The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-12-25
Holdup Committed in West Mankato
Early Last Evening.
Bandit, With Revolver, Goes Through
Victims Pockets.
Ernest Heitnar of Rapidan Loses $28
and Family Stores.
From Fridays Daily.

\ bold highway robbery was perpe-
trated in West Man&ato last evening,
the victim being Ernest Heitnar, a
Rapidan farmer. The robbery vas COM
mitted by four young men, and was exc
cuted in true dime novel style.
Mr.. Heitnar came to the city yester
day with a load of dressed hogs, seven in
number, and sold them to Wagon Bros.
for $43.35, receiving the money in cash,
He also collected bill of SIS, and had
SIS with him when he came to the city.
He made few small purchases, and
started for home between six and seven
o'clock
As Mr. Heitnar drove along West
Front street, when he got where the
foot path comes down from the West
NIankato school, about half way be-
tween Chas. Hallman's store and Aid.
Roemer's residence, he noticed four
young men standing in the road short
distance ahead of him. He paid 40 at
tention to them until he came to where
they were standing, and then one of
them suddenly seized the bit of one of
his horses. He asked what was want
ed, and then one of the men climbed in
to his wagon and pointed a revolver at
his face and said: "Give me your
money!" The other two stood On each
side of the wagon.
As the revolver was close to Mr.. Heit-
mars nose, he could do nothing but give
up his money. The young hignwayman
who was in the wagon with him held the
revolver to his head with one hand
while he went through his victims poe
kets with the other. The two trows-
ers pockets and vest pockets were search
ed and one of the former yielded up a
leather wallet containing $2S and some
cents. The string was fastened around
the wallet, keeping it closed, and the
bandit uttered an oath as he tried to
unfasten it. Succeeding in this, he
poured the contents out into the hand
that held the revolver. The mony con-
sisted of two SO bills and eight silver
dollars and the small change. The pack
ages in the wagon, including some meat,
were also taken, but these represented
a value of only seventy-fve cents.
The robbers then climbed out If the
wagon and all four climbed the hill to
the east of the road. while Mr.. Heitnar
drove nome, too frightened to think oe
stopping at Mr.. Roemer's or elsewhere
to telephone what had occurred to the
police. When he reached Rapidan sta
ton he vert into the store and had Mr..
just call up the police station and sher-
ifs office and tell what had happened.-
Mr.. Heitnar had $50 in bills in his hip
pocket, which was overlooked by the
highway. He had placed this money
there at the suggestion of Mr.. Wagon,
otherwise he would have suffered a
heavier loss.
Deputy Sheriff Gerlach went to Rapi-
dan this morning and returned with
Mr.. Heitnar, in order that personal
talk might be had with him by the coun-
ty and city officials. He regretted the
publicity that the affair had caused, and
said that if he had known how much talk
it would create he would have told no
one As it was, his Christmas money
was gone. He was unable to give any
description of the men who held him up,
except that they seemed to be young
men, hardly of age. The one who held
the horses was short and thick set. He
did not remember the kind of clothing
worn.
Mr. Heitnar has lived in the county for
fifteen years, and is known as an non
est and reliable man, and no one doubts
the accuracy of his statements. He has
a forty acre farm close to Rapidan sta
ton. His friends regret his loss, and
hope that the officer will succeed in To-
eating the robbers, who are undoubted-
ly home talent who have been reading
dime novels.
The robbery was a bold one and every
effort will no doubt be made to round
up the gang.