The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-10-07

eat, when uncle walked out of the
room and back, kind Of restless. The
last time he slammed the door hard,
and l listened and heard gun click.
Hall came out with the gun and / ran
to him and asked him what he was 60
ing to do with that. He said, ooh,
nothing" grabbed the gun, and he
said, "Let that alone" Pearl began
to cry and scream, and say "Uncle,
don't do that" and uncle shouted to
her, "Shut up! None of that!' George
got up and stepped toward the door,
but at the door turned around, and
then uncle shot him. George said not
one word. He seemed to be dumb
founded. AS he fell, George called to
me to run to Fredericks, and l took
Pearl and ran there and told them that
uncle had shot George.
Uncle scolded every day. George was
always pleasant toward uncle, and they
talked of their work. George worked
hard every day. Frank Hoehn had told
George early in July to look out for
Hall, as the latter had told him that
he would 'clean up the BUNCH or
something to that effect.
Hall seemed to feel jealous of
George. / told him that one day, but
he denied it. He seemed to think that
had married under my station, and
that ought to be looked up to more
He said that / was of his blood.
1t was half or three quarters of al
hour after the shooting that I returned
and found George. 1 did not see Hall
again or talk with him after the
shooting.
Pearl Crook, nine years old, was
called, but was frightened and burst
into a weeping spell, and was so much
affected that she was excused from
testifying.
Doctor Had Anxious Time.
DIR. c. f. Bigelow of Madison Lake
said that it was about seven o'clock
when he was called. 1t was
pitch dark and boy on horse
back ran into me in front of Stephen
Fredericks' place. He told me to stop
at Crooks, as Crook had shot Hall.
knew that the boy had gotten it turned
around. l got out and tied the horse
just as an unlighted auto came along
and narrowly missed my hind wheel
There was absolute silence on the place
and shades drawn. There was light
in the dining room. was in a hurry
and impatient and knocked loudly OF
the front door. Getting no reply,
went around to the dining room door
which was lighted by bracket lamp
1 knocked on the door. The lamp
lighted the sitting room, also. l got
no reply and started to go, thinking
that it might be a family row, that
did not want to get mixed in.
thought l would stop on the way back
but changed my mind and thought it
wouldn't do to go away if someone was
wounded and bleeding. 1 had heart
that Hall was on bad terms with his
family and had threatened Crook. One
time he made threats to me of what
he would do to- Crook. / had told
him that if he decided the place tt
his niece, Crook would probably com,
right back, and he had become very
emphatic, and had said that Crool
had always abused his family, that hi
wife was too good for him, and that h,
would not stand for it. Witness coult
not remember any threat that Hal
had made.
Witness had gone back and entere,
the dining room and walked bacl
through the sitting room and telc
phoned. While hanging up the receive
Hall appeared with double barrelle,
shotgun pointed toward me and asked
"Who's there?" / said. cts !. Stew
Frederick's boy sent me in, saying yo,
had shot Crook" Hall then came il
the room and said, 'Yes, l shot Crook
was watching his fingers on tn
gun trigger. | was thare what SCENE,
eight or ten hours, but was really hal
to three fourths of an hour spendin
most of the time hunting for mis- shoes
as he was barefooted He talked o
his troubles, saying that the Crook
had gotten his property away, and wer
trying to drive him out. He had ha
a good home, but in his old age feare
| he would have nothing. Hall was unde
, the influence of liquor and was shakin
| badly. tried to appeal to his bette
nature, to let me find Crook and min
| lister to him. Hall was forgetful, an
, would lay down his gun, but wheneve
| Crook was mentioned he would pick u
!, his gun and change position. I coul
| have picked the gun up several time!
: but feared struggle, when 1 NIGH
E have had to shoot him. also feare
t that he had a revolver, as he tumble
l in his hip pocket several times. wa
not sure that a crime had been con
mif{o1 Ala not raoou ,,,rnb of ~,