The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-04-22
Guilt"
is Verdict in
KniiggeCase
CREAMERY EMPLOYEE is
CLEARED OF CHARGES
IN JURY TRIAL

NOT guilty was the verdict of
a jury of seven men and five wo-
men in the case of Lawrence
knigge, IS, who was accused of
embezzling 5000 from the Nor
gan Creamery company while he
was manager of its produce sta
ton in 1896.
The verdict was returned at ap-
proximately 9:15 p. m. Saturday
after the jury had deliberated for
nine hours. The first ballot was
nine to three for acquittal, it was
reported, and subsequent ballots
were 10 to two. Unable to agree
the jury came in to ask District
Judge A. B. Gislason for instruc-
tons.
Your duty is not to decide
whether the defendant was re-
sponsible for the money but whe-
ther or not he took the money"
the judge told them and they
again retired.
The board of directors of the
Morgan Cooperative creamery
charged that Knigge had failed
to turn over to them six checks
paid for produce by the Cudahy
packing company branch at New
Ulm as commissions on cream
bought for them. They alleged
that the first check was appro-
priated June 25, 1886 and subse-
quent checks in July, August and
September.
Secretary Testifies
Fred Zaske, secretary of the CO.
operative was the first witness
called as the state opened its case
Thursday. He testified that he
had presented Knigge and Mrs.
Knigges with an auditors state
ment of the checks made early in
October 1885,. that Knigge had
said he was too busy to talk to
sis1a and that Mrs. Knigge had ar
ranged a meeting with him to dis
cuss the purported shortage. The
defendants wife was then book
keeper for the produce station.
Much was made by defense at
torney L. J. Lauerman of the fact
that the Knigge's baby was ser
iously ill that day and died the
night that the meeting was to
have taken place.
In two later meetings, one in
front of the creamery and anoth-
er at the. Zaske farm, Mr.. Zaske
claimed that Knigge had admitted
that he took the money and offer
ed to make arrangements where
by it could be returned in month
ly payments.
Zaske also stated that Knigge's
father, William Knigge bad work.
ed in the produce, making $3.50 a
month, which was taken from his
sons salary Later evidence show
ed that the money was not paid
from Lawrence's salary and it
was on this point that Lauerman
impeached his testimony stating
in his final plea that the Morgan
farmer had. "perjured his soul to
hell"
Testimony showed that Knigge
had been accused of shortage
of over $1,070 in October 1885
and he had borrowed the money
to pay it back. A civil suit against
the creamery company for the re-
turn of that money has been in
stituted by Knigge's attorney:
System Inadequate
Anton Madsen, president of the
cooperative, was the second wit
ness for the state. Norman Greu,
cashier of the Cudahy Packing
company and Alfred Rousch,
truck driver, were also called to
testify that the checks were TAX
en- from New Ulm to Morgan by
the truck driver and handed
either to Mr.. or Mrs. Knigge.
Questioned by George A.
Barnes, county attorney, Miss AL
berta Gluth, bookkeeper of the
creamery, testified that if the
stubs of the checks were not put
on spindle used for the purpose,
there would be no check to deter
mine whether or not the money
or checks should be in the cash
drawer.
Strong point for the defense
was the fact that besides Mr.. and
Mrs. Knigge, the creamery book
keeper, an egg GAMBLER and others
who came into the produce office
Continued on page eight)