The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-03-26

the door it gave away" said
Mr.. Taylor amid the laughter of
every one in the court room.
Fireman Wagner testified as to
aiding in getting into the rear of the
building when the fire department first
arrived
Most Damaging Testimony. -
Perhaps the most damaging evil
dence given against the defendants
this morning was that of Miss Ger
trude Hoffman of 700 North Second
street, who up to the evening OF the
fire had been employed in the Aomer
& Kael store as a clerk. Miss Hoff-
man stated that she went 10 work
for the firm some time in January
and had been employed there con-
! tinuously up 10 the evening preced-
ing the fire. She went down TO work
at the store on the day OF the fire
about $3.50 in the morning and went
to her dinner at twelve o'clock and
returned about 12:45. AS soon as she
returned after her noon day lunch
con. Miss Hoffman stated that she
Smelled the fumes of kerosene. The
odor was so strong that she called
, the attention of Mr.. Kael 10 it. She
stated that Mr.. Kael made some
evasive answer when his attention
was called TO the odor of kerosene.
Asked if Mr.. Aomer had been at
the store during the afternoon, Miss
Hoffman, said that both of the men
had been in the store the greater part
of the day When. she left for home
1T $3.50 that afternoon both Mr.. kael
and Mr. Aomer were then in the
store. She went to a nearby studio
and got some pictures. and returned
to the store. Mr. Aomer was there,
and said that Mr. Kael had just
stepped out 10 the butcher shop to
get some meat for supper.
Story of the Matches.
Miss Hoffman said that she was
not in the store until the next day,
when she noticed that several cartons
of matches which had all been under
the grocery counter had been placed
1T different intervals beneath the
shelves containing drygoods. Miss
Hoffman was positive that the
matches were all under the grocery
counter when she left in the evening.
She had always gotten along we'll
with her employers.
Leo Klugherz testified as TO occu-
pying the second floor OF the build
ing at 3l3 North Front street as
residence since last October. He
noticed that when he was going home
at 7:40 from his barber shop a door
or two south that both proprietors OF
The store were standing inside. About
1918 he noticed the odor of smoke
and began TO investigate. He ran
down the front stairway and tried to
look into the front windows but the
shades were down, and he could not
see in. Then he went to the rear OF
The building and saw smoke emerg-
ing from the back cellar door. He
called the fire department. and then
tried to reach Mr.. Aomer on the
telephone. but was unable to do so.
Martin Klages testified to seeing
the two defendants drive away from
the store about 1920 p. m.
Otto Turner, night fireman at the
Hubbard Mill said that Mr., kael had
come across the street TO the mill
bout fifteen minutes after he had
blown the curfew whistle and got
pail of hot water with which to thaw
out the radiator of his machine, and
then he saw two men drive north
along Front street.
Deputy Sheriff E. Kugherz testified
as 10 going out to the Aomer resi-
-dence on the evening of the fire and
getting Mr.. Kael and he and Chief
OF Police Hilgers taking the man To
the police station, where he had been
questioned, but denied all guilt CT
the fire. Later the two officers had
returned to the Aom"r residence n
company with DR.. \. F. Kemp to de-
, termine, whether Mr.. Aomer was
really sick and could not be taken
down town. The doctor had pro.
nounced him in good health. and lat
er he was taken to the police station.
where ne too denied any knowledge
Of the fire. .........
Deputy Sheriff KlugherZ brought
his testimony TO q close by stating
that last Friday Marvin Kael had
made a clean breast of the whole ar
fair to him by telling that he and
not Mr.. Aomer nd attempted to burn
the store and contents.
| Were any third degree methods
used by you in getting this comics
sion?" asked Judge Golf. ....
None, whatever" said Mr.. klug-
herr. - 49,. :, 49,
| At this point in the hearing, Attor-
new Grogan announced that the de-
fonse waived further examination OF
the witnesses.
| Following this both Aomer and
Kael were bound over to Judge Con
10 await the action of the grand jury
at the June term of the district
court. ~ ~