Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-11-29

! Elmer did not 90 to the cabin. I'll,
was stopped about ~ rods from his
destination Elmer travelled Just 81
rods, then before he was stopped.
"Now, the state would have you
believe that during the time Elmei
Went go rods, Charles covered ia
rods by the shortest or lbs rods BY
the usual route, was murdered along
with his wife and the murdered wa,
finishing his task by covering the
body of Charles in the doorway Of
the cabin.
Says Case Falls Flat
! "lf that Is true--and If il isn't true
the state has no case against Knees
kern Elmer walked So rods while
! Charles walked Ia and the Goubie
( crime. was committed and was all
over while Elmer WIS going the SO
rods.
A MIN walks so rods a. .a Or
binary pace OF four miles an hour in
three minutes, Call three mites an
hour 10 make il real slow. and,
( he'd cover SO rods ia four minutes.
4 Charles wonld have % travel III the
rate Of eight miles an hour ard b
murdered along with his wife aNd
have the murderer covering up his
body all in The space OF four minute,
TO 10 this IN the same time.
4 ( say this is q mathematical I'M
possibility
When q prosecution falls fiat
Z what happens The prosecutor drops
/ the case. Here YOU have one falling
fla1, why was il not dropped Ii
/ couldn't D. because Of the loyalty OF
these two lawyer 20 THEN cslent, FL
mer Van BrCcklin. He placed h.
/ life IN the hands Of these two gen
tlemen, and from thai cay tley
weren't capable of any sentiment
I other than loyalty to him in con-
uection with this tragedy.
Needed This Conviction
"One thing alone stood bstweea
Elmer and conviction Of this murder
Of his brother and his sister in iass,
and that was the conviction Of
I Frank Kneeskern. Relieve Kneeskerh
Of this crime, and, upol EimerS
own showing here, he stands con-
: victed, for that would mean ne aionc
could have done it.
John Kneeskern, the father OF the
defendant, seated not far from the
| speaker in the court room, was weep
/ ing at this point. He was bent over
with his face in his hands, and his
| shoulders shook as he wept.
Elmer says he saw Kneeskern,
Mr.. Hart went on, inside the door
from the point where he said he
stood leaning down seemingly ar
ranging something on the floor. 1t
was impossible to even see the door
side of the cabin on which the door
was not located. He'd have TO look
around the corner TO see what he
said he saw.
Saws Evidence Worthless
"lf only the value of a steer We're
involved in this case, and not q
! human life as there is in this case,
/ ! ask Your Honor would such evil
! dence be allowed TO stand?
"Elmer would have had 20 travel
| he said he stood TO see what he
swore he saw, and on which evil
dence a verdict of Guilty was OBJ
tanned in this c9sess The state )
tease is based on bald-faced perjury.
MIR. Hart next proceeeeG to an
swer the states allegation OF lack OF
! diligence on the part Of the de-
| Tense In securing what j. now al
| leges is newly discovered evidence.
He explained that ElemT's testimony
was such as to cause the defense
| 10 have surveys and measurements
! made AZ the scene of the crime
| which were made following timers
testimony in the trial, and which
he said now prove the mathematical
impossihiIity Of his statements. He
said the discovery of these facts fol
lowed after the trial, and they are
therefore properly termed newly dis
covered evidence. He added that the
materillty OF Mrs. Rice's new tesl.-
mony did not develope Until as;er
the presentation Of the sta;e-s case
in the first trial.
The speaker then reviewed the
testimony of witnesses in the trial
and declared that the evidence OF
Ole Russell, Kneeskern hpving shells
tho night after the murder, Knees
Kern going 10 the inquest, MS nc
ton in getting men TO 90 to tle
cabin 10 gather evidence the day
after the crime, were ali natural
things for an innocent man to DO
He said this was particularly true
. because the gossip was being tner
| spread far and wide in Winneshieh
county and northeastern Iowa tina
Kneeskern was being accused of tho
murders by Elmer Van Brocklin.
"Kneeskeru sent the marshal o.
Ossian, Sam Waters and others
there" he said "to find clues tina
would help to solve the crime. II
the abscrcc Of the county attome!
, moving even finger that nigh
to collect and save valuable evidence
' Kneeskern, with an accusatio,
< against him, sent a sworn officer o
, ! the law and others there TO get VIVA
{ evidence they could. They preserve,
that evidence. He told them Their
. was a coffee pot there that he sho
. lat. Was IL an evidence of gull
" that he wanted that coffee 20
s saved?
Speaks Of Shot I'm Bodies
The speaker declared that tn
il evidence shows that No, g., shot an
is one felt and one paper wad wer
Is found in each of the bodies, and tha
% the states evidence shows that n
is commercial manufacturer of she
O puts less than two felt wads b
= tween the shot and powed in the
shells. He said this proved that pr
.e vately loaded shells Were used. h
- ~ IL. Z ,,,+Li,or in ~