Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1923-01-24

tons propunded by the states at
torney and three times during the
morning Judge Kelley warned At
torney Hart that some of his objec-
tons were without foundation, as
Mr.. O'Connor was conducting his
cross-examination according to the
rules of procedure.
Asked by Mr.. o'Connor if he
hadn't made the statement at Ell
mer's preliminary hearing at De-
corah that Charlie and / started
out hunting" Kneeskem replied
/ that it seemed as though he, Char
lie Van Brocklin and George Moore
lefs the cabin that Sunday afternoon
| 10 go hunting, and that he Knees
KERN was in his shirt sleeves. They
were just outside the cabin, he said,
when an old blind mare that he
| tkneeskern) had given to Charlie
strayed towards them. Charlie then
spoke about the horse, he said, tell
ing him that he had chance to sell
it. They got 10 talking about the
horse, he said, and did not go hunt
ing. Charlie, he said, started for
Swenson's farm TO sell the horse
and he (KneeSkerm) went back into
the cabin, where he put on his coat.
Retraces His oMvements
Kneeskern was then asked to re-
trace his movements after that time
and he told the same story that he
related on the stand Tuesday after
noon. Several discrepancies in his
testimony as compared to the testi-
mony he gave at Elmer's prelimin-
airy hearing at DEBORAH We're then
brought out by Mr.. O'Connor.
Asked if he hadn't heard that he
was being accused of the murders
before he was arrested. Kneeskern
said that ne had heard that Elmer
Van Brocklin was accusing him. He
said that he was the first and last
witness to testify at Elmers hear
ing, after which he (Kneeskern)
was arrested.
Asked how far he was from the
cabin when he heard quarreling,
Kneeskern replied about four or
five rods"
"You never went back to the cab
in TO see whether or not Charlie had
returned from Swenson's to go
hunting with you, did you?", O'Con-
nor asked.
NO" Kneeskem replied.
"You We're on your own premises
weren't you?"
"Why didn't you go back to the
cabin ?"
IL thought it was a family quar-
rel and | didn't want to go back and
get mixed up in IT."
when did you think you heard a
shot?"
when ! left TO go to my auto"
| When asked if he had unloaded
his gun in his auto, Kneeskern SAID
mo. He said he fired one shot into
the corn field.
Quizzed About Shells
Asked why he had gone to Nouns
wander's hardware store in Castalif
on the Sunday night of the murders
to get flashlights and gun shell:
when he already had three boxes o.
shells and that John Scnulte, hi
companion, had the same kind o.
a gun, Kneesken did not give ;
very definite answer.
When asked if the coffee pot ex
hibited in court was the same coffee
Dot he had shot at when he stood il
the doorway of the Van Brocklin ca
bin, Kneeskern sad that he wouldn'
say it was the same one"
He denied that, while conversinl
with Sam Waters, states witneS
in the court house at DEBORAH Will
Elmer Van Brocklin's hearing wa
on, that he told Waters he had un
loaded his gun IN the road afte
he had heard a quarrel in the Va
Brocklin cabin.
Court was then recessed until
O'Clock.
Charles City, Iowa, Jan. 18th
state wrote the next to closing chap
ter in its case against Frank Knees
; kern Thursday afternoon and onl
the arguments for his conviction re
'mained TO be given by the state
attorneys. The states last witneS
to offer testimony in rebuttal left tn
stand at Ais o'clock, at which tim
court was adjourned until 9 o'cloc
, Friday morning, When a few rebutts
witnesses for the defense testified.
Indications tonight are that tn
closing arguments will be launche
at 1870 o'clock Friday afternoon an
that the case will be submitted to tn
: jury late Saturday.
J. A. Nelson, Winneshiek count
attorney is scheduled to make tn
states first plea to the. jury for cor
, viction. He is to be followed, j
Continued on page two)
! turn by ID. ID. Murphy and w.
! Hart for the defense. The state
: final plea for conviction will
made by Frank A. O'Connor.
I Elmer Denies Charges
Recalled to the stand when coul
convened Thursday afternoon, Elme
: Van Brocklin declared that he ha
never had any serious trouble wit
his sister in law, Irene Van Brocklil
and denied that he ever struck ne
and rendered her unconscious, as wa
related on the stand by Mrs. Rach
Rice, Irene's mother. Elmer also d.
4 MED the photograph episode relate
by Mrs. Rice, in which she allege
q Elmer told Irene TO stop playir
: that machine or III smash the re
1 ord over your head"
Describing his movements fro
J the time he left Charlie Moore
house until he reached the footbridl
: near the Van Brocklin cabin wher
: he alleges, he was threatened
Kneoskern, Elmer remained true