The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-12-19
Told The Jurors
Story OF Arrest
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
Blue Earth, Mimi, December 49,
William s. Carver. Sheriff of Martin
county, was on the stand in the
/ Virgens trial yesterday from eleven
a. m. until Adjournment as taken
at Sis and had not yet completed
his testimony.
| Mr.. Dean carefully went over with
the sheriff all of the events of May
z and the days Immediately following
the homicide, covering much of the
ground already gone over by the
other witnesses. The sheriff was an
excellent witness for the state.
Il gathered up all the glass from
the broken window pane that l could
ind and kept it until the preliminary
Examination. | also took possession
lof Mr.. Stems cap, which showed the
bullet hole. In company with Mr..
Dean I went to the Steen place after
the body had been removed to An
derson's undertaking rooms to search
for evidence. I looked for a dis
lcharged cartridge or shell but found
none. | found no firearms on the
place at that time. Later I secured
a small revolver from Mrs. Stems
room and have had it ever since. /
am certain that this weapon could
not have been used in the commits
sion of the crime. 1t was not load.
ed and gave no indication OF having
been recently used. l have the re-
volver in my possession. / also
found cartridges at Stems and have
them in my possession"
Revolver Is Introduced.
The Steen revolver and cartridges
we're produced and introduced in evi.
dence Virgens was much interested
Especially in the cartridges, and held
a whispered conversation with his
attorneys, Mr.. Allen and Mr.. O'Neill.
81 found tracks, evidently made by
large rubber boots, in the plowed
field going south of the hog house.
stuck sticks in several of these
tracks so they would not be con-
fused with other tracks that might
be made later. Mr.. Nelson was with
me. measured the tracks later.
They are twelve inches long, four
inches across the ball of the foot and
three inches across the heel ! also
made diligent search for other tracks
without finding anything of import
ance."
virgens was Watching Sheriff.
while | was searching for tracks
| came close to the fence along Vir.
gems field, and saw him out there with
his pulverizer He frequently STOP
ped, tinkered with his pulverizer, and
appeared to be watching me. He
Invent two rounds with his pulverizer
and then quit. He was working in
his field at q point straight east of
the Steen buildings"
mr. Dean and ! drove from Stems
to the Bloomqpist place across the
road from Virgens. 5. From there we
drove to the Virgen's place. Mr..
Dean told him we were looking for
evidence ina.the Steen murder case
and were collecting all the guns in
the neighborhood He said he had
no gun and repeatedly denied ever
having one. He appeared nervous
and excited. His voice was very
unsteady He had on rubber boots. !"
Measured vireen's Foot.
81 went out from Triumph afoot
again the next morning. l saw Vir-
gems in his field, crossed over and
had a short conversation with him
then went on further east. When l re-
turned he was still there stopped
and talked with him. l asked and was
granted permission to measure his
foot. l told him of the tracks on
the Steen place He had on rubber
boots. They measured twelve inches
in length. four inches across the ball
and three inches across the heel"
Il next saw defendant on May II
at eight a. m. With me were Mr..
Lawler, Pinkerton Deceive, w. l..
Nicholas, court reporter and Elroy
Paris, the driver. We drove out
from Triumph in a covered surry. We
drove east past Virgens place and
saw him peeking around the corner
of his house watching us. After
going east about 200 yards we turned
and drove rapidly back to the place.
! When we came UP he stepped out
of his machine shed and said, What
are you doing here? What do you
/ want?" l told him he was under
arrest for the murder of John Steen
and snapped hand cuff on his left
wrist. He began to scrap before l
could get it on his other wrist. He
struck, bit and kicked until one of
his boots came off. The others helped
me. He struggled perhaps ten min
utes. He was a very strong man.
/ He kept shouting:
81 did not do it, I'm not the
man. 4 did not intend to kill
John Steen.' l never did kill
| John Steen'. I never go out at
night 4 have to stay home at
night with my wife
Wanted to 60 in House.
Before / took Virgens away from
his place he asked permission to go
into the house which did not grant
At first he refused to put on the