The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-11

Mrs. Sharpless had summoned Fred
IChristman, janitor of the place, and
his wife. to the. apartment. stating
that someone had shot her husband
He declared Sharpless was found ON
1.-THE floor with blood flowing from
three wounds In his breast A search
lof the room. he said revealed the
bloody ceremonial sword which the
Estate expects to offer in evidence.
Then, he told of Mrs. Sharpless'
Iarrest. At that time. he said, she
told Captain John Galvan and him
self that she was In the apartments
1 all the evening: that she was lying
down In the room next to the one
in which her husband lay, but was
Itically untenable." he stated. How
mot sleeping; that she heard. his
means. but thought that he was talk
ing in his sleep, When the sound
continued, she said she went into
his room and found him mortality
wounded: that she spoke TO him
and he answered. ~ -
I Stained Clothing Explained.
She said according TO Mr.. Baldwin
that she could not tell how the
blood stained underwear had come
to be found outside, the window or
how the bloody clothing found by
the police had come to be In the
closet. In a second interview Mr..
Baldwin declared Mrs. Sharpless said
she was out of the room twice dur
ing the evening and that when she
returned the last time her husband
apparently was sleeping. Mr.. Bald.
win emphasized the fact that there
was no. blood on the couch, indicat.
ing that Mr.. Sharpless must have
been, stabbed TO death after his wife
returned to the apartment the second
time. -r
Then Mr.. Baldwin began his dis.
cussion of q possible motive for the
killing. SBe declared that the home
life of the Sharpless family was far
from happy and stated thai Witness
es would be called to tell Of one &C.
casion when Sharpless accused his
Nhc VI anu onG
by throwing boiling coffee In his
face. Since the woman's arrest, Mr..
Baldwin stated. a witness for the
state. who formerly was friend of
the Sharpless family. visited her in
jail and told her that he knew from
conversation with Mr.. Sharpless be-
fore his death that the domestic
troubles Of the pair began when the
husband found her In a compromis.
ing situation with another man.
Lewis sharpiess Tesaifes.
Lewis Sharpless, the first witness
called by the state, established the
identity of the body OF the murdered
man as that Of his brother. On
cross-examination, the, defense brought
out the first hint Of troubled rela-
tions between Mr.. Sharpless and his
wife. &c..
Were you a frequent visitor at
your brothers homer Sharplcss was
asked.
az was, up to a year ago. last
THANKSGIVING" .......
What was. the reason for your
estrangement?" "
There was no, estrangement on
my part. We had little difficulty
over a. business matter. Also. I
heard rumors about Mrs. Sharpless'
conduct and I did not care to as
sociate with her or have my family
do So" ..
Mr.. Sharpless also stated that he
had asked his married daughter, Mrs.
Harry Weber. not TO call on Mrs.
Sharpless any more. This answer
was stricken out by order OF the
court.
Objection TO Witness.
The next witness called was DIR.
L. T. Bell, connected with the uni.
Pversity OF Minnesota Medical college.
Mr.. Finney objected to his testi-
moRy. on tho ground that he was
not a practicing physician. but the
objection was overruied. He told OF
the autopsy held over the body Of
Mr. Sharpless and described the ma
ture OF the wounds that he said
produced his death. ~
There we've three wounds" he
said. "two on the left side, one be.
tween the third and fourth ribs,
about eight inches deep, which cut
1.-The aorta; the second lower down,
which penetrated the spleen, and a
third which was not a deep wound
on the right side. / think the wound
described first caused the death and
was inflicted first. IL IL had been in
fiicted second there would have been
more internal bleeding from the
wound in the Spleen"
DIR. Bell was shown the sword and
stated that the wounds could have
/ been made by that weapon
Demonstration Of Wounds.
On cross7examination BE. Bell fur
nished a stir In the court room by
demonstrating the position and ex
tent Of the wounds. on Mr.. Arm
strong. SO that the jury might gel
/, a better idea Of their nature.
4 Gould not the wound In the spleen
have been inflicted first?" asked Mr.
\ Finney.
mot unless It was. inflicted al
,,most instantaneously with the wount
In the aorta," declared DR.. Bell
Otherwise there would have beer