The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-10-06

murder of Harry Rugs at lie Su eur
but who pleaded not guilty whe.
arraigned before Judge P. w. MOrri
son at LIE Sueur, last week, will be
given a trial in the district court
which is in session at that village
The work of obtaining a jury was
begun this forenoon shortly after
court opened at ten o'clock. Green
will be defended by Attorney Thomas
Hessian.
May Tell Different Story.
Mr.. Hessian declines to intimate
what his line of defense will be-
Green will, it is claimed, have a
story different from his confession
to relate. He may accuse some
person not heretofore mentioned, as
having had a hand in the crime.
Wanted to See Father.
Pat Masterson. who is held in the
LIE Sueur county Jail as a witness
told Green that the state had round
ed up about forty witnesses and
they will be ready to testify this
week Green remarked that he
could not understand why so many
witnesses were necessary, and he
Immediately expressed desire to
talk with his father.
Not Worrying over Crime.
Green converses with other in
mates in the Jail and laughs and
80. ohonHnn that lnnl.
Gates he is not conscience-stricken
When outsiders step into the Jail
corridors he runs for cover and de-
clines to talk.
A few days ago Green apologized
to Masterson for having implicated
him i'm the murder Of Rugs.
~ am glad ! killed him.
These are the only words that
Martin Johnson will utter when
pressed to talk of the tragedy which
was enacted at Lakefield on Thurs.
day morning and in which he was
one of the principal actors. He shot
to death Ole Sandager.
He expresses no regret over his
cold.blooded deed. He says he is
sorry that he shot at Marshal Miller
of Lakefield. The marshal was not
injured, but the officer put bullet
into Johnson. The ball entered his
breast just below the left nipple and
DETECTED downward and up to the
present writing it has not been 10
Gated. Johnson was reported as
resting easily and the indications
today are he will recover.
Johnson on "BIack List"
Reports from Lakefield are to the
effect that Johnson-whose full
name is said to be Martin Johnson
Severson-has been drinking heavily
in late years, and he was on the
saloon "black list" Several times he
tried to persuade Sandager to pro
cure whisky for him. The last time
he asked Sandager to do this was
about two weeks ago. Upon Sanda'
gers refusal to procure the liquor
Johnson is reported to have made
the remark: 81 will get even with
you Whenever Johnson got out OF
money he went to Sandager for as
sistance, which was frequently
given, and Johnson has paiC
for all these acts of kindness b,
shooting his benefactor in colo
blood.
Real Estate Transaction.
A short time ago Johnson sold {
lot in Lakefield, Sandager acting a!
his agent. The property brOugh
$3.50, but Johnson labored under thu
delusion that Sandager had made /;
"rake-off" of S. or $40. This seem
ed to prey on his mind, and there
are people in Lakefield who believ,
that this combined with other delu
sions caused Johnson to commit the
murder.
Old residents of Lakefield ani
Jackson say that many years agt
one of Johnson's brothers was ac
cused of killing his grandfather, ,
man named Severson. The crime il
alleged to have been committed il
either Jackson or Cottonwood coun
ty. The slayer served time in tn,
penitentiary. There is suspicion
that the brothers had something t.
do with the death Of sister, who's
dead body was found in a lake
This happened twenty-five or thirt,
years ago.
AS soon as he is able to be moved
Johnson will be arraigned in justic
court on a charge of murder. Dis
trict court does not convene il
Jackson county until next January
John Mansfield, formerly of Man
kato, is county attorney.