The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-12-07
MUNSCH IS GUILTY
! DECISION OF JUDGE
Trial Or trunk Charge Was
He, saturday
FIGHT MADE IN COURT
Efforts of The Attorneys Were
Toward Keeping Defendant
Out Of Jail.

Btenhpu Oh Tic mdhhdIO poAASO
force on November Is, on the
charge Of operating his automobile
while under the influence OF tntox-
icating liquor, was found guilty OF
that charge last Saturday afternoon
in the Municipal court
The defendant through his attor-
ney, B. D. Grogan, had entered a
plea of not guilty and stood trial.
The first witness called by the
state was Officer Bienaph, who tes-
titled to placing Mr.. Munsch under
arrest about five o'clock on the
evening of November %, following
a collision between the defendants
car and one owned by L. II. Olinger
OF Indian Lake, which was parked
near the curb on East Main street
The officer stated that Mr.. Munsch
showed signs Of tntoxication, and
staggered while being taken to the
police station, where he was locked
In q cell, but later released on
cash bond Of 800.
George He'll, another states wit
ness called, said that at the time OF
the collision between the Ohnger
car and the Munsch car, he was
standing about the middle OF the
4ibret He'll store at ia East Main
street. His attention was attracted
to the loud humming Of a motor,
and an instant later he saw car
back into L. H. Olinger's car which
was parked In front OF the store.
The Impact forced the Olinger car
up over the curb and up against the
store front with considerable force.
John He'll verified the statements
of his brother George.
Louis Schutts also testified that
he had seen the collision, and saw
the Oiinger car forced up against
the He'll store front. He said that
the Munsch car was backing up rap
idly when the collision occurred.
Car Forced On The Curb
I. II. Olinger Of Indian Lake said
that he was shopping in the He'll
store when Mr.. Munsch collided
with his car. He said that he had
the emergency brake set, but In
spite OF this his car was forced up
over the curb and against the build
ing. He saw that there was some.
thing wrong with Mr.. Munich, put
did not want to swear that he was
drunk.
2 PoIicewoman Irene Kiekenapp tes-
tfied that she was in charge OF the
desk at the police station when the
defendant was brought In. He show
cd needed signs of intoxicatior. He
staggered and talked like drunk
Chief of Police landmark yeri-
Hed the statements of officer k1e-
kenapp in that the defendant was
staggering and talking at RANDOM
like a drunken man. the Witness
said that the defendant told MIN ne
only had a couple OF drinks OF
Defendant On the Stand.
John Munsch, the defendant In
tbs case. was called to the stand.
he said that he was in Mankato NO.
vember %, arriving here ABOUT
I6.aO He admitted that he had tax
en- one drink Of moonshine whiskey,
but no more. He said that MS
clutch was not working right and
This caused his car to be "terky:
Ne was excited but not drunk he
said that he had never been arrested
before. A.. 49,
husband is not a drinking man, ana
that he was sober when ne come 70
the car to take she and her sister,
NJ Eawkins home. She verified
her husbands statement as to the
Moor condition Of the clutch OF the
car. which made 1t plunge Wnen
starting. ~
chinist of this city testified to driv-
ing inc Munsch car into a garage
AEON after the accident. He says
that the clutch grabbed" and MADE
tie car dangerous to operate.
Duane Foley of Mankato nad met
the defendant about the middle on
the afternoon and stated that ne
was then perfectly sober. .,aos
Mrs. Patrick HAWKINS testlneu
that her brother-in-l law was per
tactIv sober when he came to the
Ear Mrs. Hawkins Indignantly DE-
nsed that she had said to City De
fsctiye Rudolph Ario in the ponce
station shortly after the accident IN
answer to a question, was the car
mot working, nothing! He was
drink and I am glad that this hap
psned in the city and not out IN Inc
She stated that she said: "n !
thought that man was drunk L wouIo
not have consented to r1de nome
ANDY Justice of Waldorf, a motor
machinist, took the car later from
tSe elements garage. He said that
.fhe motor started with jerk, and
II was with difficulty that he pre-
vented It from crashing into an
other car. The clutch grabbed"
RAYMOND Doyle Of Waldorf and
wiIiiam Koran of Mankato testfhed
as to the good character OF the de-
PENDANT, who they had known lor
civ Detective Rudolph Ario and
Chief of Police Phil Landmark were
called in rebuttal. and testified that
Mrs Hawkins had testified that her
brother in law was drunk. The Of
fcers both stated that Munsch show
ed decided signs Of drunkenness.
After hearing the evidence, Judge
William Stradtmann found the de-
PENDANT guilty, but deferred sentence
until this morning at ten O'CLOCK
Defendants bond OF $500 was con-
tinued. -
FIaht Made For Munseh
Flights Of oratory were indulged
ia before Judge william Stradtmann
this morning in the John Munsch
case BY both County Attorney
Frank e, Morse Of Blue Earth
county, County Attorney H. M. Cal
laRher OF waseca county and Ben
D.. Grogan attorney for the defense.
Mr.. Grogan and Mr.. Gallagher
cited at some length the quabhca-
tions OF John Munsch as one OF the
most desirable citizens OF Waseca
county and stated TO the court that
consideration OF his past good rec
ord should be taken into considera- ;
ffOu IN passinH sentence County At