The Mankato free press., 1903-11-20
Ryan, Lavigne, Hicks and Richards Go
to State Reformatory.
Ryan Served in Porto Rico and the
Philippine Islands.
6oeriz Pleads Not Guilty to the Sec
ond Indictment
The Plaintiff Gets Verdict in the
Ebony Case.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
Four prisoners received their sentences
in the district court this afternoon, all
going to the state reformatory. Sheriff
Williams will take them to st. Cloud
as soon as the necessary papers can be
made out.
B. NJ. Ryan, who pleaded guilty to the
charge of forgery in the second degree,
told the court that he was twenty-five
years of age, and that his parents live
at Monmouth, Ill. He had no trade, but
had helped at blacksmithing for couple
of years.
A. II. Lossow spoke in behalf of Ryan,
and read a letter from his brother, say
ing that their mother was in poor health.
Ryan had served in company 81, Illinois
National Guard, in Porto Rico, and after
that in company L, thirty-second United
States volunteers, in the Philippines,
where be contracted fever and other dis
eases, and his health had been shat
tered. He was honorably discharged from
both companies. Mr.. Lossow said that
Ryan admits that he. deserves punish
ment, but had asked not to be sent to
prison, owing to the stigma.
The court said that the offense was
one of the most serious known to the
criminal law. as it involves premedia-
ton and planning, and serious criminal
intent. On account of the defendants age
and his willingness to come into: court and
plead guilty on the first impulse, he had
considered his request entitled to seri-
Gus consideration. He sentenced. him to
the state reformatory at st. Cloud for an
indefinite period. -
Joseph Lavinge told the court that he
was eighteen years of age, that he was
born at Montreal, Canada, and that his
parents are dead. He was adopted by a
Mrs. Sherman, who did sewing and wash
ing, and taken to Chicago, where she
died two years later. He then lived in
the newsboys' home in Chicago for five
years and sold papers and blacked shoes.
He went to Madison, s. D., and was a
bootblack there for year, and then he
worked in the fence gang. on railroad
near the North Dakota line. He went to
Minneapolis and met the other two and
started out to sell silver polish.
Leo Hicks said that he is eighteen
years old, and that his parents are dead.
He was born at Slayton, Mo-, and has
sister, Mrs. Carrie Bohannon, living at
Marshall, Mo. His. father was farmer.
he had worked as bell boy in hotels in
several cities, and also in restaurants in
Indian Territory.
VIM. Richards said that he is eighteen
years old and his father is dead. His
fathers name was Nicholson, and his
step father Richards, and he had always
supposed that Richards was his own
name. He left home a year ago to see
the world and had gone to the Pacific
coast and back, working very little. He
met the other two in Minneapolis. All
three said that they had beaten their
way around the country on the rail
roads.
w. A. Plymat spoke on behalf of each
one of the three boys, saying that they
had never been arrested before, so far
as he knew, and had given satisfaction
where they had worked. The amount
stolen from the farm house that they had
robbed was valued at about $40. They
had found no one at home and the win
dow open. and had entered.
The three had pleaded guilty to the
charge of grand larceny in the second de-
gree in burglarizing Ellsworth Flem-
ming's house in Vernon Center. township.
The court sentenced each to the state re-
formatory at st. Cloud for an indefinite
period, and said that he had conclud-
ed to send them there because of their
age, and because they needed to learn
habits of industry.
Abraham F. Goertz was brought into
court to plead to the second indictment
against him, charging him with forgery
in the second degree in connection with
the Sl0.5O check which he had passed at
Frank J. Mettler's saloon. His attor-
new. Fl. L. Schmitt, entered plea for
him that he claimed abatement because
this was the second Indictment for the
same offense and he had been compelled
10 plead to the other. He also entered
a plea of not guilty. The court said he
would hear arguments on the question OF
the abatement later.
The case of W. M. .Achenbach vs.. Geo
Lang has been settled and dismissed.
The suit of VIM. E. Klaus VS.. Gustav
Koplin went to trial this forenoon.
Charles Thompson of Amboy is attorney
for the plaintiff and B. G. Reynolds of
Winnebago City is attorney for the de-