The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-07

uioioh, anu sweating, as LtluuSh iic nav
been laboring. -
There is evidence in this case tending
to prove, that the said defendant Grace
Ledbeter, on the morning in question,
and at divers other times thereafter,
told different persons, her neighbors,
and others, of the disappearance of her
said husband on the morning in ques-
ton, that in the several statements
SO made by the said defendant, Grace
Ledbeter, she told her said neighbors
and other persons with whom she con-
| versed on the subject, that the last she
had seen of her husband, said Holland
| j. Ledbeter, was on the morning of
the 5th day of May, 1909, at the barn
on said premises, and that she had
seen him last as he was passing
from one part of the born to the
| other, as before stated. That she had
given the alarm of his disappearance
within fifteen minutes, or thereabouts,
of the last time she had seen him.
There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove, that at divers times
after the disappearance of said Hol-
land j. Ledbeter and prior to the
finding of the body of said Holland j.
Lebeter upon his farm as before
stated, the said defendant Grace Led
better, informed several and divers
parties, that it would not have been
possible for the said Frank Smith to
have killed the said Holland j. Led
better on the morning in question, be-
tween the time she saw her said
husband in the said barn, and the
time said Frank Smith came to the
house. r9ur.r sa.
| There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove, that on several and div
ers occasions said defendant, Grace
Ledbeter, resented the appearance OF
parties upon the farm who came there
for the purpose, of searching for said
Holland j. Ledbeter. j.
| There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove, that the. said Grace Led
better did not resent parties coming
there forHthe purpose of searching fol
said Holland j. Ledbeter, but that she
always, aid at all times, was willing
and ready /. to have search made fol
him the said Holland j. Ledbeter, an(
duly notified her neighbors and the au
thorities, of said disappearance of he
said husband, and advised with the
officers as to the best method of max
ing enquiry and search for him.
There is evidence tending to prove
that at the time of the Disappearance
of said Holland j. Ledbeter, from thu
evening of the 4th day of May, 1909
until the morning of the 5th day o
May, 1909, when the said defendant
notified her said npighbors of the dis
appearance of said Holland J. Ledbet
err, theren was at saidrrplace, aside from
said Holland j. Ledbeter, only the chill
dren before mentioned, and the sait
defendant, Grace Ledbeter, and the sail
Frank Smith
There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove,tothat prior to the find
ing of the body of said Holland J
Ledbeter, there was discovered in tn
field, near where the said body wa
found, hole, or false grave tina
ha been, recently dug.
There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove, that after the finding o
said hole, or false grave by the search
ers, on the Goth day, of June, 1909, tn
defendant and. the said Frank Smitl
at the housed ofrfsaid defendant ant
in the presence off divers persons, ha
. a controversy with each other, il
which the said Frank Smith charge
this defendant with having ordere
him to dig the false grave in question
That the said defendant on said occas
ion denied that she had so ordere
him to do, but it was amitted b
ner that the digging of such "a gray
, had been mentioned at the breakfas
table on the morning of the 25th da
, of June, 1909.
There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove, that the only mentio
Z made of the digging of such gray
on the morning of June 25th, 1909, wa
, statement made at. said time by sal
Frank Smith, to the effect that he ha
a good mind to dig some holes fo
e the searching parties to spear in.
There is evidence in this case tend
ing to prove, that on or about tn
23rd day of July, 1909, at the count
jail in this county, conversation bt
, tween the said defendant and the sal
Frank Smith was overheard by on
81 Frank Franciscus, who was then
< said Jail without the knowledge G
| said defendant, and among other thing
, in said conversation, said Frank Smit
: said to the defendant, eff we had burie
him deeper in the barn they nevt
would have found him." to which til
:, defendant answered, "yes." That sal
| Smith further said to her, the defenC
$ ant, or asked said defendant, eff W
had not buried him in the barn woul
your father have gone and lived Q
: the place." to which the defendar
t answered, Eyes" That on said occas
+ ion Frank Smith asked if her fatht
, had brought her up some candy,
: which she answered, ''yes." That sal
Frank Smith asked her for some, an
: that she threw him three or for
e pieces. vIiThat said defendant was g
r said time in cell in said Jail at