The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-29
RAvERs HELD TO COURT
Charge Made Against Man At Stay
tom; Bond Fixed at $500


Slayton, December ga letter
addressed to Jerry Rayers, anu found
on the Ole Hager farm, the morning
following the discovery that five OF
Mr.. Hagers cattle had been shot
proved such strong evidence for the
state at the hearing held on Monday,
that the court bound Ravers over to
the district court on $4,000 bonds.
Not in years had such large
Cdy of people witnessed justice
court case in this city. The commits
sioners' room, in the court house,
was filed TO its capacity, and at
least hundred people were turned
away for lack of standing room.
Attorney A. r. English appeared
for the defendant, and A. w. Tier
ney, county attorney, for the state.
The defendant did not offer any evil
dence, but the state was well forth
fed.
Ole Hager, whose animals were
killed on the night OF December 2,
was the first witness called. He told
of how, he found the animals the
following morning, one dead, one so
badly wounded that it was neces-
sary to kill 1t and three others
wounded He also told of the finding
of clues as to who was on the prem
ises the night previous, foremost OF
which was, letter addressed to
Jerry Ravers. the defendant. The
finding of three rifle cartridges,
two foot prints tW elye and one half
inches long by four inches wide. the
clear impression of auto tires and
the oil dripping and water dripping
of an auto, measurements OF which
proved the car to be Ford was also
told by Mr.. Hager.
Other witnesses, Mr.. Engen, the
hired man at the Hager farm, also
]. K. Bennett, of the Slayton Auto
Co., Frank Root, DR.. Tillisch,. who
was called to examine the Killed and
injured cattle, Deputy Sheriff, j. w.
Lowe, VINO on the Sunday following
The shooting, measured the footprints
and auto marks, and John Lucas,
" it'll whom Ravers spent the even
ing of the shooting, testified.
1t was the intention OF the state
to prove that the car that was park
ed near the Hager barn the night or
the shooting, was Ford car with
Diamond tread tires and that the
Ford was owned by -Rayers. An ex-
animation of an auto left IN the
Slayton Auto Garage on the Monday
following the shooting and claimed
to have been owned by Ravers, an.
swered the description. The oil and
radiator drip and the diamond tread
we're the same. Coupling this evil
6ence with the found letter and the
large footprints pointed strongly, to
RaVers, the state held.
Not until John LUCAS was called,
however, was the knot of testimony
tied in such manner that Rayers
could be held.
Ravers had spent the night of De-
cember 2, at the home OF Lucas;
They had been playing cards, and
before leaving Lucas testified that
Ravers showed him the letter which
the next morning was found on the
Hager farm. This the State held
was sufficient evidence, since the
letter was shown TO Lucas less than
two hours before the time OF the
shooting.
With Lucas testimony, the state
rested as did the defense.
Jus tice Hyslop considered the eyi.
dence sufficient and at once bound
the defendant over to the next reg
Mar term of court on bonds in the
sum of $4,000. In the custody OF
Sheriff Lowe, Ravers at once looked
nm bondsmen and secured them that
evening, so that he was permitted to
The trial in district court will not
take place until next May, the law
stating that the defendant must be
bot nd over to the next general term.