Opinion ID: 1789296
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: zaspel's testimony

Text: At the time of the trial in January 1960, Ziegfried Zaspel was and for about 4 years had been a resident of the city of St. Paul employed at the Griggs-Midway Building on University Avenue in that city as a carpenter foreman. He acknowledged five felony convictions including one for burglary, entered upon his plea of guilty, based on his participation in the March 14, 1959, escapade. Zaspel had been acquainted with the defendant, John Biehoffer, and his brother, Jay, for some time before March 13, 1959. Jay had space in the Griggs-Midway Building where he was developing an iceboring machine. At times he helped as a painter there. On occasion, defendant would come to the building to see his brother. Jay Biehoffer was also interested in and was sometimes to be found at a boatworks located on Central Avenue in northeast Minneapolis. On March 13, Zaspel, John Biehoffer, Jay Biehoffer, James Davidson, a brother-in-law of Jay, and others ate together in the lunchroom at the Griggs-Midway Building. And, in response to a late evening telephone call from Jay, Zaspel, then at his home, met the brothers at a West St. Paul hamburger shop at about 11 p.m. that night. They talked about a job at Northfield in the Eagles Club. According to Zaspel, John Biehoffer said he was down there that afternoon looking the place over. It was agreed that all three would go to Northfield that night. Because defendant's car was low on gas and without a spare tire, they decided to use Zaspel's station wagon for the trip. They transferred some tools and clothes and metal box containing guns into my car. These included a sledge hammer, crowbar, screwdriver and a bar they call a gooseneck bar and a hatchet or ax. The three men then drove to Northfield with Jay in the back seat and John in the front. At Northfield they drove to the vicinity of the Eagles Club which is located just westerly of the bridge spanning the Cannon River on Highway 218 and stopped at a Sinclair oil station situated across the street and southerly of it. The attendant filled the car with gas. John Biehoffer did not leave the car while they were at the station, but the other two did momentarily. Having observed that the Eagles Club was apparently closed, the three then drove away in the car, parking it in a residential area about three blocks westerly of the river and the club. Jay Biehoffer and the defendant put on old jackets and clothing and Jay distributed the tools and the guns. Defendant was then carrying a gun with a bright nickel handle or barrel and sort of a yellowish bone colored handle or plastic handle. Zaspel was given a 32 automatic. He had seen these guns on previous occasions, once on a fishing trip he had taken with John and Jay to Rainy Lake and again at the boatworks in Minneapolis in which Jay had an interest. In addition, Zaspel was given a sledge hammer and an ax. All three of them were wearing gloves. Then they walked to the Eagles Club, approaching it from the rear or west end of the building. John Biehoffer crawled up to a second-story window; opened it; and climbed in, signalling Zaspel to follow. He did so. Then John went down the stairs and let Jay in through a rear door. They looted the till and were about to direct their attention to a safe found there when we noticed a car. Jay hollered that the law was outside, and, opening a window on the south side of the building, jumped to the ground. He fled in the direction of the Northfield Malt-O-Meal plant which is located across the street and to the south of the Eagles Club. Zaspel said that as soon as he saw Jay Biehoffer run, he jumped out after him. As he did so, the police, then stationed at the back or west end of the building, came around to the south side of it. Zaspel started to run across the Cannon River bridge, the police in hot pursuit. They were shooting and Zaspel took the gun he had and held it up in the air and shot and ran down an alley. He ran to the river where, discarding his gun, he was able to wade across and reach his car. He discovered that the clothing which Jay and John had left in the automobile was gone except for John's work jacket. Arriving in St. Paul at about 5 o'clock in the morning, Zaspel called the boatworks and Jay Biehoffer answered. Zaspel told Jay that he had lost his glasses at Northfield by the Eagles Club and plans were made to recover this incriminating evidence if possible. At about 8 a.m. he went from his home to his place of work and then to the Midway Hospital where a cast was applied to relieve a foot injury aggravated by the flight. At about 2 p.m. Zaspel went to the boatworks. Both defendant and Jay were there. The three went for a ride in Zaspel's car. John explained that he had gone down to Northfield earlier in the day, but that he was unable to find the glasses. They related that they had stolen a car in Northfield and driven back to St. Paul the night before. Then they returned to the boatworks; the brothers got out of the car; Zaspel did not see John again during this period. Zaspel was in contact with Jay before they were apprehended and again after they were released on bond. Zaspel identified the gray work jacket which, according to his testimony, had been left in his car on the night of March 13 by defendant and it was received in evidence. This jacket had remained in his car for about a week following the burglary and then was removed by an agent from the crime bureau. A tire tool, a crowbar, a gooseneck, and a screwdriver used in the burglary were also identified and received in evidence. He identified the gun of which defendant was in possession when the crime was committed, and (by virtue of the testimony of other witnesses) it was established that it had been discovered near the scene of the crime after its occurrence. The sledge hammer and ax were identified and received. Gloves (located, as other evidence showed, near the crime scene following its occurrence) were identified as being the type used by the participants and accepted in evidence. Upon cross-examination, defendant's attorney established that Zaspel was first convicted of a felony in 1941 in St. Paul; that he was convicted of a felony again in 1943 in the same city; that later he was convicted of burglary in Minneapolis; that he was charged and found guilty of breaking and entering in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; and that he had pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary in connection with the Northfield incident upon advice of counsel. Although Zaspel was subjected to rigorous and perceptive cross-examination, the residual impression obtained from reading his testimony is persuasive in support of the position of the state, being essentially consistent and nonevasive.