Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-28
A vILLANOUS GANG CAUGHT,
From the Chicago Times

Il Il
Mr.. j: K. Coudry, Deputy q. s. Marshal o
Wisconsin, arrived in this city Yesterday, hay.
| Ing In custody German named Chas Reisner
aiias Charles Herse, who is charged with the
crimes OF burglary, robbery, arson and murder
in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Reisner was arrested
Mt Peoria, where, under the name of Herse. he
has been carrying on the business of butcher.
In the summer of 1855, he was arrested in this
| city by Officers Rehm and Sauter for larceny,
| Tor which he was convicted and sentenced for
! two years to the State Prison at Alton. After
serving out his time, he went to La Crosse,
| where in less than six weeks after his arrival,
the murder was committed for which he is now
arrested. ...
The circumstances Of the murder were as fol-
lows: In July, 1887, young man landed at La
Crosse from one of the Prairie du Chien and ST.
Paul packets. He proceeded directly to a liv-
cry stable, and hired horse and buggy, for
the purpose, as he stated, of going some dis
tance into the country. From this trip he re-
turbed, just at dusk, and in paying the stable
keeper he displayed some $500, in bills of $50
and 800. One of the SOS was given to the
stable-keeper, who returned the change. A
man named VIM. John was then in the stable
and witnessed the transaction. He followed the
boy on his leaving the stable, and this was the
last time the latter was seen alive. About two
weeks afterwards his body was fished out of the
river by some men drawing a seine. 1t had
been stabbed four times in the region of the
heart. and there was also a wound on the face
The body was quite naked. Not far from the
same time, a jewelry store in La Crosse was
ribbed of some IS 900 worth of goods. No clue
was obtained to the perpetrator of either of the
crimes until some months afterwards
There were living in La Crosse at that time
four Germans, named j.. Reisner, Albert Nal.
low, William, John and Charles Reisner They
were engaged in the butchering business, and
Urn nrntfr I'll Al Al
portion of their stock was stolen from farmers
and others In the neighborhood. They at
length got into difficulty in regard to burning
another butcher S barn, and fed the country
Mallow lett his wife and child in La Crosse
They had been gone about three months when
Mallow's wife, becoming reduced to absolute
want, sold some jewelry in liquidation of her
board, which was portion Of the goods stolen
from the store of Patze. A search-warrant
was Immediately taken ont, and in the house
In which this woman had been living unlaw-
fully with l.. Reisner, about 81 900 worth cf
Jewelry was found in a trunk under the bed,
together with the identical clothes of the MUIR
dered boy, identified by the stabs through
them, corresponding with the woxnds upon his
body. Mrs. MallOw and Reisner were arrested
and confined in Jail.
The clue thus afforded to the perpetrators of
both the crimes was then taken up by Mr.
Coudry, who followed their trail until all the
implicated parties were arrested. Mallow was
found at Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the butcher
ing business, under the name of William Teale
John was found in Missouri, near Leavenworth
City, at work in a saw mill. lie had q shanty
in the woods, where about 81, 900 worth of the
stolen Jewelry was also found. On the way
down the Missouri river the prisoner, heavily
ironed, jumped overheard and was drowned.
Charles Reisner, the last of the gang, was ar
rested, as we have already stated, at Peoria,
day before yesterday. About 50 600 worth of
the stolen jewelry was found in his possession,
yet he Persistently denied all knowledge of the
crimes which the gang have committed