Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-10-01
!GRBA TRIES To
INVOLVE S|NANKO.
IN MURDER TRIAL
SEEKS TO DIRECT SUSP,c-
ION ELSEWHERE.
SAYS SOME ONE STOLE
PART OF DYNAMITE
Grba Admits Purchasing Explosives
on Advice of Smanko ard That
Later Two Sticks Were Missing
From His Caohe-Says He Never
Loved Wife of Murdered Man,

Mason City. Oct. 1.-Nick Grba,
charged with killing Mike Baldizar
by exploding two sticks OF dynamite
under him as he was leaving his
garage on the morning Of Aug. 81,
took the stand when the case of the
defense was opened.
He admitted at the offset that he
had purchased dynamite, caps and
wire, the purchases being made on
Aug. Is and 10. The questioning
that followed was obviously an en-
deaVor on the part Of his counsel 10
tncrininate Charles Smanko, star
witness for the state, and bosom
friend of the murdered mans widow.
L saw little fish one day in the
Lehish pond" said Grba. 81 told
Smanko about 1t. He told me to get
the dynamite and caps. bought four
sticks OF dynamite and hid them I'M
der the floor OF a shack along the
Northwestern railway"
Two Sticks Missing.
On Friday night before the murder
early saturday morning. the defend-
ant declared he went to look at his
cache and found that two Of the four
sticks of dynamite were missing. He
was scared, he said. He thought he
was to be arrested
On the morning of the murder. he
said he was doing along side the big
Shovel in the city pit. which he was
tending. When the blast sounded .1e
was startled. He thought it was the
steam in the boiler Kissing and feared
an explosion.
An examination showed that ,his
theory was wrong. He went ND on
the bank. thinking 1t was smaller
shovel up there. When he reached
the top OF the bank he saw automo-
bile lights at the Baldizar garage
his story ran. He had been accus-
toned to purchasing whisky from
Anna Raldizar and thought the place
was being raided.
Never Loved Anna.
he hurried Immediately / to the
scene of the murder he said armed
with lighted lantern and a jug. Ar
irving he spoke to Baldizar, asking,
him:
What's the matterw
The reply he said was:t
Somebody bloWed me up. Nick,
hurt leg and arm"
Later he went back and fourth
three or four times, out never touch
ed the end of the wire, he declared.
Asked whether he ever loved An
na he shook his head and shrugged
his shoulders.
She's just like all other women
to me. never loved her"
That It was she who took the Load
In their relations was his conten-
ton.
Love Waned, Says Anna.
Admission that she at one time
really loved Nick Grbn but that he.
love was waning at the time of the
murder OF her husband was made by
Mrs. Anna Baldizar late yesterday
afternoon after she had occupied the
witness stand all day. renountfnp her
relations with the Serb, charged with
the murder. and the circumstances
surrounding the finding Of the body.
All afternoon the widow, dressed
In black answered without hesita.
ton the questions fired at her by J. b.
Williams, except in cases where she
did not understand one of the words
used, when she would Immediately
demand synonym tor explanation
IN this fashion: whats that, smile"
Whereupon Mr. Williams would ex.
plain that smile was another word
IOr grin. and the questioning would
continue.
"crazy About Me-"
Mrs. BaldiZar insisted that on how
visit to Charles City with her
former neighbors, Rode and ROSY
Vezmar, she did not know Grba was
to Join her.
Were you surprised when he
dropped in on you?' asked Williams
What's that. ,surprise?" she coun-
tered.
What did you think?" he substi-
tuted.
II thought he crazy about me-"
was the reply. The spectators tit.
tered and the bailiff raped.
The defendants counsel laid great
emphasis on the Whereabouts OF
Charles Smanko states star witness
at the time Of the fatal blast. Anna
explained that she saw him first in
the kitchen, just ahead Of her. VIII
lians demanded a more specific
statement OF their positions. She at.
tempted to explain a couple Of times
then, despairing she parked:
"You Just come out to my house
| and I'll show yOu.''
Judge Kelly Speaks.
Again the court crowd lauehted
and few scattering hand claps were
executed by persons won by the
simple story drawn from the widow
in the days grilling. Judge Kelly
scowled.
Another such demonstration and
I'll clear the court ROOM" he thun-
dered.
If a pin had dropped half Of the
crowd would have been startled in
the silence that ensued.
The witness told again Of her Inn
proper relations with Grba, the first
time at her own cottage and second
time at Charles City.
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TRAGEDY NEAR eoWRIE.
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