The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-04-08
A BAD MAN.
Frank Gervis Makes all Kinds
of Trouble.
Reckless Driving, Stealing Clothing, and
Running Away With a Horse and
Buggy Charged Against Him.

Frank Gervis is wanted in Mankato
and St. Peter. He is wanted badly in
Mankato, as he is charged with steal
ing a horse and buggy from B. d. Pay
s. Son, and two pairs of trowsers and
an overcoat from Joe thinner, who is
barn man at Martin Wiltgen's barn.
He is wanted at st. Peter on the
charge Of driving through the streets
so recklessly as almost to run down
two children.
Gervis came to Mankato month
ago and was given work at Peter San
gers livery barn, where he remained
two weeks. He claimed at first to
have come from Kansas City, but
afterwards told other people that he
came from Mortified. Mr.. Sanger
accused him Of crookedness, and he
left one evening without warning.
Since then he has been loating around.
At about ten o'clock Tuesday fore
noon, he secured team OF ponies
at Martin Wiltgen's barn and drove
around the city until shortly after
noon, when he picked up companion
and drove to st. Peter. There he
drove so fast along the streets, ard in
such a careless manner, that several
accidents were narrowly avoided. Mr..
Rice, the liveryman, telephoned to
Mr.. Wiltgen the circumstances Of the
: fast driving. The police of St. Peter
concluded to arrest Gervis, but he
had left town before they got around
to do SO.
Gervis was next heard from at Ka-
sofa. A man saw him driving through
the street at a break-neck speed, and
recognized the team and telephoned
the facts to Mr.. Wiltgen. On Gervis'
return to the city late in the after
noon, he drove up to a saloon to get
drink, and Joe thinner, acting under
instructions from Mr.. Wiltgen, took
the team away from him and returned
to the barn. The team did not show
hard usage.
At about 4:30 o'clock telephone
message was received from St. Peter
at the police headquarters, asking
that Gervis and his companion be held
until an officer could come.
At about 1870 o'clock last evening,
Joe Zimmer's bedroom off from the
office in the Wiltgen livery barn was
entered by burglar, and new 500
overcoat and $11 and 81 pair of
trowsers were stolen. These are all
black cloths. The burglar changed
overcoats, leaving his old one, which
is similar in appearance to one worn
by Gervis. The room was locked, but
the window was not fastened, and en-
trance was gained in that way.
GerVis went to B. D. Pay & Sons
livery barn at about S:15 o'clock and
ordered horse and buggy from the
barn man, James Mention, saying that
he wanted to drive around the city
for an hour. He went for lunch and
returned in twenty minutes and drove
off with the rig. He is known to have
driven around the city for time, and
left an order with bus driver to call
tor his aunt, who resides on Agency
hill, saying that she wished to take
the 400 a. m. train for st. Paul.
When the bus man called this morn
ing, the woman said that she had con-
cluded not to 60.
Gervis appears to have driven out of
i town during the evening. The police,
at about 11:30 o'clock. informed Pay &
Son that their horse and buggy were
probably gone. Joe thinner and Of
ficer Daniels took the 90 a. m. train
for st. Peter, and Chief Wagon took
the 700 a. m. train for the same place.
This forenoon Mr.. Daniels telephoned
from LIE Sueur that it was thought
that trace Of Gervis had been found
as far as st. Peter.
Sheriff Bowen was also notified, and
wired to neighboring towns in all direc
tions, to apprehend Gervis. W. 81.
Pay drove south this forenoon in the
search. Gervis is described as of dark
or swarthY complexion, smooth faced,
about % years old, and medium
heigth. The horse which he took
from Pay & Son was Fan, dark bay
mare with tan colored nose, and about
eight years old. The buggy was new
one, made by the Ames Buggy Co., of
st. Louis. The stripes on the wheels
are of bronze and green. The lining
is Of blue cloth.
About two weeks ago, a. fur coat
was stolen from the same room in
Wiltgen's barn, belonging to John
Landkammer, another barn man.
Landkammer is a brother of Joseph
Landkammer, the furniture dealer.
Joe thinner is a brother Of P. f. Zim-
mer, the insurance man.
= The Rig Found.
A message From St. Peter Wednesday