The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-28

Falrmont, April Ex-senator A
l.. Ward, the millionaire legislator
and a newspaper publisher, today
began his defense against a $4,000
suit brought against him by Mrs
Viola Limberg, who charges the
aged senator with an attempted as
sault
Mrs. Lmberg closed her case in
the district court here late yester
day. She testified that the aged
statesman ATTEMPTED her honor At an
orphanage in this city. She stated
that her husband who had been suf
fering from Brigkcs disease for a
long time, had asked his wife to
solicit a loan from Senator Ward OF
$500. She had asked aim for the
loan in one Of the rooms Of the or
phanage.
H, said he would give me the
money" testified Mrs. Limberg,' "
and then he grabbed me and Rugged
and kissed me and tried TO drag me
toward one of the beds. resisted
him, and finally some Of the child
rem came up stairs and he let me
go"
Senator Ward when he took the
stand denied all of the statements
of the plaintiff, and said that IL was
merely frameup TO extort money.
Mrs. Viola Limberg is thirty one
and the mother of four children, and
Senator Ward is nearly eighty years
old.
Mrs. umbers On Stand.
Mrs. Limberg, called as the first
witness. created a favorable impres
sion. Neatly attired, she gave full
ready and complete answers 10 all
questions. During the specially try
ing periods of her testimony on di
rest examinations her voice Quavered
and the tears were hardly suppress
sed. However. she maintained her
selfcontrol wonderfully. The direct
examination was conducted by Mr.
Cooper. In reply to his questions
Mrs. Limberg said:
81 have been married thirteen
years and am the mother OF four
children. tine oldest thirteen and the
Youngest two years old. Ny hus-
band has been i'll for 8 years. He
has had Bright's disease since last
May and has been belfast since
that time"
Attended Orphans Program.
II first went to the Ward home
on Sunday afternoon, August ID
1921. went to attend an enter
tainment given by the children al
the home m which my children were
assisting Mr.. and Mrs. Stoke went
with me. i had never seen Mr.
Ward before that.
"At the orphanage ! met Mr.
Ward. Mr.. and Mrs. Primer and
Miss Ward. Mrs. Stoke introduced
me to Mr.. Ward. After the enter
tainment Mr.. Ward took Mr.. and
Mrs. Pflffner home. While he was
gone Elsie Hagen. one Of the girls
at the home, showed me over the
building.
When Mr.. Ward came back he
said I'll show you over the place.
/ said Elsie had already show ed me
didn't understand me or something
He took me BY the arm and went
to please him. He said I'll show
you the laundry room told him
Elsie had already showed it to me
but he took me In anyway Then
he took me through the building to
the third floor. He wanted to show
me the fourth floor. That part OF
the building was unoccupied.
Rugged Her, She Says.
HE said There is bed up there
| want to show you. We use this
bed when the children are sick
81 asked IL they were often sick
Then he grabbed me, Rugged me and
kissed me. told him to let me go
that wanted to go down stairs,
He said You are not afraid of me
are you said no, but l wanted
to 90 downstairs"
Then instead of taking me down
stairs he took me to the vest part
of the fourth floor. He again at
tackled me (Here followed evidence
that is unprintabIe.) Just then the
children came upstairs and he let
me CO."
Il told him ] was not afraid but
was. We went downstairs. Mrs
Stoke was waiting for me and we
went home"
later that night TO bring my child
rem home. Mr.. Ward was there.
Mr.. Ward called me up on
Tuesday. He thanked me for some
little paper dresses ] had made for
the children to do their dances in
He asked me to come over to the
home and teach the children their
dances. He told me to come over
any time.
Called Up; Came to House.
He called me up every day or had
the children from the home call on
me-,a1d tel me he wanted me u
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