Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1924-05-15
DlvUKCE CASES;
CIRCUIT COURT

ruit court now in session is that Mrs.
Minnie Stepp of Baraboo, nee Owen.
against Charles Stepp Of Reedsburg
They were married five years ag1
last July and have been residing on
a FARM CT forty acres at the city linn.
its f lee Il burg. These ColCred peo-
pie had some difficulties and she did
not deny throwing an alarm clock at
him, also a horse-radish bottle. At
one time she secreted herself BE-
hind the Crgan when he came home,
10: that she was afraid OF him eS-
actly but that she was under the i'm
preston he might be full of moon"
or would bring another woman along.
One Of the attorneys desired to know
if both did not have strong tempers
and she admitted they had.
The father of Mrs. Stepp, Nathan
tel Owens, Baraboo, told of his being
called to Reedsburg when his daugh-
ter sustained an injury. He found
her unconscious and has since com
planned of headaches.
DR.. Hastings on the Stand
DR.. T. r. Hastings of Reedsburg
was called and said that on February
13, 1921. he was summoned to the
farm by Mr. Stepp and that he
found the wife lying on couch. She
did not at first answer his questions.
He could find no bruises or blood
but said that she might have been
made unconscious by striking the
side of her head against a smooth
surface like carpet or rug.
John P Stone, president of a
bank in Reedsburg, said that he had
resided at the above city for 68 years.
He thought the forty acres owned
by the Steps was worth about ST.,
500. Mr. Stone testified that Mr.. Stepp
was good pay and that he was of
good character, SO far as he knew
Woman Carried a Revolver
Obee Retzlaff, a near neighbor to
the Steps, said that he had resided
there for % years and had known Mr..
Stepp for 20 years. The value to the
farm he placed at about $4,000 and
the personal property as follows:
Machinery NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. $225.00
Horses NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 25O.0O
Chickens ------ 1000
He said that one time when he
went there Mr.. Stepp came to the
barn and his wife followed with .
revolver in her hand. He heard her
say, 'I'll get you some time" Mr..
Stepp made no reply but seemed to
be little agitated. He was dressed
ready to go to church.
On another occasion when Mr..
Retzlaff was at the farm, both men
went into the house to get their din
ner. Mrs. Stepp was no in sight, was
up stairs, and no dinner was pre-
pared. Mr.. Stepp cooked the meal,
the witness said. He declared the
husband was Of good reputation.
John Verthein of Reedsburg testi-
fed as to the value of the property,
making the figures about the same as
Mr.. Stone.
Mrs. Verthein said that Mrs. Stepp
always dressed we'll and that she had
heard her remark that she did not
like life on the farm. Mrs. Setpp
was born in the city (Baraboo) and
she liked life there better. She did
not object so much to helping Mr..
Stepp with his work on the farm if
she was needed but as whole she did
not like rural life.
Frank Leonard stated that he had
known Mr.. Stepp for seven years and
that he was a good provider. He said
that Mrs. Stepp dressed well, that the
witness and the Steps attended the
same church, that Mr.. Stepp was a
regular attendant, that Mrs. Stepp
did not like farm life, that the farm
was worth about $780, that Steps
reputation was good and that he new
er knew of his drinking.
The defendant was called to the
stand again and said that he went to
Reedsburg in 1901, that he rented for
two years, that he was married to
Miss Owens in 1918, that he has not
made any money since 1918 due to
falling prices, that he had no debts,
and that his wife bought all the cloth
ing she wanted.
He also told of some of their quar-
rels. On one occasion there was a
difference early in the morning and
that he put on his shoes in the wood
shed On Thanksgiving she went
away in a huff and would not tell
him where she was going. He got
his dinner alone at hotel. When
she went away the last time she took
the revolver along and brought it
back when she returned for her
personal property under a court or
der. He said he never drank any
moon" While his wife was with him
he bought an oil stove, victrola, sew