The Mankato free press., 1911-02-24
ed with Stoffel say that he did
not have much money with him.
DEFENDANT iNDULGES IN ORA.
MATiCS BEFORE JURY.

The trial of George Wild on an in
dictment charging grand larceny in
the first degree, in the district court
yesterday afternoon, developed
some spicy testimony. He is charged
with stealing $22 from John Ranne
January 13 last, at or near the Stahl
House
When Wild took the stand, he
claimed that he had found the pOck-
etbook on the sidewalk near the no.
tel and had picked it up and placed
it in side pocket, SO as to keep it
separate from his own money, as he
considered that he was holding it in
trust for the owner, and intended to
advertise it in the paper next day.
Wild Is Dramatic.
Dramatically striking his left
breast. he said that he had an honest
although he wore overalls. His hon.
est name was heritage that he
wanted to hand down to his chill
dren. He said that he had never
been in court before. He then ad-
dressed the jury with quotation
from Portals address to the court,
in Shylock, from Shakespeare: "He
who steals my purse steals trash,
but he who filches my good name
takes that which not enricheth him,
but makes me poor, indeed"
Had Been Arrested in ST. Peter.
The state showed that Wild had
been arrested and in the municipal
court at st. Peter, but Wild brushed
this impeachment aside with the re-
mark that he had referred to higher
courts, when he had said that he
had never been in court before and
was unfamiliar with their ways.
The state also showed that Wild
could hardly have found the pocket
book where he alleged, as Ranne did
not walk along that part of the
walk. A witness said that he saw
Wild fumbling about Ranne's pockets
while the latter was drunk
Wilds hand is of such an unusual
size that a question arose as to
whether it would go into an ordinary
pocket, but the state showed that
the pocket where Ranne carried his
wallet was an unusually large one
The case went to the jury this
morning. County Attorney Schmitt
conducted the prosecution and P. j.
Severance the defense.
Brought in Sealed Verdict.
The jury in the two Hodge cases
agreed upon sealed verdict at eight
o'clock last evening, and it was
opened in court this morning. 1t
returns verdict of 500 against the
Mercantile Fire and Marine Insur-
ance company and verdict of ST.
200 against the Franklin Fire In
surance company. These amounts
are the face of the insurance policies
carried by J. B. Hodge on the build
ing and stock that he owned at
Minneapolis, and which burned in
August, 1908, and the verdict also
carries interest at six per cent from
sixty days after the notice Of the
loss was sent in. c. l.. Benedict and
ID. j. Severance conducted the plain
tiff's case, and A. r. Pfau, Jr., and
G. j. Laurisch appeared for the in
surance companies. Mr.. Laurisch
states that the defendants will take
an appeal to the supreme court on
the ground that the verdict was
against the weight of the evidence.
The cases have once before been to
the supreme court. The defense
unsuccessfulIy tried to establish
fraud in the trial
The suit of August IT, Graf, guar
dian of Alphons Manthei, minor
and an incompetent person, VS.. Will
lam Manthei, c. G.. Bruscke and Her.
man Bornecke, is now on trial. c..
L. Benedict is attorney for the plain
tiff and H. l.. & j. w. Schmitt for
the defendants.
The day of the late Judge Jag
CARDS funeral, Judge Pfau proposes
to take judicial notice of the death
of the jurist.