The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-05-31
WILSON is GAME.
Declares He Did Not Steal Horses
inIOwa.
Arrives in Town on Horse Back and is
Arrested by Sheriff GerIich on
Suspicion.

the county Jail awaiting ldentlhcatlon
as the person who is alleged to have
stolen two horses in O'Brien county,
Iowa. Sheriff Gerlich arrested him
in the Opera cafe saloon at O'Clock
Monday evening, an hour after he
had ridden into the city on horseback.
At eight O'Clock in the evening Sheriff
Gerlich received telephone message
from the deputy sheriff at Winnebago
City-asking him to arrest small man
wearing a red sweater, : blue !. oyeralls
and small cap, :. who. had black
mare, weighing 1,300 pounds. Mr.
Gerlich at once telephoned to the vari-
Gus livery barns and asked whether a
horse answering the description had
been stabbed in any of them. He was
informed in the negativ'. A short
time later, Martin Wiltgen telephoned
to him that he had seen a man on
horseback enter Gates Philips barn a
few moments before, and that both
answered the description.
Sheriff Gerlich went to the Phillips
barn and looked at the horse. as. Then,
accompanied by Monte Throdahl to
identify the rider, he started for the
place that the man had made for. Mr..
Throdahl pointed out the man to the
sheriff in the Opera cafe, and the ar
rest was made. The man gave his
name as W. E. Wilson and denied hav-
ing stolen the horse. Wilson is a
small man, twenty-seven years old,
and wore blue overalls and small cap
when he came into the city, but quick
Iy removed the overhalls and purchased
a hat When searched, he had S.. So
on his person.
Sheriff Gerlich at once notified the
sheriff of Jackson county, who had
sent word to the Winnebago City de-
putty. He also tried to notify the
O'Brien county sheriff at Primgar,
Iowa The Jackson county sheriff re-
piled that he would arrive for the man
today 1t is claimed that two horses
were stolen from O'Brien county, and
that the thief leftssone on the other side
Of Fairmont.
Wilson stopped at Good Thunder for
dinner Monday and stabbed the horse
with Mr. Weir, the liveryman. Mr..
Weir directed him to go to Martin
Wiltgen's barn in this city. and then
telephoned to Mr. Wiltgen that he be-
heved that the horse was stolen. Mr..
Wiltgen was on the lookout for the
horse.
Wilson was seen at the county Jail
Tuesday by Free Press reporter
and spoke freely of himself and his
actions. Hesdenied that he had stolen
this or any other horse or that he had
ever gotten into any trouble. He said
that he was born in Illinois and that
for the past five. to eight years he had
worked on the farms of his brothers,
Joe and Morris Wilson, several miles
from Ellis. His brothers have lived
there for sixteen years and are known
at Ellis and Sioux Falls.
Wilson said that he had left his
brothers farms week ago, intending
to ride across country to Randolph,
Mimi, near which place he has a
brother, Vim. Wilson, and an uncle,
J. Wagner, who are farmers and have
resided there for eleven years. He
reached Sherburn Saturday afternoon
and had supper at a restaurant. Sun
day he was at Truman, and reached
Good Thunder last evening. He rode
into Mankato at eight o'clock last eve
ming. but could not remember the
name of the livery man to whom Mr..
Weir had directed him. The first barn
he went to he could not get in, and
the next one he found was Phillips.
Wilson said that the mare was his
own property, and had been raised on
his brothers farm He considered
her worth S125. 1t was his intention
to sell her if he got good price,
otherwise to keep her. He said that
he had never been in Iowa. He would
demand requisition papers in case the
sheriff of O'Brien county or the owner
of the stolen horses was unable to
identify him. He said that it had been
his intention to ride on toward Ran
dolph this morning. He would now
await developments and see what was
to be done.
Wilson tells what appears to be a
straight story, and if he is deceiving,
he is consummate student of the art.
Sheriff Dunn of Jackson arrived
Tuesday and wanted the prisoner,
but as he had no warrant, Sheriff Ger
Itch refused to turn the man over to
him. He has been working on the
case for several days.
Deputy Sheriff o. S. Morgan OF
Primgar, Iowa, also arrived the same
day, having learned at Winnebagc
City of the arrest He had traced Will
son as far as Welcome and there lost
the trail. He states that last Wednes-
day night matched team was stolen
from farmer named W. w. Dali
madge, who lives eight miles from
Primgar. The other horse was left
near Fairmont by the thief. He iden-
titled the mare in G. Ct. Phillips
barn at once, having seen her often
for five years past. He believes that
Wilson is the right party wanted he
has sent for requisition papers, and
as soon as they arrive he will take