The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-07-25
COOK ARRAIGNED.
He is Brought Back from Sioux
Falls.
Lays His Troubles to a Lack of Money
Collections not so Good as
Expected.

q Deputy Sheriff Albert Gerlich re
turned from Sioux Falls, S. D., on tn,
, 4 90 p. m. train yesterday, having
, W. D. Cook in custody. He PLACED
! his man in the county Jail.
. Cook was arraigned before Judge
, Shissler this morning on warrant
sworn out by Martin Wiltgen, charg.
ing him with the theft of horse and
buggy. His hearing was set for Aug.
I'd at 10 a. M, and his bail bond was
placed at $500. He was committed
back to Jail, and he does not know
whether he will be able to furnish a
bond.
W. e. Young appeared as Cook &
attorney.
Deputy Sheriff Gerlich states that
Cook ran out on several side linse on
the way to Sioux Falls, and it was
hard to keep track of him. He finally
located the man at the Phillips House
at Sioux Falls, where he had register
ed from Des Moines, Iowa, under his
own name. A little further down on
the register, assigned to the same
room, No. 9, appeared the name "Mrs.
Cook. -
Mr.. Gerlich got the sheriff of Min
nehaha county and then took charge of
Cook, who was at breakfast. This
was at 9 80 a. m. Cook at first de-
INJURED to coming back to Minnesota,
but. finally consented to accompany the
officer. He did not know that he was
wanted on any other charge thansskip-
ping his board bill at the Minneopa
House. When searched he had be-
tween So and 81, but COLLECTED. $S..that
man owed him, before. leaving Sioux
Falls. He told Mr.. Gerlich that if he
had come two hours later he would
not have found his man.
Amos Riley, proprietor of the Min
neopa House, had tall. with Cook
at the Jail on the latter's arrival there
yesterday afternoon. Cook handed him
$11 to apply on his account, after
some argument, and said that his
brother would send him enough to pay
the balance.
To Free Press reporter, Mr.. Cook
said that he had no intention to steal
the horse and buggy from MIR. Wilt
gen, nor to deprive Mr.. Riley of his
money. He had not attended strictly
to business since coming to Manksto,
on account of the carnival week, had
consumed considerable J2asE iq"fG for pictures
and picture frames as he had expected
to. 1t cost him ..$1S ito get the goods
from the Des Moines and Chicago
houses that he did business with, .as
they had been sent c. o. D. When he
went to make collections he found
some people. dissatisfied. and he did not
collect enough to pay his bills. $50
When he borrowed the $50 of Mr..
Riley to get his goods from the express
office, Mr.. Cook had expected to pay
him up Monday, out of the proceeds
of his collections. When he found
that he did not have enough to pay
his bills, he concluded to get out of
townS'at once, andssreturn the money to
Mr.. Riley later. He drove to st. Peter
and put the horse into livery barn
and went into drug store and wrote |
a note to Mr.. .Wiltgen informingshim
where his horse and buggy were.
MIR. Cook took the Omaha train to
Worthington. He sat in his seat in
Car as the train passed Through Man
kato, fearing that an officer would see
him, and was much relieved whensthe
car pulled sout. He had two picture
frames to deliver at Worthington, and
then went on to Sioux Falls. He
denies any knowledge of Mrs Cook,
further than that. her name was on the
hotel register.
Cook states that he was born in the
Indian Territory and that st. Louis
is az much his home as any other |
place. His mother lives in Washing |
ton, D. G. He is single man, and
has been in the picture business four
years. He is rather tall and is smooth
shaven and pleasant spoken.
Cook states that the report that
Church went with him is mistake.
While delivering his goods Monday,
Church hailed him and asked for
ride, and stayed with him two or
three hours, when he took the 8 p. m.
train for his home at Madelia. He
did not see Church again.
Mr.. Wiltgen received letter from
Cook Tuesday afternoon, sent from
st. Peter, saying that his horse and
buggy were at the Nicollet.. House barn
there, and that he could go and get
them.
Cook hired horse and buggy at
Geo. M. Phillips; livery barn on
Thursday or Friday, but did not call
for it.
Cook hopes to settle up his financial
difficulties and get clear. tits likiy
that he will be able to.settle. He
denies that he"was ever in Mankato
before, and denies that he.sever worked
graft" among the clergymen.