The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-04-08
MURDER IN FREIGHT CAR
Horrible Tragedy Occurs. Near City of
0watenna Last Evening.
Men Suspected of the Infamous Deed
Are Under Arrest.
Robbery the Motive EvidentIy--.Who
Was the Victim?
Quick Work OF Officers After Learn.
Quick Work OF Officers After Learn.
ing of the Affair.
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Owatonna, Mimi, April o.-One of
the most mysterious murders ever GEM
mitted in southwestern Minnesota oc-
CURED last evening about six o'clock in
box car of freight train on the Rock
Island railroad, as the train was near
ing this city.
The names of the victim and his slay
er are unknown, though it is learned that
man supposed to be the murderer has
been captured and is now confined in the
Mortified jail
The murder was revealed to the au-
thorities here by two of the five men
who were in the box car when it occur
red.
After the murder, two of the five men
who occupied the car jumped and ran
among the cars in the yards here. They
concealed themselves until the train pull
ed out, when they again boarded it, 60
ing northward. Two others who occu-
pied the car, terrified by the tragic turn
of affairs, left the train and informed the
authorities here of what had happen
ed. Communication was secured with
Mortified, where instructions were given
to the authorities to capture the couple,
if possible.
In speaking of the case Deputy Sheriff
Frank Finley of this town said:
at was about six o'clock that two
young fellows entered the office of the
chief of police here and told him that a
man had been murdered in box car on
the Rock Island freight train that had
just pulled out of the station on its way
to Mortified. The story told by these
two eye-witnesses was straightforward.
"They said that there were five of
them in the car, all beating their way
to Minneapolis. None of the occupants
of the car were acquainted with the muir
dered man. AS the train was nearing this
city, it was learned by one of the quin
tet that the victim of the crime had con-
siderable money on his person.
"One of the men made motion for
him, which was resented. The next mo-
ment, this same man whipped out re-
volver from his hip pocket, pushed it be-
fore the mans temple and fired, killing
the man almost instantly.
"As the train slowed down the muir
derer and his pal jumped from the car
and made their way to the yards, where
they lay concealed while the train was
supplied with water at the tank, near the
station The train remained here four
minutes and then put out for North
field. The two men again boarded the
car. Their story appears plausible"
A searching party of sheriff and depu-
ties and newspaper men went out look
ing for the body of the murdered man,
who is supposed to have been pushed off
the car somewhere between this place
and Mortified, where the supposed muir
derer and his pal were captured. We are
holding, for witnesses, the two men who
gave out the information. Their names
are William st. Martin, who is about
twenty years of age, and says that he is
from Kansas City. The other man is
Oscar Driscoll, who is about twenty-five
years of age, and gives his place of resi-
dence as Sioux City, Ia"
Rounded Up at Mortified.
Northfield, Mimi, April 5.-Two un-
known men were captured here last
night, following instructions from Owa-
tonna. where one of the worst crimes in
the history Of Steel county was COM
emitted
1t is believed here that one of the men
now lodged in the county jail is the al
legged Owatonna murderer.
Charles E. Church, local manager of
the Northwestern Telephone company,
describes the capture of the two men as
follows:
at was about eight o'clock that Owa-
tonna telephoned US to meet the Rock Is
land freight train and arrest two men
to be aboard the train. Descriptions OF
the men were given by the Owatonna au-
thorities.
Together with the deputy sheriff
went to the station and found that the
train had left.
GAS we entered the front door OF the
station we noticed two young men 60
ing out the side door. We followed, stop
ped them, and when we saw that they
answered the description sent us, tolo
them that we would have to place then
under arrest for the murder at Ovation
ma.
"They denied all knowledge of the at
fair. but their stories do not hang to-
gether, and it is my belief that these
men are the guilty parties.
Some of the men made peculiar mo