The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-08-26
THE ROWAY CASE.
The Wounded Man fingers Along Be-
tween Life and Death, Expect
ing the End.
Strong Evidence That Frank Gief1er
is his Slayer-The Progress OF
the Search for the Latter.

mind WanderS and he is mostly In a
semi-conscious state. As soon as in
fiamation sets in his hours will be
numbered.
Sentiment against Gieffer, his al
legged aSsailant, is very strong. From
the account which Rowav was able to
give Of the affair yesterday afternoon,
and from other evidence, it appears
that the assault was one Of the most
cowardly that was ever perpetrated
in civilized society. The evidence
shows that Gieffer knew of ROway's
having money and wanted to get it in
some way. With this idea, he went
to Roway's shanty Wednesday evening
and wanted to borrow so. Being re-
fused, he invited Roway down town
to drink, thinking to get him into a
more accommodating mood or to pick
his pockets when under the influence
Of liquor. They visited one or two
saloons and drank two or three glass
es of beer, but Roway did not drink
enough to effect his head and in one
saloon repeatedly refused to loan
Gieffer any money. Roway told after
wards in another saloon that
Gieffer tried to pick his pockets.
When Roway started for home, Chef
fer asked him which course he would
take and then ran ahead and hid him
self at the most lonely and deserted
point.
Roway came along and passed IN
der low trestle of the milwaukee
railroad track near his Ishanty, and as
he passed down into a hollow, Gieffer
jumped from behind some timbers
and pounced upon his back, at the
same time striking him with a ham,
mer which he had taken from the
brick yard, and which cannot be
found. The struggle was then short
and one sided and Gieffer pounded
ROway about the head until he was
insensible He then robbed the pros
trate man CT his money, placing the
purse with some 81 cents back into
his pocket, to mislead people. Gieffer
then returned to the Minneopa House.
He went to work at the usual hour
in the morning, and thinking that
Rowsy was dead went to the shanty
into which the latter had dragged
himself. There he found that ROway
was not only alive but recognized him
as the man who had injured and rob-
bed him. The bystanders made not
the slightest effort to detain Gieffer,
but saw him hasten down the rail
road track. sometimes walking and
sometimes running Gieffer returned
to the hotel, changed his clothes and
left, starting northward, and that is
the last seen Of him.
The clerk of the Minneopa House
states that Gieffer went TO his work
at about six o'clock, but first left
S6.6Owith him to send to Mrs. Gieffer,
at Spirit Lake, Iowa, to pay her
transportation to Mankato. This was
a S. bill and the remainder in silver
and is thought TO be part Of the stolen
money. When he returned to change
his clothes. about seven o'clock, he de-
manded back his money saying that
he would send it to her himself.
There was nothing unusual in his ap-
pearance to excite the notice of the
clerk. When Gieffer's room was
searched a red handkerchief with
bloodstains was found, and also an
excellent photograph of him.
The theory is that Gieffer's idea in re-
turning TO work was that dead man
could tell no tales, and that no one
would suspect him if he acted as the
other men did. 1t is thought that
had he found Roway alone he would
have finished his work and then given
the alarm.
Roway's hat was found beside the
large blood spot on the ground. 1t
was torn and saturated with blood.
The main wound and the plainest cut
in the hat are about the size and
shape of such mark as a hammer
would infiict. No club could be found
which would make such wounds. A
drop of blood upon cordwood stick
lying near was the only mark upon it
which would lead to the belief that it
had been used. The lost hammer can
not be found.
Chief Yates returned from Wells,
and Deputies Bowen and Phillips from
St. Peter without finding any trace of
Gieffer. Some believe that he is still
in the city, Others u at he has gone
to Madelia. Jackson. Spirit Lake, or
some other point where he has friends
He is % years of age, smooth faced,
medium height, and is said TO be
butcher by trade. a more premedlt-
ated, cold blooded, heartless deed was
never perpetrated than the one with
which he is charged. Should Roway
die and the criminal be convicted, the
hangman should do his duty.
Roway is Frenchman, not an