The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-12-26
k ed little while your voice got all


!, A. 1t didn't. had cold.
Witness denied that anyone said
why they were looking for guns. He de-
MED that he ever knew who the
sheriff was until he was locked up in
Jail. He Said he didn't know il was
the sheriff who measured his foot.
He was a stranger to me. Nobody
told me he was the sheriff"
Why He Kept Away.
Asked why he did not go over to
Stems but the one time after the
murder fOf the man whom he said
was his friend witness gave several
answers. 81 didn't go because my
s wife was sick and couldn't go along. :"
i"I don't know why | didn't 60 I'VE
were good friends" 81 can give no
reason at all why didn't 60"
Virgens said that when arrested
he had a hammer in his hand, not a
pail as states witness had testified.
He stuck to the story of the arrest
substantially as told in direct eXami'
nation.
81 made request to see an at
torney the first day was in jail or
the second day. | think the sheriff
said I'd have to see Mr.. Dean first.
/ am not exactly sure"
J Wife Sitting In Reim's Lap.
! after Fred REIN had been at my
house week or so saw my wife
sitting on his lap. While was doing
chores he would hang around the
! house talking to the woman. He was
just making up with her, that's all.
He wanted work just SO he could
come around the place. He came
back after a week and a half just to
see the woman | believe. / was
pretty mad at him. didn't want to
have anything more to do with him.
He was there four or five hours in
/ February, 1913. He wanted to stay all
night. I wouldn't let him. | had
some trouble with my wife about
Fred Rein mot great DEAL l lived
with her till was arrested"
| Here Mr.. Dean rose to his feet and
with much vigor asked: "Will you
consent to your wife coming into
court and be questioned and ex-
amined in this case?"
Mr. Allen Immediately spoke for
his client and said 1--WE will not
consent to any such thing
Dean explained that the request
was made in the best Of faith.
MIR. Allen declared it was made in
the worst of faith and that the mat
ter was mentioned in order to preju-
dice his client before the jury.
Subpoenas for the Wife.
! In anticipation of, consent for Mrs
Nrgens to testify the state had
served subpoena upon her to ap-
pear in court Friday morning.
Virgens again denied ever having
a Savage pistol and denied his Sig
nature in the Welcome express book
81 don't know whose signature that
is. II is not mine. My fathers
name vas G., Virsens. He was never
out of the house and never did any
business for the past ten years. That
is not my fathers signature. / do
not do business with the John NJ.
Smyth Co., anyhow not such stuff as
that,
! Witness thought one signature in
the Triumph. express book was his,
but would not be positive. Another
signature Of his name on the same
page he did not think he had written.
l Scene That Melted Hearts.
! An incident that melted the hearts
of all who witnessed it occurred at
the Blue Earth court room just after
adjournment Wednesday evening.
Mrs. c. Virgens, the aged mother
of the defendant, sits every day on a
front seat close to her son. She gives
the closest attention to all of the pro-
ceedngs, although she understands
English but imperfectly. Often she
Chances toward her son, seated beside
his attorneys, but he seems to ignore
her presence and is never seen to re
tuI Ill IC1 6IduCCS Ill puUilC, hui uUSS
he speak to her during the intermis
SiOns.
A few feet from Mother Virgens
Mrs. Steen, widow of the murdered
man, is usually seated, her sweet lit
tie baby daughter in her lap. AL
though the two women are never, seen
to speak feeling of mutual sym
pathy seems to have unconsciously
|, sprung up in the mother hearts. When
court adjourned Wednesday afternoon
Mother Virgens, her heart bursting
with pity and tears streaming from
her eyes, approached Mrs. Steen
threw her arms about her and pas
sionately folded her. in a motherly
+ embrace, kissing her repeatedly. The
; younger and less bereaved woman re
ceived the advances in like spirit
and the two mothers wept on eacf
others shoulders. Tears sprung un
hidden to the eyes of all who witnes
sed the touching incident.
From Fridays Daily
High School Christmas Tree.
The annual high school Christmas
4 1S0r ~ oil