The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-03-03
WOMEN WOULD
ACQU|T ACCUSED
Jurors In McNichois Case
Could Not Agree
JENSEN AGAIN ON TRIAL
Proceedings That Are Now Tn
der Way In District
Court Term

After between seven and eight
hours elaboration In the case OF state
Of Minnesota against Joseph Nc
Nichols, charged with grand larceny
in connection with the theft of army
pistols from the Mankato armory on
December Is, the Jury reported that
no verdict had been reached and that
body was then discharged by Judge
W. L. Comstock. No date has been set
for the second trial which viii follow
disagreement Of the jury.
It Is dumored that at the time the
jury came 1t, a deadlock had result
ed, eight for acquittal and four for
conviction although that report is not
that none of the four women on the
jury favored conviction. q.
Contention of State.
It was the contention of the state
that McNichols was of the party Of
three that made the attempt at steal
ing the army goods. II was charged
that the part of McNichols in the
crime was that of standing lookout and
that Floyd Peterson was the one who
actually went into the room and took
out the pistols. 1t is said that Peter
son was not as familiar with facts
that would tend to implfcate McNich-
OILS while the latter was On trial as
he was at the preliminary hearing.
Until date for trial is set, Nc
Nichols win remain in the custody OF
the sheriff.
Hughes & Baker, appointed by the
court to defend McNichois, who was
without counsel, handled the interest
Of the defendant and the state waS
represented by the county attorney,
C. e. Phillips.
Jensen Case Comes Next.
Second trial of Fred Jensen of this
city, indicted more than a year ago
for carnally knowing enc Ethel Dim
mick, was brought Immediately fol-
lowing retirement Of the jury in the
foregoing case. Jensen was found gull
ty in the first trial but the matter
was taken to the state supreme court
where II was ordered retired in the
Blue Earth court.
S. B. Wilson is defending Jensen,
who was defended by Ivan Bowen a
year ago and County Attorney Phil
Nps is prosecuting the case.
Jurors hearing this case are Mich.
ael Baynes, c. H. Bernard, Gilbert
Gflbertson, Ed Gugisberg, Ernest
Hicks, Lawrence Hansen, Ben Just,
F. J. Mahowald, Ed. Mountain, S. K.
Myers, Joseph Owens and George Nc
Michael.
Several Cases Stricken.
-Four cases reported settled this
morning was stricken from the civil
calendar. They are the cases OF the
American National Bank of Lake Cry
stall against Merle Fox and that Of the
same plaintiff against the same de-
PENDANT. C. A. Johnson had entered sp-
pearance in both cases for the plain
tiff and C. S. Strom for the defendant.
Case of the Minnesota News com
pany against N. c. Jensen was report
ed as settled and stricken. F. E. Morse
was attorney for the plaintiff and
William Stradtman for the defendant
The remaining case stricken was that
of Carl Marx ct al against Herbert
T. Hester. F. E. Morse represented
the plaintiff and C. E. Phillips the de-
PENDANT.
Civil cases as they will be tried in
order when the civil calendar is re-
sumed will be in the following order
National Finance company against N.
c. Jensen; American National Bank
of Lake Crystal against Fred Klist;
Security National Bank of Waldorf
against e. A. Brecht ct al; E. S.
Benyon against c. P. Christensen Ell
al. OI06T CASES Hdfc uCCh oCI uut InC
beginning Of the order will be as the
foregoing are listed.
Next Criminal Case.
Next on the criminal calendar fol.
lowing the Jensen case was that OF
the state against Marcus Osmandson,
charged with carnally knowing Ruth
Hainka. A jury disagreed in the Os-
mandson case during the November
term and this is the second trial.
Jurors who came In from outlying
districts Of the county this morning
complained bitterly of the cold and
drifted conditions Of the roads. In
some places it was necessary fol
those who drove into Mankato to
shovel their way out Of drifts before
any progress could be made. In spite
of the bad weather there was not a
man missing from the jury when court
went into session at ten O'Clock.