The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-09-08
The Murderer Leaves No
Clue, but Robbery
Thought to be the
Motive.
THE VICTIrI TAKES A DESPER-
ATE AND HEROIC STRUG-
GLE FOR LIFE.
A Coroner's Inquest Throws Some
Light on the Case--A Sus-
piciOuS Character
Arrested.

One Of the most startling and mys-
FERROUS crimes ever committed in the
city was perpetrated at an early hour
Sunday morning. 1t was the murder
of Harry M. Walraven in cold blood
and apparently with generalization.
The deed was committed on the lawn
of the victim at about one O'Clock or
shortly after, and the murderer le1t
no clue by which he might be traced.
Whether his motive was revenge or
robbery is unknown and may never be
revealed.
Mr.. Walraven has been in the habit
of leaving his place Of business, III
South Front street, between the hours
of twelve and one O'Clock and walking
to his home, 116 n. Broad street, only
a few blocks away He always took
with him the contents OF the money
drawer, and since the banks have
closed this has amounted to more
than usual. On this occasion he had
1929. As cents with him, distributed
between three pockets. He went
home alone, and when he had reached
his lawn he was set upon by one or
two persons, who are believed to have
been lying in wait for him at that
point. A desperate but short-llVed
struggle ensued, in which it appears
that Mr.. Walraven succeeded in beat
ing off his assailants with his heavy
cane. Then one of them pulled a 49,
calibre revolver and shot Mr.. Wal
raven through the heart. The wor nd
ed man fell upon his face upon the
grass few feet from the inner edge
of the sidewalk and about thirty feet
from his house. The murderer i'm
mediately fled, and is supposed to
have run through the lot to the alley
and turned south and crossed Main
street to the allev back of the lumber
yard and to have taken one OF the
roadways through the lumber yard to
Second street. Tracks in the sand can
be followed this distance. They are
the tracks of number eight shoe,
with slightly pointed toe, and were
made by a person running. Mrs.
Hitchcock who lives on the alley,
heard a person running through the
alley Immediately after the shot was
fired.
Several of the neighbors heard a
shot fired, and Mrs Capt. Holmes, who
resides nearly across the street from
Mr.. Walraven's house, heard fearful
struggle, followed by crash and calls
for help. She was entertaining guests
and was sleeping on lounge in the
front parlor and heard the entire dis
turbance, although she could not see
it. The dogs in the neighborhood be-
gan 10 bark vigorously and Aldermen
Widell was awakened and went to the
door and called his dog back. AS Sum
as he had returned to bed he h.. u
the means of the wounded man.
Mr.. Buckholtz had returned to the
city on late train and went to his
barn to care for his horses. He was
Joined by j. E. Mullen, and after
leaving the barn they heard shot
and a cry and started in the direction
of the sound. They followed the
sounds of moaning to the spot where
Mr.. Walraven lay, and could not have
reached the place more than three
minutes after the shooting. Life was
not yet extinct, as the wounded man
was still breathing. Mr.. Mullen went
and notified Officer Kelly and DR..
Andrews. He had not gone far when
life was extinct. Mrs. Walraven was
at home and was aroused by the noise
and the shot and while Mr.. BucknOltz
was alone with the body she opened
the windows and asked what was the
matter. She was informed that hel
husband had fallen down but was all
right and that she had better not
come out. She hastily put on a
wrapper and came out, however, and
ran to her husbands PROSTATE body
She felt Of his hands and found that