The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-04
BULLET CUT OUT.
Thos. Hills or Hughes is Now
= 81 - mat He Was Robbed
and Shot, and Gives More
Particulars.

Thos. Hughes or rather Hills as his
name seems to be, the man who was
found close to Front street Wednesday
morning badly wounded, is still alive,
and stands chance of recovering. He
revived considerably yesterday and last
night. and was able to sit up a little
this morning.
DR.. Davis assisted by DR. Hielscher,
extracted the bullet from Hills body
this morning at about nine o'clock The
bullet was found to have almost passed
entirely through the mans body, 1t
entered the muscular tissue covering
the heart, passed downward without
touching the lungs, and lodged about
one inch and half to the left of the
spinal column at the small of
the back, and so near the sur
face as to make a bunch and
swelling. The bullet was easily cut
out on the mans back, near the twelfth
rib It was little fattened on one
side, as though it had struck rib and
been DETECTED downward.
DR.. Davis states that Hills had some
fever this morning. His case is very
serious one at best, and the chances are
strongly against his recovery, but still
he may get well. The physician does
not venture decided opinion. Hills
slept today under the influence of
opiates.
A Free Press reporter had another
interview with Hills this forenoon.
Hills stated that he is Hungarian by
birth, that his father is dead and that
his mother is living in the old country.
He has no relatives in this country and
speaks brokenly and with difficulty. He
said that he was in Joliet. Ill, for two
weeks recently, and that he went from
there to Chicago, and came to Mankato
Monday in search of work on the rail
road grading. He did not succeed in
obtaining work, and in order to make
his small amount of money last he slept
out of doors and took his meals at
restaurants. He told the same story as
to his being robbed that he told yester-
day, and the majority of the officials
are convinced that he is telling the
truth in regard to it.
Mrs. Stenfast, who resides in Dukes
addition, and who speaks Hungarian,
was taken to the hospital during the
forenoon by Chief Bruels, Coroner Ken
nedy and attorney Evan Hughes, in the
expectation that she could learn from
from him more about the shooting.
Hills was glad to see one of his nation
atty and talked quite freely with the
| lady, who translated the conversation
to the officers.
The wounded man told Mrs. Stenfast
that his name is Thomas Hills and that
he is 81 years years old. He said that
he went to sleep under tree Wednes-
day night, and that about 100 a, m.
two men awakened him, robbed him of
| four dollars and shot him. He said
| that the men were about his size, and
| that one had black mustache while
the other was smooth shaved He had
seen the men before but did not know
who they were. They had been follow
ing him. He had seen them first in
Cambria where he had applied for,
work on the railroad. He said that he
was with party of eight men in Cam
bria Sunday, but the two men were
not with the party, as nearly as could
be understood. He said that he had
no revolver himself.
The police have not learned anything
new in regard to the matter, but are
waiting for Hills to recover enough to
give better description of his assail-
ants. Mrs. Stenfast stated that from
her talk with Hills she is convinced that
he was shot by parties other than him
self.