The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-05-01
Babcock's clothing were found, con-
cealed in trunk.

Babcock's clothing were found, con-
cealed in trunk.
The only property that was found
that could be identified as among that
stolen from the freight cars was new
pair of steel scissors, found in trunk
at Mrs. butchers house. The detec-
tives will therefore continue their
work.
Turritin admits his share in the
burglary of Mr.. Babcock's house. Ac-
cording to the stories of the two men,
both were engaged in the stealing of
everything, except the bicycle and fur
coat, which Preston went back after
alone. They took their plumber in
two sacks and hid it in the hay NOW
of Turritin's barn, where they divided
it between themselves, Turritin get
ting the lions share. Preston went
back again alone and stole the clock
and chickens and took them to Mrs.
butchers, where he had alsotaken his
share after the division of the spoil.
Preston is a professional thief, so
Sheriff Bowen states. Said Mr.. Bowen
today: "That man has had no other
business for ten years past, and has
served term Or two in the reforma-
tory or penetentiary. He has not
been seen on the streets in the day
time more than five times for years
back, but is a night bird. He is one
of the greatest thieves in the country.
He has lived in Mankato more or less.
but his tactics have been to steal IN
Mankato and then go to Kasota for a
few weeks, steal there and come back
here. 1 have been on his track for
months"
Turrittin is a freight hustler at
Kasota, and has wife and baby.
He is not as bad a man as Preston,
who is unmarried. He has respecta-
BILE relatives.
The officers state that there is
another member of the gang who has
bad record, and several more arrests
may follow.
There is reason to believe that one
member of the gang has turned states
evidence, which will be great as
sistance to the prosecution in convict
ing the prisoners The latter were
this morning driven to Kasota by the
detectives and Kasota marshal, where
they will be arraigned. They will
probably be brought back to rest in
the Blue Earth county Jail pending
their examination.
The officials believe that many of
the burglaries committed in this city
for a long time past were done by this
Kasota gang. They are almost sure
that the robbery of the silks and
other cloths from j. B. & d. Rich
ards store was the work of these
men, and the evidence certainly looks
as though they are right in their
conjecture.
The detectives state that the Kaso-
ia gang is the worst they ever ran in
to. 1t is believed to have done the
car breaking that has recently oc-
Cured. and to have extended its
operations to surrounding towns and
farms, and to have been responsible
for the McTighe and other holdups
last winter.
Sheriff Bowen and the detectives
are certainly entitled to the greatest
credit for their work, which has been
done with energy and intelligence
If they have unearthed the gang of
thieves that they believe they have,
they have become benefactors of this
section of the state.
Preston and Turritin are held on
warrants sworn out by @. W. Babcock,
charging them with grand larceny in
the first degree, and if convicted they
will have long terms to serve.