The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-04-08
Louis Moberg FouIIy Murdered by
Tramps in Freight Car.
SIayers Confess Their 0astardIy Crime
TO Mortified Officers.
Cold BIooded Deed Was Committed for
Purpose OF Robbery.
Act Near 0watonna Monday Night
Authorities Fast Work.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
The body of Louis Moberg, who was
murdered by tramps on freight train
near Owatonna Monday night, was
found in box car at the Minnesota
transfer at ten o'clock yesterday morn
ing.
The body lay sprawled in corner of
the car face upward, one hand thrust
deep in the right coat pocket, the other
raised before the breast in an attitude
of defense. The blood, which flowed from
the nose, formed a pool in which the
head rested. There were signs of a
struggle in the dust which carpeted the
floor of the car.
The car carrying the CHASTITY freight
was located by the Rock Island officials
and held by the transfer officials until
Coroner Miller arrived, when the body
was removed to the county morgue.
Moberg was evidently an intermittent
laborer, working for a short time in one
place to accumulate sufficient money to
move to the next. When killed he was
on his way back to Minneapolis, where,
from addresses in note book in his
pockets, he had evidently worked at
one time for Smell & Dudley, lO5h
Washington avenue north, and at an
other, for Winston Brothers, contractors.
Several entries bore the dates of August
and September
That he was used to the peculiar
style of travelling which led him to his
death was shown from articles found on
his person. A bag of coffee, two loaves
of bread and some salt formed his COM
missary. A razor, comb and other neces-
sary articles, together with several news
papers, made up the rest of his travelling
kit. He wore wrought silver ring on
the right hand.
His money, SO cents in small coins,
was found in tobacco sack in the pock-
ket of his shirt.
The murder of Moberg was a cold
blooded affair following upon an attempt
at robbery. There were four men in the
car with the victim at the time. Joe
Lewis, aged seventeen, and Alexander
Stewart, aged fifteen, are under arrest
at Northfeld, charged with the
crime, and William st. Martin and Aus
tin Driscoll are detained as witnesses.
The men boarded a train at Albert
Lea, according to story told by Dris-
coll and st. Martin. The witnesses were
in the car ahead of Lewis and Stewart
and their victim. As the train neared
Owatonna the boys demanded that Mo-
berg hand over his money. He was
about to comply when one of the boys
struck him over the head with the butt
of his revolver. The other man fired
as Moberg reeled, striking him in the
back of his head. They then robbed the
body. Driscoll and st. Martin jumped
from the train about a mile north of
Owatonna, walked back and reported the
murder. The boys were arrested at
Mortified. ST. Martin said that the
murderers said that they would throw the
body from the train after it left Owa-
tonna but evidently changed their
minds.
The sheriff at Mortified stated yes
terdady that one of the murderers con-
fessed the killing, but refused to say
what they had done with the body. Par
ties from Owatonna were sent out yes
terday morning to search the right of
way for the body.
Joe Lewis gave his home as Texas,
but said he had been working in nur-
sery near Albert Lea. Stewart gives ST.
Louis as his home. Driscoll comes from
Sac City, and st. Martin from Fari-
bault.
Moberg was evidently about thirty
five years of age, medium height and
weight, and evidently Scandinavian.
His clothes were worn and ragged and of
inferior quality. He wore small over
coat of dark material. His eyes were
light, hair sandy and stubby mustache
covered his lip.
Moberg was a laborer of Scandinavian
birth, and had lived in Minneapolis when
not engaged in railroad construction
work. He is said to have made his home
for time at sol Washington avenue
north, at lodging house formerly con-
Quoted by William Harris. Harris re-
Gently sold out the place and could not
be found yesterday. The new landlord
knew nothing of Moberg, having had pos
session but three or four weeks.
Moberg was well known at. the office
of Winston Bros, railroad contractors.
He had worked for the firm on number
of jobs, and was regarded as good
worker, and temperate. Little is known
of his history, but it is not believed he
was a married man.
Confesses the Crime.
Mortified, Mimi, April 6.-The men
arrested here Monday night for the muir,
der of an unidentified tramp at Owa'