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

'tldl CStiiHS
81 can't remember"
''Were they not found in the kitchen,
under the table, back against the WALTZ"
Il don't know"
"Do you remember talking with John
Neary that night?'
mo, sir"
Denied Several Things.
The witness denied that he had
promised to deed the property to Mrs.
Crook, and denied that he had said
this to anyone. He denied the unfa-
vorable parts of the testimony of va
rious states witnesses. He did not
remember any of the conversation with
Frank Hoehn, or of that with Rias
Broadbent. The witness again denied
ever having used any profane language
to any man he ever talked to. After
his wife's death, he was so grieved and
lonesome that he had planned a trip
to Europe. This was what he meant
when he had said that he felt like going
to the ends of the earth He had
bought COW and given it to Ida to
replace the one that Crook sold. He
admitted referring to Crook as having
rabbits ears and a snakes eyes.
The witness said, coming down to
Oct. |, that he remembered everything
plainly that happened before the shoot
ing. He considered his niece a good
woman. 81 considered her good wom-
an in everything, except that / was
grieved that she allowed herself to be
a tool of a designing man in undermin-
ing her good uncle" the witness said.
The witness, as he did yesterday aft
ernoon at one time, was overcome with
emotion and had to pause in his test-
mony. Resuming, he said that Crook
had several times threatened him with
violence, with knife and otherwise,
and this was why he took the gun into
the dining room with him. He did not
see Crook have knife. but didn't
know but what he might have one.
The witness said that he had told
no one up to the time of the trial
just how the gun went off.
On redirect examination, the witness
said that he had told the sheriff how
the gun was discharged, and the sheriff
had promised not to tell. He had also
told his attorney, who had advised him
to keep his lips sealed, and he did
keep them sealed after that
On Redirect Examination.
The witness admitted having
bought a bottle of whisky at Sullivan's
the afternoon of October L. He had
taken severe cold, and this was why
he took two drinks of whisky at Sulli-
vans and he bought the bottle to make
a hot sling. IF it hadn't been for the
whisky there would have been no trou-
bic that night the witness observed.
The witness said that he had first
noticed that his finger was sore, while
coming to town in the auto. His fin
ger was bleeding, with the skin hang
ing down, and he treated it at the Jail
He also took medicine at the Jail for
his cold. He had not seen the shot
gun for long time before the shoot
ing, and did not know whether there
was any ammunition in the house
for it.
On second cross examination. the
witness said that he had no intention
Of harming Crook, at any time. He
said that he was not that kind of
man and would not harm anyone The
middle of September, he was stung by
bees so badly that he became sick and
unconscious and Mr.. and Mrs. Crook
worked over him to bring him to. Mrs.
Crook and Pearl did most of the work.
Crook Quarreled Loudly.
w. b. Sickler, the Madison Lake
druggist, said that two years ago Hall
and Crook were in his place together
and there seemed to have been a quar-
rel between them. Hall came first and
Crook came in shortly afterwards and
talked loudly to Hall, and the witness
had cautiohed Crook to stop his loud
talk. Crook went out, Hall remaining
On cross examination, the witness
said that since coming back last sum-
mer Crook had been in the store sew
eral times and was quiet and well be-
haved. On October | the witness loan.
ed Hall So.
Corroborated Halls Story.
DR.. c. L. Bigelow said that while he
and Hall were in the house the evening
of October |, he noticed fresh blood on
the tips of two of Halls fingers. He
had not looked at the fingers closely.
\ week or two later he had examined
the gun. An effort to show that the
witness had found blood near the trig-
ger was ruled out on objection by the
state.
Cross examined, the witness testified
that Hall was rational that night, but
this was stricken out, on request OF
the defense.
Sheriff Donahue testified that Hall
mentioned at midnight, October /, that
his hand was injured, but witness did
not examine his hand until two or
three days later, when he found the
fore finger of the right hand with the
skin torn OH both sides between the
joints. 1t appeared like recent injury
The night Hall was received in Jail
he appeared extremely nervous and ex-
cited, and this condition lasted two or
three days.
Answering the court, the witness said
that he allowed the defendant no in-
toxicants whiel in jail.
Deputy Sheriff Klugherz testified to
seeing Hall the evening of October l
and briuoinp him To MaukatO In PASS