The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-09-21
MANKATo FREE PRESS.
AN UNFILIAL ACT.
j. A. PresIey's Residence Entered,
Safe Broken and Nearly
5000 in Gold Stolen.
He Charges His Son, William, With
the Bold Deed and PrOcureS
Warrant


terday afternoon. His residence was
entered between 2:30 and $3.50 o'clock,
and his safe broken open and the con-
tents, believed to have been between
$500 and 5000. stolen. Suspicion points
strongly to Mr.. Presley's son, William,
as the guilty party, and warrant for
his arrest on the charge of grand lar
ceny in the first degree was later in
the afternoon sworn out by the father.
Mr. Presley's daughter went to the
Omaha depot yesterday afternoon to
see friend off on the 2:56 train. She
locked the house and left her brother,
William, sitting on the porch. About
$50 o'clock she returned and on enter
ing the house found surprise in store
for her. On entering her fathers
room she found everything scattered
about and overturned, and small
iron safe broken into and the contents
gone. This safe Mr.. Presley kept under
a pile of old clothes in the closet off
from his bed room, and no one outside
of the family knew of its presence.
Mr.. Presley generally keptsome money
in this safe, and last winter had about
81 900 in it, and William knew of this,
but did not know that 81 900 had since
been taken out to make payment on
the new store buildings which Mr..
Presley had put up on South Front
street. 1t was reported to Mr.. Presley
at that time that his son had made
statements to the effect that if he
could get the money that was in the
safe things would move lively. This
safe is about foot square and has a
door at one end opening with key.
Mr.. Presley says that the key became
lost several weeks ago and he was
waiting his daughters return to find
it. He had intended to deposit the
money in the bank.
The door of the safe was found bro
ken in, as though by some hard in
strument. Mr.. Presley is not certain
Just how much he had in the safe, but
thinks it was from $500 to 5000, and it
was all in gold pieces. His daughter,
when she saw what had occurred dur
ing her absence, Immediately went to
her fathers store and informed him of
the occurrences. He went to the City
hall and told his story to the officials
and was referred to the county attOr-
ney'S office, where he SwOre out war
rant for the arrest of his son, William
Presley, on the charge Of grand larceny
in the first degree. The specific
amount alleged to have been stolen is
500, and the otfiense isOne punishable
by a long term in the penitentiary.
The warrant was placed IN the hands
of the police, but search failed to re-
veal the young mans whereabouts.
Mrs. Walter Daniels, who lives near
Mr.. PreSley'S house, saw the young
man running down the alley toward
the Omaha track just as the train was
pulling by. and he may have gotten
aboard and Secreted himself until the
depot was passed.
Mr.. Presley is much eXaSperated
over his SON. action, and states that
he will prosecute him to the full eX-
tent of the law, if caught. He says
that the young man has been taking
more or less money and goods from
the store right along, without account
ing for it, and nothing can be done
with him. He says that he helped
his son out of a Scrape in st. Paul last
winter, and kept him from going to
prison by paying large bill for him.
William Presley is twenty-four years
of age, and married a young lady at
st. Paul year or more ago. Since
then he has been in this city more or
less and his father says that he has
turned them away from the house
several times, as they were living upon
him. For month past the boy has
clerked in the store, and up to Satur-
day boarded at home, while his wife
arrived few days ago and put up at
the Clifton house. Saturday after
noon the boy gave it out that he was
going fishing with companion, but
instead of that went to st. Paul Sun
day morning, returning that night
with a stranger. This week he has
only eaten his meals at home.
LATER afternoon it was
ascertained that young Presley and
his wife took the afternoon train over
the Northwestern road for Waseca.
Mrs. Presley appeared at the ticket
office some time before it was time for
the train to depart and purchased
three tickets, paying for the same in
silver. She threw three silver dollars
down in arather excited manner as she
called for the tickets, but the
clerk not being aware that anything
unusual had happened paid little at
tention to her. Just before the train
departed Mr.. Presley made his appear
ance. From the fact that Mrs. Pres
ley bought three tickets it appears
that third party accompanied them
on their daring exploit. kilograms
have been sent to the twin cities,
Sioux City, St. James, Lake Crystal,
Waseca and Winona. Deputy Phil
lips left today in search of the party,
and it is thought they will not be
able to evade the officers very long.