The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-07-06

Night Waterman Kelly was allowed $50
for extra work during the past year.
The council then adjourned until to-
night, when the sidewalk and water
questions will come M.
A MINISTERIAL FRAUD.
An Alleged Reverend" Plays a
Sharp Game in Mankato.
Saturdays st. Paul Globe contained
the following dispatch:
WAsEcA, Mimi, June ga man
claiming to be a Methodist minister,
Rev. E. f. Thompson by name, claim
ing to have come from the South, arrived
in GAINESVILLE, this county, recently, and
to the people there that he
was the owner of 600 scres of land near
Cleveland, which is small inland town
some miles north of Janesyille; that he
had purchased the land three years ago
and that it had greatly increased in val
ue since his purchase, and that he was
up here for the purpose of fencing and
erecting dwelling thereon and other
wise improving 1t. He made trips to
Winona, as he claimed, for the purpose
of buying lumber for his proposed inn
provements. During his stay in James
vile he preached several times. in the
Methodist Episcopal church, and by be-
ing fine talker and with his seeming
piety, he made good impression on the
regular minister and devout church
members. While at GAINESVILLE he met
the presiding elder of the church, who
lives at Mankato, and who also became
impressed with the fellow. A few days
ago he went to Mankato and called on
the presiding elder and got him to go
with him to the First National bank, and
there identify him so that he could get
a New York draft, which he had for
So, 900, cashed. With the elders identi-
tication he received on said draft 5000
cash and a deposit check for 5000.
Since receiving the money nothing has
been heard from Thompson, and on in
vestigation it was learned that the draft
was fraud. Later developments show
HIM to have been the owner of no land
anywhere in this vicinity. Search will
be made for him.
A reporter on looking the matter up
found that the above. dispatch is true
with the exception that it was the Man
kato National bank, instead of the First
National bank, upon which the fraud
was perpetrated, and that Thompson
claimed to come from Colorado.
From all the facts that can be gathered
in regard TO the matter, it seems to be
one of the shrewdest planned schemes
for robbery that was ever put into sue
cessful execution, For weeks and
months the socalled divine has been
working up the details and preliminar-
les of his job and has been preparing
the way, step by step, for the moment
when he should put the nefarious plot
into execution.
The facts in the case, from all that can
be learned, appear to be these: For
some time Thomson, or whatever his
name may be, has been circulating the
statement that he Is the owner of the
land mentioned, is a minister of the
gospel, etc. He has preached a number
of times in the towns mentioned in the
Globe dispatch. He is a man of about
sixty-fve years, apparently, wore on all
occasions very roinistrial air and led
the most guarded to suppose that he
was what his manner and words indi-
Gated, a most God-fearing, meek and
devout Christian minister, kindly dis
posed and very fine and fatherly old
gentleman generally. He was of rather
large build and had a considerable
stoop. He pretended to be sufferer
of palsy, or to have been paralyzed on
the right side and his hand writing was
rather scrawly.
Last week Wednesday he came to the
Mankato National bank and presented
the paper mentioned. OF course it was
necessary that he should be identified
and Rev, g. L. Hair was seen and
vouched for the fellow, confirming his
statements. Not yet satisfied, Thomp-
son was accompanied to Emmerson's
drug store, where he said he was ac-
quainted with man. Upon entering
the store his acquaintance Immediately
shook hands with him and called him
by name and afterwards also confirmed
his statements as to the land, etc. The
gentleman said that he had heard him
preach. The mans appearance and the
of citizens of such good char
acter convinced Messrs. Ray and Thorn
as that he was all right and his paper
was honored. He drew out $1,000 and
decided TO leave $1,000 more subject to
check and $4,000 deposited on certifi-
cate. Thompson said that he had pur
chased quantity of lumber at Wlnona
and needed 81 800 to pay for it. He
promised to send to the bank tin
box that he said he had, containing
ewels, and left the certificate of deposit
With instructions that it be placed in the
box. These circumstances, this appar
mt trust placed in the honor of the
bank officials, tended, of course, to
make his own case look the more plaus-
BILE.
Thompson said that he was to preach
It GAINESVILLE the next Sunday. AT that
,lace he was temporarily filling the va
amt pulpit left by the eloper, Seymour.
lie did not turn up there, however, and
las not since been heard of, though
Efforts have been made to trace him.
The following clipped from the JAMES,
vile argus of June 10 will tend to show
low well the villain was working up his
,reliminaries:
Rev. +. +. Thompson went to Vino
IA Thursday evening to make arrange
nents for material and designs for the
residence TO be erected on his farm. He |
has SIX hundred acres purchased three |
'ears ago at SIG per acre. 1t has in |
reased in value, he says, to about $50 |
Der acre. Pretty good investment.
All who have seen him unite in de-
laring HIM to be the last one they would |
Inspect of such crime.
This is an occurrence that is likely to |
axe place at any time. The peculiar
connected with it in this
ase would have led nineteen out of
wenty persons to have done the same
hing that Messrs. Raw and Thomas did.
here can be no blame attached to them.
hey are unusually cautious business
nen. and have had large experience inl