The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-11-24
ACTION FOR MANY
DUCATSlS MAGNET
Proves Drawing Card In
District Court
TALES TOLD ON STAND
Witnesses Relate Their Stories
Defendant Makes Sweeping
Denial of Accusations

ion brought in district court by
Miss Gladys Memo against DR.. w.
T. DeCoster was completed by both
The plaintiff and delenuant this
morning Arguments o. the attor-
aeys IN the case were maGe shortly
before noon and at the opening OF
court this afternoon.
The court room was PACKED this
morning as the court opened TO
hear a continuance OF the testimony
of DR.. DeCoster. A numper of
school girls. mingllng IN the tnrons
OG spectators, waited eageT-y for
he testimony OF the Various VIII
aeSses. Several spectators could
not find seats in the crowded room
and they remained standing during
he entire session of court.
The proceedings of the case this
morning dealt mainly with the ad
mission of testimony of the defense
rom witnesses who related their
associations with DIR. DeCoster and
If his character.
Claim of Mighty Dollar
Attorney John Moonan. Chief
counsel for the defendant, with a
Zed the action brought by the
plaintiff as a great injustice TO the
equation and integrity of his eli
mt. The mighty dollar, he saIU,
was the reason for bringing the
SlanderouS action against DeCoster,
who he said had spent twenty-five
years in building up an uublemish-
I'd character and reputation in his
profession.
~ 4 denunciation o: the parents of
Miss Nenno was made BY Attorney
hoonan in his address to the jury.
lie SympathiZed, he said, with the
Foung girl who had been compelled
10 take the present action at the
wish of her parents.
4 sweeping denial of all the ale
cations made by the testimony of
the plaintiffs witnesses was made
by Or. DeCoster while on the stand
under direct and cross examination
Yesterday afternoon and this morn
ing. lie denied everything relating
20 the alleged marriage compact, or
the alleged relations he was charg-
ed with having made with Miss
Memo according 10 the testimony
made by her while on the stand.
Denied Allegation Of Plaintiff
He denied the allegations made
by the plaintiff that on one occa-
sion he had locked her in a room of
his Office building and attacked her.
The attorneys for the defendant
drew d description of the room ad J.
joining his Office in question. from
the witness The defense attempted
TO show. by the testimony OF the
doctor. that it would have been i'm
possible for the alleged offense to
haVe Hssa nitteed m The close
proximity of the room with other
professional offices in the building.
morning. DeCoster was questioned
, closely regarding the location OF
The room in which il was stated he
had q davenport, and in which il
was alleged Miss Memo was locked.
DeCoster. under direct examina =
lion. detailed to the court and jury,
his first acquaintance with the
plaintiff and the meetings or visits
made TO her, which followed. He
stated that he had first met her
VIXEN her mother and Gladys came
TO lis office He said that he had
made an examination OF her on
May 7, 1912 and later an operation
Tor appendicitis had been perform
ed. He testified he had never call
I'd at the Nenno home after that
Until letter from Mrs. Nenno was
received. He said that he had re-
"eived the letter on October 4, 1919,
and had called after that to consult
with Mrs. Nenno regarding the let
Ter. He did not see Miss Nenno on
thai occasion, he testified. The let
ter was produced as An exhibit OF
the defense.
Mrs. Nenno In Rebuttai
In court this morning Mrs. Flor
snce Nenno was called to the stand
as a rebuttal witness, and admitted
H. fhn latter hmf de-
MED that the envelope, bearing the
date October 4, was the same in
which she had mailed the letter to
DR.. DeCoster.
o. Attorney Moonan: Did the
mother ask you to take Gladys out
a, DeCoster: "She did"
O. Pursuant TO that request did
you take Miss Nenno for a ride or
several rides?
A. 81 did"
o. Did you take any other young
aides out riding during that same
period of time"
6eCoster stated that when he
ook Miss Nenno, or other young
edies he usually went to several of
he nearby towns. He stated that
ne found it necessary to have a
est, and that driting car soothed
O. Mr. Noonan: "Did you previ-
BUS to october 4, 1919, have talk
On the subject of marriage, and did
Tou discuss it, with Miss Memo"
A. 81 never did"
O. Did you ever take her to
ny theater, ball or other amuse-
nent places.
A. NO, sir, nowhere" ri -.
DeCoster stated that on the rides
ne took Miss Nenno on that they new
ar stayed away at night, as Miss
Senno had testified they had done on
several occasions.
O. Did you ever on any occasion
discuss a marriage compact with
Miss Nenno.
A. 81 did not"
DeCoster testified that Miss Mem
IN had continued to take automo-
,ile drives with him until shortly
nefore the suit for $4,000 was filed
IA denied that he had ever made
INV advances toward the girl while
m any of the drives. ~
Doctor Said Ridiculous
The doctor, in answer to the
question as to whether he had lock-
"a Miss Nenno in a room of his Of
dce and regarding the acts alleged
~ have been committed, classed
Tho charges as ridiculous" -
while the doctor was giving a
description of the room in which
Inc alleged offenses were commit
ted Miss Memo was seen to shake