The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-06-06
Fred REIN On Stand
Swore Virgens Asked
Him To Throw His
Gun In The River
,spec,a, 10 The Free Press /,


charged with the murder OF John
Steen, proved to be the states star
witness in the preliminary examina-
ton of the accused which is being
held before Justice j. A. Everett in
this city. He went on the stand this
morning and gave testimony that
was sensational in the extreme. and
the authorities assert that it will go
far toward convicting Virgens of the
crime of which he is accused. REIN
was a surprise to the defense. Fol
lowing his direct examination under
the guidance of County Attorney
Dean, the young man was grilled by
Attorney Allen for the defense.
Every effort was made to break
down the story told by REIN, but it
availed the defense nothing.
REIN testified that he was twenty
years old and was nephew OF
Chris Virgens. He told of going to
Triumph last August from his home
in Tremlin, Okla, and working for
Virgens during harvest time. He and
his uncle went to the state fair to-
gether and REIN said that he knew
that Virgens had revolver in his
possession, and that he had heard
Virgens make threats against John
Steen. During this winter and spring
he has been with another uncle near
Albert Lea.
REIN read in the papers of the
arrest of Virgens on the charge of
murder. He decided to see Virgens,
but meanwhile Detective Lawler,
learning that REIN had worked for
Nirgens, went to see him. As a
result of the conference, REIN. and
the two went to Fairmont together
on Wednesday, May 81. On the
same night REIN went to the Jail to
see his uncle, Chris Virgens, and re-
manned there from ten o'clock at
night until two O'Clock in the morn
ing. Virgens did not tell him any
thing that night and the next night
Rein went to see him at about 1880
and remained with him an hour and
a half.
Wanted REIN to Testify.
During the conversation that night,
REIN stated. Virgens told him that
he wanted him to testify for him,
Virgens, and to swear that Virgens
did not own an gun. He then told
REIN where the gun was hidden and
asked him to sneak up there and
get it and throw it into the deepest
place he could find in Elm creek.
Virgens then wanted REIN to go to
Herman Virgens farm and get the
gun that belonged to his father
Chris Virgens, ST., and bury that in
his own, Chris Virgens' farm. Vir
gems instructed REIN to plant q
stick in the ground where it could be
plainly seen. The superstition is thai
Virgens wanted the searchers to fine
the buried gun, and they would
learn that this weapon was not his
thus aiming to throw the authorities
off their guard and remove any
suspicion that he might be resting
under.
REIN repeated this conversation h'
had had with his uncle to Sheriff
Carver, Detective Lawler and Count.
Attorney Dean at ten o'clock Thurs
day night and they Immediately en-
gagged team and drove to Virgens
farm, arriving there at a. IN.
Located the Gun.
They found the gun at the spo
which had been described to Rein
by his uncle. The location of thu
gun was distance of two post
east of a ditch and under fenc
en- the south line of the farm, AM
was grass sod under the fence, whicl
Virgens had turned back with a til
ing spade. He had buried the gul
under the sod and then turned tn
sod back. The joining of the so
was so neatly done that no openin
dence of there having been any dig
ging there. The spot had bee
searched number of times, and tn
cutting Of the sod had remained ur
discovered. The barrel of the gu
had been filed with axle grease an
the entire gun had been creased t
prevent rusting and was then wral
ped up in a rag.
The gun which was found was
thirtytwo calibre automatic Colts n
volver There were no bullets
the gun when it was found. but tn
bullet which was removed from job
Stems body was evidently one hic
fitted the gun that was found on tn
farm.
During the hearing yesterday thre
physicians who had examined tn
wound in Stems body, were Gale
to the stand to testify as to the N
ture of the wound. They are d
G. E. Merrick of Triumph, DR.. G.
Butz of Monterey and Mr.. Nj. ]. Fa
IRISH of Sherburne Carl Johnso
who was Virgens' hired man at II
time of the murder was on the star
but gave no violence of consequenc
Sheriff on the Stand.
Sheriff Carver in his testimol
told of the search for the gun and
finding it, as was told by REIN. I
also told of finding tracks aroul
the hog house in which John Ste
was found dead and testified that
saw Chris Virgens blowing in h
field the morning on which the mt
der was discovered and he, Carve
suspected that Virgens was pulver