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

they did not want him to know, and
he would climb up the stairs nights
to try to overhear what was being
said by the Crooks. Finally, in Au-
gust, hook was placed on the inside
OF the stair door by Crook, at the
request of his daughter, Alma. This
enraged Hall, and he was very bitter
about it.
Mrs. Crook Interviewed.
Mrs. Crook was seen at her home
yesterday by a Free Press reporter,
who, in company with Sheriff Donahue
spent some time at the house. She
was much detected, but talked freely
OF the matter and told the history of
the trouble leading to the shooting.
Mrs. Crook said: "Uncle came home
at half past five o'clock Saturday aft
ernoon, on one of his tares, and said
that he was hungry. 1 got him his
supper at once. George, my husband
came home from his work and MIXED
the cow and strained the milk before
supper. 1t was half past six o'clock
when | got supper for George, Pearl
and myself, and uncle remained at the
table for one or two minutes after we
sat down. Not word was spoken to
or by him, nor a word that could rifle
him up. When he got up he walked
into the parlor and back couple OF
times and was busy doing up a little
package that he placed in his trunk
in the dining room. The last time that
he went out he slammed the door hard
between the dining room and sitting
room, as though he was angry. / told
George to be quiet and not say a word
and he did just as | told him. We
talked of cutting corn and such thing:
and avoided anything that would an
ger uncle, who, l could see, was full
II listened after the door was slam
med, as it startled me, and in a mo.
ment | thought that | heard gun
click. | asked George what it was
The next second uncle came out O.
the sitting room with the rifle in his
hands, holding it pointing down il
both his hands. As he entered tn,
dining room, he said, i have heart
enough down town today We all KEEP
still, and / left the table and stepped
up to him and asked him what he wa
going to do with the gun. Tie sal,
nothing, and | grabbed at the gun
but did not get it, and he said lie
it alone Pearl then began to scream
and cry.
Gave Victim No Chance.
George got up, and I think that hi
intention was to step out of the door
but just as he got to the door h
may have thought that he ought 10
to leave me and Pearl alone with uncle
and he turned toward Hall. The me-
were then about six feet apart, facin
each other, in the dining room, an
uncle fired at George without raisin,
the rifle to his shoulder to take ain
The bullet struck George and the lat
ter fell to the floor and uttered
groan. Either he or Pearl said, 'Ru
to Fredericks,' and / went there an
did not come back for half or three
quarters Of an hour. / wanted to com
back to my husband, but the Fred
ericks would not let me, nor woul
they go themselves, fearing that Hal
would shoot.
"Alma had gone to town about AS
o'clock, and l sent word for her no
to come back, for thought tina
uncle would shoot her if he GOT
chance. When / went back to tn
house, 1 found George by the tree a
the corner of the house, dead. Tn
rifle was lying close TO him. TIL
shooting took place about seven O'Clock
and it was three quarters of an hou
later that l found Georges body.
whisky makes uncle wild, and h
has been drinking lot. One tim
recently he came home drunk and ha
three bottles of whisky swith hin
Last night he had pint bottle in hi
coat pocket. He had a cOmfortabl
home and | did all possible for hin
but he was in way jealous, | think
of George. | knew him all of my life
but never lived in the same hous
with him until four years ago. an
did not know his real nature. Whe
sober he was pleasant and we 90
along nicely, but he drank nearly ever
day. George used to be irritabl
when drinking, the same as other
drinkers are, but since coming bac
last summer he had treated me finely
He would have been sixty years oil
November next We were marie
in 1880 at st. Peter, and lived a
various places. George was a farme
and very industrious.
''Uncie was seventy years old las
March, and was from Illinois originally
He decided the property to me j
March, but George did not come unit
the last of June. One day in Mare
uncle got so drunk that the livery
man had to bring him home. Thre
or four years ago he threatened t
shoot George, and got mis- gun for tn
purpose. One day in August last h
said to me. when he was in his whisk
delirium, You have only forty eigh
hours longer. so have all the pleasur
you cam That night he took the gu
and went out and shot into the air i
front of the house.
Daughter Relates Troubles.
Miss Alma Crook, the elder daugi
ter. related her troubles with Hal
which had caused her to leave HON,