doing what was right. Had Hall not
stepped in and murdered him, how
much of happiness might have been
crowded into the lives of his wife and
little Pearl? Crook was doing the best
that he could.
If Hall was trying to do what was
right, he would not have lied to George
Swearingen and said that he never
promised to deed the place to his niece
Before he could keep his word with his
wife, he had to place a plaster on the
place-mortgaged the home that he
decided to her. Crook was not an
angel but after his return last June
he was a man, and | would rather
have taken chance with him as being
an honest and good man than with
Hall, with all his protestations of be.
ing a good man, good Samaritan
willing to give all his property to his
niece.
State Has No Appeal.
The state has no appeal from the
jury's verdict, but the defense has the
right OF appeal in case of a mistake
The jury should try to render just
verdict to protect the homes of this
county and state.
The least that the jury can do con-
scientiously is to find the defendant
guilty of manslaughter in the first de-
gree, upon his own testimony. To
bring in anything less than murder
i'll the second degree is to say that the
various states witnesses are liar OIL
want to keep your oaths to bring in q
verdict according to law you must find
the defendant guilty of murder in the
second degree.
Death at best, after long sickness
surrounded by family and friends, is a
terrible thing, but how much sadder a
thing it is when it comes suddenly and
by such stroke as this? Mr.. Plymat
made plea that brought tears to
many eyes in the court room, when he
spoke of the sadness that must be Mrs
Crooks position through life, aud lit.
tie Pearls sad Inheritance caused by
Halls act.
Says Hall Confessed
On the night of the murder, Hall
confessed to the murder and sentenced
himself TO hang for it, but now he
wants the jury TO turn him loose. lie
wants you to do far less than he was
willing to do for himself He has been
a drinker, but on the whole lived an
upright man. Aaron Burr lived good
life. but will always be adjudged a
traitor. Judas Iscariot lived a good
life, but is looked upon as Il betrayel
and traitor. Even if Hall has lived a
good and useful life, he is none the less
a murderer now, and should be treated
as such.
The evidence in this case is not cir