The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-12-19

throw them into the deepest place
could find in Elm Creek. He said
to get pole and feel around till l
found the deepest place and then
throw them in there. He said to
then go down to his brother Herman
Virgens' place and get the old mans
gun, a great big long, old one that
had not been used for long time.
plant it just below the surface in
his field and stick up stake beside
it so that it would be easily found.
Then when they found this gun the
bullet that was taken from John
Stems body would not fit in it"
'Virgens told me that if | went
on the stand he wanted me to swear
that he never had owned gun. He
also told me of the hidden car
tridges. He said to go west from
the northwest corner of his pasture
fence along the line where he had
previously had fence and in the
post poles eseven or eight posts east
of the Steen line fence he had buried
cartridges in fruit jar and in
beer bottle. He said I'm afraid
you can't find them" l said III
find them" He said you can't, |
disced it over. | put the beer bottle
in one hole, then skipped post and
put the fruit jar in the next.
stamped the holes shut and disced
them over. l am afraid you can't
find the place.
1T was about 8 o'clock when he
gave me this information. l visited
with him for about an hour after
that and then went out and told
the officers what | had found out.
The witness then described the
midnight trip to the Virgens farm
to get the gun and gave details
the same as those related by pre-
vious witnesses. Witness also told TO
knowing the defendant owned
fash light but the one introduced in
evidence was not the one he had
at the time witness worked for Vir-
gems. Fe kept his flash light and
batteries in his tool chest and al
ways kept it locked Witness also
described ammunition Virgens used
and it tailed with that found in the
buried receptacles.
81 knew John Steen only by sight.
7 had conversations with defendant
about John. Steen. At one time he
said: John Steen is always sticking
his nose into every ones business
and sticking others up against me.
The dirty dog, he is always sticking
his nose into exeryone's business.
John Steen got someone to turn
my stud horse loose by slipping the
halter over his head so it would look
ike he got loose and he nearly kill
ed one of my other horses. The dam
dog, he is always sticking his nose
into someone elses business. A while
hack I was going to get married to
Florence Meyers. John Steen and
another fellow went over there and
stuck their nose in and broke it up.
This time l got married to Florence
Hultgren before John Steen could
stick his nose in and break that up
too. The dam dog, person ought to
burn him a crack / often heard
him use that expression"
Witness was asked if he knew
what Virgens meant by the express
sion burn him crack" He said
that he did but on objection of the
defendants attorney was not per-
mitted to state further.
"Virgens told me to get the shells
he had buried and throw them either
into Elm Creek or the lake. He
said that he took the remaining
shells out of his pistol and put
them in the beer bottle that he
buried. l told him that the dip
needle would draw stronger to a
loaded gun than to an unloaded
gun. ''De Flinten" is German for
two or more guns
Attorney Allen for the defense took
the witness in hand for cross exam
ination shortly after two o'clock and
for nearly three hours hurled volley
after volley of questions of every
character at the young witness. His
testimony appeared not to be in
the least weakened and several
matters where brought out that did
not develop on direct examination
MY mothers maiden name was
Wilhelmina Virgens. She is sis
ter of Chris Virgens. My people re-
side at Kremlin, Okla. | left home
the 18th of August, 1912. | came to
Monterey with Herman Krueger's
family who had lived at Kremlin and
We're moving back north. | went
direct from town to Chris Virgens'
place as he was the nearest rela-
tive to that place / had He was not
at home when | reached his place. l
inquired at Bloomquist's where he
was and they told me he was at
Hultgren's, his father-in-iaw, helping
stack. | then went over to HUT
green's. Chris did not know who /
was and | had to tell him. | went
home. with Chris and his wife that
night and the next morning went
to work for him helping him stack"
While / was working for Chris he
was out good deal nights. | would
go to bed from nine to ten O'Clock
and never later than eleven. Often
when I went to bed Chris wasn't
there 7 did NOT COO n in, oS ont So,oo