The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-06-11
GUILTY SAID JURORS
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ton one of which was from Governor
w. H. Harding of the state of Iowa,
were ruled out by the court. Mr.. Kael
stated that when he went into part
nership with Albert Aomer, he put SO,
800 into the business. On the night Of
the fire he laft the store about $3.50
and went home with Albert Aomer In
their car.
Some tine later In the evening, he
thought that 1t was about midnight, he
and Mr.. Aomer were placed under ar
rest by Deputy Sheriff e. Klugherz
and Chief of Police Jacob Hilgers, and
were taken down to the police station
On the direct examination Kael said
that he was induced to make the state
ment that he had set the fire, In con-
wife and family. For that reason he
wished to take the blame for the
fire.
On Cross Examination
In the cross examination by County
Attorney Phillips, the witness seems
to have suddenly been sliced with a
lapse of memory, for he evaded the
questions put to him some time, and
invariably would answer Il don't know,
and / don't remember" Kael said
that he was told by certain men that
der to clear Aomer. But when COR
nered down by County Attorney Phil
lips, Kael could not name a single
person who had told him to make such
statements.
Quite sensation was created in
the court room when the witness Kael
under the stress Of cross examina-
ton by County Attorney Phillips,
said: When Deputy Sheriff Klug
herr took me into Chief Hilger's pri-
vate office at the city hall he showed
deputy sheriff. Then he said 60
- you l want you to tell me who
set this fire."
Deputy Sheriff Called
Later Deputy Sheriff Klugherz was
called to the stand and denied the
statements Of the witness. Chief Hill.
gers, when called to the stand also
said that no such language was used
by Deputy Sheriff Klugherz.
Later on kael said that Deputy Sher-
Tiff Klugharz had memely told him to
tell all he knew of the fire.
Mrs. Phoebe Aomer, wife of AL
bert Aomer, was called to the stand
to testify as to when her husband
came home for supper on the night
of the fire. She said that he arrived
home at 6 O. clock, and about $40
left with the auto to get Mrfl Waal.
They arrived home about $3.50.
At the conclusion of Mrs. Aomer's
testimony the defendant rested and
the state conducted . short rebutal,
calling Deputy Sheriff Klugherz, and
Chief Hilgers to the stand to refute
the statements of the witness Kael.
At the conclusion Of the rebutal both
the state and defendant rested, and
the closing arguments Of the case
were taken up by County Attorney
Phillips and Attorney G. J. Laurish,
attorney for the defense.
Just before the noon recess yester.
day, the state put on as witnesses,
Henry F. Leonard, Joseph Blissenbach
and O. w. Walker. local insurance men
to testify as to the amount of insur-
ance carried on the, Aomer & Kael
stock. These gentlemen placed the in
surance carried at about SIS. 600. Earl
Ter in the forenoon, ]. B. Richards
had taken an invoice Of the stock.
fixed its value at about $4,000.
Aomer On Stand.
At the conclusion Of the evidence
offered by the insurance men. the
state rested, and the defense put on
as its first witness Albert Aomer,
who testified that he left the store
abou six o'clock on the evening Of
the fire, and did not return until
about $3.50 when he came down from
his home with his automobile to get
Mr.. Kael. He did not enter the store
then, but waited outside for Mr..
Kael, and when the latter came out
they drove home to the north mart az
the city. Mr.. Aomer claimed TO have
no knowledge Of who set the are. He
estimated the stock carried by the
firm at the time to be about Si7 mo
j: E. Brett and John Farmer were
called to the stand to testify as to
the former honest dealings Of Alder