The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-01-18
CIRCUIT COURT NOTES.

OIUVVOl OOOUJ VOuSOs
Circuit court conven ID Monday after.
noon after recess of week. The
only changes in the jury calendar were
the continuance of Wertman ct al vs
Bertler and Dalton VS. c. & N. w. Ky
Co. and the settlement of one criminal
case, leaving only the State VS. Gerke
on the criminal calendar. The court
proceeded with the trial OF this case.
The state is represented by district at
torney Healy and the defendant by
F.F. Groelle. The municipal court
bound the defendant over for trial up
on charge of having set the fire that
consumed the hotel and residence OF
81. Detjen in Newton last October
Eight jurymen who were dawn asked
the court to be excused from serving
Ii this trial because of their knowledge
OF alleged facts in the case. A jury
was secured and opening statements
made Monday afternoon and the tax
ing OF testimony began Tuesday morn
ing. Henry Detjsn, Sr., the owner OF
the destroyed building, his son Rein
hold Detjen, Herman Kiel and J. ID.
Finnegan, a detective upon the state
fire marshall S staff, were called by the
state and testified. The defense called
the defendant to the stand Wednesday
morning. The state seems to be rely
ing for a conviction upon the alleged
facts that were brought out in munich
pal court.
The main points brought out by the
state might be summarized thus:
There was very strong motive for
defendant in eliminating ruinous COM
petition; Defend ant was up, dressed
and unconcernedly looking at the fire
from his place across the street when
the Detjens discovered the blaze; De-
fendant has expressed desire for the
elimination of competition on that
corner and had made veiled threats"
Defendant had used an unusually large
quantity OF kerosene the weeks pre-
ceding the fire; there was trail OF
kerosene leading towards defendants
shop west Of the burned building dir.
ectly after the fire.
Defendant seems to assume the posi-
tion that the states testimony boiled
down merely shows that defendant is
the person who presumably would pro-
fit most by the fire and that most OF
other testimony, including the states,
is in his favor. They point to the
menace 10 his uninsured buildings
which the fire would cause, at
tempt to explain the early rising
and the consumption of kerosene, and
Kill natnr.l]y argue tha. the alleged
threats would never be uttered by one
contemplating the firing.
Gerke was q good witness in his own
behalf and stood up we'll under cross
examination. He seemed to make a
good impression. He says that upon
learning of the fire he made all haste
to protect his own premises, that he
phoned for assistance for Detjens, and
knet on the floor and prayed for pro-
lection.
Five residents of Neillsville and
former neighbors Of defendant and sew
eral present neighbors testified to his
good character. Others who testified
were Sheriff Pellett, Mrs. Detjen, Ella
Detjen, Carl Duvanek, Alex Duvanek,
Mic frost, Charles Au Claire, former
owner of the Gerke place, Dan Bleser,
Jr., Frank Musjel and Albert Tomchek
nearly all on minor points.
The case has established record for
local court audiences, the standing
room in the court room being literally
filled all during the progress of the
trial. Residents of the town of New
ton are in attendance in large num-
bers.
The case will 60 to the jury this aft
ernoon.
The jury sitting in the case is COM
posed of the following veniremen:
Hugo Benzinger, Mishicot; Patrick
Cahill, Franklin; Otis Marken, .Liber-
ty; Phillip Smith, Rapids; Edward
Salzman, Schleswig; VIM. Stockwell,
Two Rivers; Charles Berger, Two Riv-
ers; Emil Guetschow, Two Creeks;
Henry Roth, Two Rivers; Albert Stran-
sky, Kossuth; Frank Strouf, Gibson;
John Holfeltz, Meeme.
Fred Schulz was excused from service
on the jury and Peter McNulty was
drawn in his stead.