The Mankato free press., 1910-03-04
SMITH IS IN PRISON
PRISONER TAKEN TO STILLWA-
TER THIS MORNING.
Convicted of the Crime Of Murder in
the First Degree, He Was SEN
fenced to State Penitentiary for
Life; Maintains That He is In
nocent of Killing Holland ]. Led
better; Hopes for Pardon.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
Frank Smith has begun to serve hi;
sentence of life imprisonment whicl
the law meted out to him, upon In:
conviction of the crime OF murder IL
the first degree. He was taken tt
saltwater today, leaving over the
Omaha road on the seven o'clock train
in charge of Sheriff Donahue, and Matt
Sanger of Lime township going as
guard.
mind, and bid good bye to all in the
Jail and sheriff's residence. He eX
poets to be brought back i'll June to
testify at the trials of Mrs. Ledbetei
and Mr.. and Mrs. Schwandt.
Claims He Is Not Guilty.
Before he left, Smith was visited
at the Jail by The Free Press reporter
and talked over the case. He said that
he had only one request to make, and
that was that it be made known that
he was not guilty of the crime OF
which he was convicted. Il am limo,
cent of that crime" he said. Il did
not commit murder. All that l did
was to help bury the body of Mr.
Ledbeter and for time conceal what
| knew about it. | have been given
the worst of this case, which does not
seem just. | never even suspected be-
fore hand that Mrs. Lcdbetcr really
intended to kill her husband, although
she had made threats TO do so and
seemed to want him out of the way.
AT one time Mrs. Lcdbetcr was
making threats as to what she was
going to do to certain Redwood Falls
people, when they were talking about
her, and she threatened to kill them.
asked Mr. Ledbeter what he thought
about it. and whether he considered
that she would try TO carry her threats
into execution, but he replied that
she would not. He said that Il bark
ing dog never bit
Did Not Tell Husband of Threats.
when Mrs. Lcdbeter was making
threats against her husband | rcmem-
bcred what Mr.. Lcdbctcr had said
about her, and her talk caused me no
uuc;lslncss. | never mentioned these
threats to Mr. Lcdbeter, as | thought
tLat it would merely make more trou-
BILE between them and do no good, for
/ did not think that she would carry
them out.
After the murder, Mrs. .Lcdbctcr
and Mrs. Schwandt and | would talk
of the matter evenings, after the chill
drcn were in bed, and Mrs. Schwandt
within two or three days after her ar
rival, wanted me to move the body
from the barn. This was talked of
right along until Mr.. Schwandt arrived.
and then that night we all did it,
Smith was asked whether he wanted
to make any further or different state
ment than he had heretofore made,
but replied: My story is the same
as | told YOU OH the night after the
body was found, and that | told at
the coroner's inquest. That was a true
account, aud l cannot change it. There
is nothing more to add to it,
Will Give Name of Smith.
When asked whether he would give
the name of Smith or Lavendorski at
the prison. but said that he was tried
and convicted as Smith. and the COM
mitment papers had that name, and
that was the name that he would go
by. He said that this would be his
first term i'll real prison. The insti-
tuition at Chester, ILL.,, was not Il peni-
tentiary. The prisoners there did farm
work. He had no idea what he would
be set to do at Saltwater.
Il would like to have my friends call
and see me at Silwater," Smith said
Il shall live in hope of getting out
some time. l have been promised by
many people of this county that they
will do what they can to get me pa
rolled after five years. and | hope that
they will succeed. The jury that con
victed me were here one day to see
me, and | think they will sign Il pcti
tion for me, and | think that lots OF
the farmers will"
TdIutIS NdllCu u Sce SIlltH.
Some farmers came in to see Smith
yesterday afternoon, to bid him good
bye and to cheer him up with promises
that they would do what they could
for him. later OH. There never wa
prisoner taken to Saltwater from
this jail who has more friends than
Smith" remarked one of the Jail OF
ticials, after remarkiug about how
many people had taken an interest
i'll the prisoner.
81 expect to write often to my
friends, said Smith. 4 will remem
Der them. and maybe | will write
something for you to put into the pa
per. ] hate to leave here under tn.
circumstances that / do, having becI
convicted of what another did"
Smith will take no appeal from Tho