The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-11-14
STORIES TOLD ON STAND
[Continued From PAGE .one.l

1 NeIuS tieu! dSheu MI. OdftS
Il believe there was" Ferguson re-
piled.
swell why didn't the home guard
turn out or why didn't you loyal and
patriotic citizens ask to be sworn in
as deputies to protect this property"
demanded Davis. Np5
II don't believe crowd OF Luverne
men could have protected the paper
against group as large as was rum
ored to be coming into town." replied
Ferguson, so the paper was nailed
lup."
| @. "Who nailed 1t up?' ~
A. Il believe the chief of police
| did"
@. after the paper was nailed up
what did you hearT' ~
| A. I'VE heard that a body of arm
ed men was being sent down into
Rock county from: Nonpartisan league
headquarters in st. Paul.
"Oh you heard that the Nonparti-
san league was sending a hundred
armed men down into Rock county
from St. Paul." repeated Mr.. Davis
laughing heartily.
Yes, sir, something like that" re.
sponded the witness.
| Could Sign of.
| Ferguson was cross questioned
closely with regard to lists put out
for farmers to sign, renouncing their
membership in the Nonpartisan
league. Ferguson stated that he had
taken lists to several small villages
about Luverne and left them for
farmers to sign if they wished. He
said no one was asked to sign off.
Meetings in the nature of loyalty raj
lys were often held when the lists
were left, he testified
1--WE held the meetings and l told
the people assembled that many felt
the Nonpartisan league as constitut-
ed in our county was a merace to
the country's welfare and wished to
sign off their allegiance to the organ
ization," Ferguson stated. no l..
You have been in politics for a
number of years, have you not?" ask
! ed Mr.. Davis.
Eyes, / have" replied Mr.. Fergu-
son.
''And chiefly for yourself" continu-
ed the attorney.
"Oh l suppose you would think
was lying if / said / was not" re-
sponded Mr. Ferguson smiling.
mot at all. unless your conscience
! isn't clear on the point retorted Mr..
Davis.
my conscience is perfectly clear
in saying that my efforts in politics
were largely for Others" Ferguson
answered. ..,f.saa4 4, ,oitr.f
Ferguson then. repeated the oc-
currences OF the night of June 20,
when Meints was escorted to the Iowa
| line. He testified 3 that someone in
! the crowd shouted;as "All in favor OF
John ,Meints leaving the state say, 4. -"
did you try to see who that was?"
/ asked Mr., Davis * .sf t.,...
| mo I was underf suspicion myself
/ and L did not attempt to find out who
| it was replied the witness. ,s .'
what d ) yo,f. z,assn. .under suspic-
| ion vourseif. - ,4s 81
ayveIl.n respondpd Mr. sFereusou. II
had endeavorad TO adyise many Ger
mans tn beco1ne better citizens and
urged them to take greater part In
| the war WORT andt,manv Thought 1
had gone too far In the n.atter.'' ~
Testimonv Reoardino Meints.
FurtherT Testimony was, given re-
gardine tbe FEELING against Meints.
more narticularilv Nth regard to the
incident when FERGUSON and9qHarry
white saw q crowd gathering with a
rome and feared for the safety OF the
nIaintiff
"Wben Won saw the mob with the
rome gathering did Won go and call the
sberiff7" asked Mr., Davis.
"No 7 am of tbe oninion IF we had
ueints would have heen stringing at
tho end of q tree before we poi hack
anewered the witness
"Wbv did Won NOT summon the
,ovaI citizens of Inyerne IN sion the
mobqy asked Mr. Davis.
az an, No exner;aneed nob handler,
| answared Eerpnson sas.I warned him
a. cot out and pet out ouiclF"
Fergusop admitted under cross ex-