The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-11-17
WAS 1T ROBBERY
An Alleged Hold Up Sunday
Afternoon.
VIM. Welsh Assaulted and Perhaps Rob.
bed Near Second and Main
Streets 10 Day Light.

CuIIou ucdI Gn0 corner OF second ana
Main streets Sunday afternoon, be-
tween the hours of $50 and o'clock
AS to whereabouts the robbery was
committed there is conflict of testi-
mony, but there is no doubt as to an
assault having been committed, as the
visible evidence settles this point.
According to the story VIM. Welsh
related to the reporter, he came to Man
kato Saturday evening, His home is at
at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. but he has been
working all the fall for Fred Seefeld, on
| the latter's farm near Mapleton. AT
about o'clock yesterday morning, he
formed'the acquaintance of Alf, Steltze1
and VIM. Webster, who had arrived the
evening before from Blue Earth, where
they had been working on the railroad
grading. Steltzers home is in st.
Peter, and Webster claims to hail from
Dublin, Iowa. They quit their job at
Blue Earth and were paid off Saturday.
After the three men had formed an
acquaintance yesterday, in front of a
North Front ssre1t saloon, Welsh says
that the ether two asked him to buy
them breakfast. as they were hungry
and had no money He paid for their
breakfast at Scheerschmidt's restaur.
int. and the three were together dur,
ing the remainder of the day. Welsh
played the part of good fellow" and
said that he would pay for pint bot.
tie of whisky if one could be procured.
Steltzer said he knew saloon where it
could be procured, even if this was
Mayor Curriers' town and everything
was supposed to be tightly sealed on
Sunday. He took fifty cents which
Welsh offered him and soon returned
with the amber liquor. Later, Welsh
paid for two more bottles that were
procured in the same manner and all
got to feeling pretty good.
Steltzer said that he needed money
and offered to sell his overcoat to Welsh
for So. Welsh says that he told Stelt-
zer that he did not have the money to
spare. Steltzer said that he was going
to sell the overcoat, anyway and Welsh
| told him that if that was the case he
would give 81 so for it The sale was
made on this basis, so Welsh states, and
he handed over the $3.50 and put on
the overcoat.
The overcoat transaction took place
along toward night An hour or SC
afterwards, Welsh says that he and his
companions went into an clubhouse back
of the Commercial House, and that
Steltzer knocked him down, kicked him
| in the face and took the overcoat from
him and also stole 81 from his pants
pocket. Welsh says that he did not
strike back. He was pretty drunk and
went to sleep. When he awoke, he re-
ported the matter to the police at $3.50
o'clock last night. He was able to
give good description of the parties,
and the police searched the city, with
the result that Officer Morrow found
both of them in Blatterman's saloon at
eight o'clock this morning, and locked
them up at the city hall, Welsh's eyes
were both blackened and swollen and
he had several bad cuts on his face. He
presented a hard looking sight. He
states that Webster did not take any
hand in the assault and robbery. He
had sixty cents in another pocket that
was not touched
Steltzer and Webster tell different
story from Welsh's. They say that
Welsh bought the overcoat for So and
paid only ST so. Steltzer spent 81
cents for two beds for last night, and
gave Welsh back one dollar and de-
manded his overcoat back. Welsh
struck Steltzer in the mouth, anC
Steltzer then threshed Welsh. The lat
ter took off the oyercoat of his own &C
cord and handed it back to Steltzer
No money was stolen from Welsh.
Steltzer and Webster say that the af
fair did not occur in the clubhouse, but
on the sidewalk on Second street neal
the hotel Steltzer says that a mar
whose name he does not know witness
ed the affair and told him that he die
right. On the other hand, it is claimed
that two railroad men witnessed the
fracas and will testify in behalf Of
| Welsh. Steltzer says that after the
affair was over he took Welsh into the
Commercial House. He got the money
back which he had paid for the two
beds. He said that he had no trouble
in procuring the liquor in saloons, and
that all were drunk, Welsh particu
larly so,
During the forenoon, Welsh swore
out warrant charging Steltzer .and
Webster with robbery in the first de
gree. The defendants were arraigneo
before Judge Shissler and waived an
examination. They were bound over tc
the next grand jury, which meets in
February, and in default of $500 bal
each they were taken to the county Jail
TT is evident that Webster can only