The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-04-25
ATTEMPTED ARSON
Effort Made to Burn Out VIM.
Liebrecht.
Fires Started Last Night at the Front
and Back Doors of the House
He Occupies.

VIM. Liebrecht and his wife are still
being pursued by their unknown but
cowardly enemy, who Wednesday at
tempted to burn them in their home.
Liebrecht and wife occupy the second
floor of the house at 700 North Second
street, the first floor of which is oc-
cupied by the owner, Mr.. Hoeffer and
wife, and Hoeffer's son and wife.
Frank Bienapf, Jr., discovered the
front and rear of the house on fire at
eleven o'clock last night, and turned
in an alarm from box IL, which soon
brought the fire department to the
scene. The two fires were quickly ex-
tinguished, and the building did not
suffer much damage.
That deliberate attempt was made
to burn the house and imprison the
inmates in fire and smoke is evident.
Pieces of partly burned waste were
found at the front and rear doors, and
had been used to start the fires. 1t
seems to have been the intention of
the party starting the fires to have
had both entrances and stairways on
fire and thus shut off escape for the
second story occupants.
A night was chosen for the devilish
work when everything was favorable.
A high wind was prevailing, and the
night was dark. Had the fire gotten
under good Roadway it would have
burned rapidly.
The house is on the east side of the
street, and fire was started at the
front entrance door, where the wind
would sweep the fire and smoke
through the house. The bottom of the
door was burned through and the
threshold and hall floor were on fire
when Mr.. Bienaph happened along.
The other fire was started at the door
of frame shed in the rear of the
house, but had not done much damage
when discovered.
The police were notified and made an
Investigation of the premises, but
could find no clue to work upon.
Liebrecht is the young man who
during the winter married Miss Emma
Hawell, whose mothers house was
burned down in the fall by some party
who wished to prevent the young
people from marrying. A number of
threatening and abusive letters and
notes, written in German, were tack
ed on trees in the vicinity of the
Hawell and Liebrecht homes after
that
After Liebrecht and Miss HawelI
had been married and were living in a
house on North Fourth street, some
one threw stones through the windows
one night during the latter part of the
winter. Matters have been quiet since
then until Wednesday.
Members of the Hoeffer family say
that they heard noise around the
house at 10 80 O. clock, and that after
that Liebrecht went down stairs and
out into the yard and looked around,
but saw no one and went back up
stairs. A short time later the fires
were discovered. Liebrecht denied to
the police that he went down stairs
and out of doors. The police believe
that he is badly frightened, as no
doubt many others would be if in his
situation. He claims that he Goes not
know whom to suspicion, but the
police think that fright again prevents
him from speaking out his mind.
The situation is serious one, from
whatever point it is looked at, and nc
effort should be neglected to bring
the guilty to punishment. The au-
thorities would be justified in offering
reward if necessary, for evidence
leading to the conviction of the guilty
party or parties. 1t ought not to be
the case that any reputable citizen.
no matter how high or humble, cannot
retire at night in safety, but must be
bounded by some lurking foe, who
would vent his spite under cover of
darkness.