The Redwood gazette., 1934-12-13
COURT TERM ENDS
WITH CONFESSION
OF CAR STEALING
Jensen Gets Up to Two Years;
Damages of $500 Set
in Accident Case
SEWAGE CASE CONTINUED
Lamberton to Pay Railroad
$500 for Property to
Extend Street

Changing his plea in his trial Fri
day afternoon in district court, Leo
Jensen admitted his completely in the
theft November 3 of an automobile
belonging to Ray Burris and was
meted an indeterminate sentence not
to exceed two years in the St. Cloud
reformatory by Judge Albert H.
Emerson.
The Jensen trial completed the
court calendar for the year, several
of the cases having been continued Or
settled out of court. Court cases
were heard early in November and
the jury suits were suspended until
December 3 because Of the lack OF
space in the court house for jury
rooms.
The suit brought by Mrs. Elizabeth
Peabody for $4,000 damages from
the city of Redwood Falls for sew
age damages to her property was de-
ferred until after the city has voted
on completing the sewage plant. II
the bond issue passes it is understood
the suit will be dropped.
Sheriff L. ]. Kise took Jensen and
Charles Hellenbolt, who was given a
year and half sentence for break
ing into two stores at Delhi in Oct
ober, to st. Cloud Saturday to start
serving time.
After testifying most of the day
that he knew nothing of the theft,
Jensen changed his plea after a re-
cess at $3.50. Under questioning by
Judge Emerson, the defendant as
serted that he and stranger whom
he knew only as George took the car
which was parked behind Burris'
Auto and Paint shop, drove around
for awhile and then went to the Jen-
sen home for the night. The follow
ing day the pair went to the Twin
Cities, Jensen said, and after driving
him to some friends home, George"
left him and that was the last he saw
of the man.
State witnesses testified at the
morning session and Jensen was put
on the stand at the afternoon session
for questioning by his attorney, K.
B. Henton, Of Olivia.
In his previous story, Jensen testi-
fed that the stranger asked him to
go to Sleepy Eye and that they got
into a car parked near the Melges
Produce company. The remainder of
the first story practically conceded
with the second version.
Jensen, 81 years old, his eyes low
cred toward his hands which he
twitched nervously in his lap, an
swered questions slowly in relating
his activities on the night on which
the car was stolen.
Jensen, who lives on farm south
of town, testified that he attended a
dance that night in Redwood Falls
drinking enough so that II wasn't
drunk and I wasn't sober"
"The next morning." Jensen relat-
ed, George asked to me to get some
gas, which 1 did" 1t was while Jen-
sen was obtaining the gasoline that
he was seen in possession of the Bur-
ris car by several persons who testi-
lieu dS tllC SCdeS WAeASooOo'
Under cross examination by Coun-
ty Attorney George Barnes he assert
ed that he first heard of the theft of
Burris' car through the newspapers.
After two hours deliberation a jury
Thursday afternoon allowed the Chi
cago and North Western railway
$500 for a piece of property used for
the extension of street by the will
age of Lamberton. The original ap-
praisement had been set at $50 but in
an appeal the railroad asked for
$3.50.
After celebrating for IL hours,
district court jury returned YER
dict against William Hensch Of San
born Thursday for $500 for damages
arising out of an auto accident in
November 1888, in which Joseph
Potts Of Glencoe, the plaintiff, suffer-
ed a permanent injury.
After listening to testimony since
Tuesday afternoon the jury was CIV
en- the case at p. m. Wednesday
and it was not until a. m. next day
that a decision was reached. The
court had instructed the jury that
decision could be brought against
Hensch only by proving him guilty of
negligence in the accident and seal
ed verdict abiding by the courts in
structions was handed Judge Albert
H. Emerson at the opening of court
Thursday.
Z The accident occurred near Glen
coe, Hensch's stock truck hitting
Potts machine from the rear, the
latter receiving q permanent knee in
jury.