The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-02-05

picking out tried and true men to
surround the place Of the next meet
ing and when the suggestion was
made as to selecting the present po-
lice force, she said. II want you, Col.
Thomas, to pick out one good man to
shadow me night and day and several
others to follow at respectable dis
lance" After naming over several
persons, she finally thought Chief
Yates was good man to keep
secret,
AZ some length she went On to tell
of the arrangements made, and com
ing down to another nights expert
ence she said: Il went out of the
house for the purpose of visiting Mrs.
Bradley, when man approached me
and asked if 1 was Mrs. Soule. | told
him | was the individual, and he then
told me that he was one Of the three
members Of the gang. He requested
me to meet them at eight o'clock at
the Swedish church, across the slough.
When l approached the church l
was to raise my hand twice and there
by let them know who it was. l got
my supper and then went to the
church. / met them at the door.
They had large, light coats on and
the collars were up to their ears,
with caps drawn over their fore
heads so that there was little
| to see and of course | could not see
enough to be able to identify them.
! That was my real object in going
there. | thought | was doing great
thing for the interests of the city of
Mankato. We entered the church
and the key was turned in the lock.
At that meeting four more persons
were added to the list to be held up;
they are Messrs. Mcconnell, Brett,
Taylor and Tinckom. They then told
me that inasmuch as they kept no
bank account they expected me to
take care Of the money. AT the next
| meeting | was to select a place of de-
poSit. They wanted me to go to Sc
attic, but / told them l must give an
account OF myself to my family. They
then said if | would agree to go they
would furnish the excuse. just at
this point a noise was heard as if
made by somebody walking along out
side, and it was suggested that it
might be the night watch. One of
the gang said that they could put him
to sleep quicker than his mother ever
did.
| Soon after that might i was on my
way over to Mrs Bradley's with a
sha WI over nay head, when shadow
of man appeared. Soon man APP
preached and whispered to me to be
at the water tank near the Milwau-
kee tracks, across the marsh. | went
over there and the gang explained
that on account of parties being out
of town and with whom they wished
to consult, the affair would have to
be postponed The banks were to be
broken into all on one night and it
was to take place before Feb. /.
One of the men had on belt which
he said contained $4,000, which was for
current expenses. / did not ask for
any share. When | asked if they
were not afraid the scheme to rob the
banks would fall through, one of the
men said: Il have not worked for
the Hall Co. five years for moth
ing. Let me get at the door and the
contents of the safe are mine"
At this point in her story she spoke
as though the police had not been
discreet in the matter of keeping her
.blOod-curdling statements from the
public and said she did not think
there was SO anuch ''IscariOt'' in them.
One OF the physicians asked her as
to her feelings when in the presence
of the desperate men, but she seemed
to avoid direct reply.
Coming down to Sunday nights ex-
perience she said: ':Mr. Soule and
were cracking nuts and for reasons L
got up in little while and went out
of the house. There | met one of the
men who said ] must meet them
across the slough. / told him l
would be there in 20 minutes and
would make the same sign as hereto
fore. As soon as the man left me
fastened into the house, secured my
revolver, which vas liz my trunk.
and started for the house of Colonel
Thomas, for the purpose of having
him have men surround the place of
Injecting and seize the gang. | never
shot the revolver but once. | shot it
| then to get used to it's action. am
! an excellent shot with the rifle and
can beat nine-tenths OF the crack
shots in Mankato. just as was about
/ TO enter the house a man stepped up
to me and said you haze betrayed
U.s. and with that he fired at me and
L returned the compliment, in a
manner that was not at all eX-
citing, but OnAthe other hand, cool
and collected She told of her rushing