The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-08-19
He Stood in With a Farmer
Who saw things"
Supposed to Have Realized Ihir-
teen Hundred Dollars.
Friends of Unbalanced Man Get
On to the Game.
From Mondays Daily.


One of the most interesting games of
extortion that has been perpetrated upon
a resident of this county, came to light
Thursday. The names of the parties are
withheld for obvious reasons, but TIE
facts are interesting nevertheless. A
well to- do farmer in the town of Milford
has been known for years to harbor the
idea that some unknown party was fol-
lowing him around with the intention to
take his life. This was merely an idea
of the individual, as it is TO: known
that he has an enemy in the vicinity. The
neighbors have been disturbed several
times by his hallucina lions, one party
escaping only with his l;fe. The vicinity
is not a desirable one on this account
and several residents have disposed of
their interests and moved elsewhere, says
The Brown County Journal.
The Twin City detective in question.
and who has figured very prominently in
several cases in this and adjoining coun-
ties, got an inkling of the fact that the
man in question was afraid OF his life,
and thought this would be an ideal
chance to make a piece of money. He pro-
ceeded to operate at once, driving ont to
the farmers home and telling him .hat
for several hundred dollars paid on the
spot that he would round UP lie .n,iivid-
ual, that was after him and secure evil
dence against him. The detective even
went so far as to take one of his accom-
plices from this city out to the home
of the incredulous party AMI had him
state that if the supposed offending indi-
vidual was caught md convicted he could
bring damage suit against him for ST.
600. This looked good, and he dug up at
regular intervals to the detective, in all
it is supposed between $1,000 and 81 800.
The banks of this city were informed
of the game of the graft being worked
and refused the duped man any more
money, knowing that it was simply n
case of extortion. At one OF the banks
he was told that he co:ll1 not secure
money to pay the detective. He had an
appointment with the Twin City detec-
tive Thursday, to give him another
bunch of money, but being unable t., Sc
cure it he failed to appear in town at
the appointed time. The detective then
secured a rig and engaged a nan to go
out to his farm, and bring the duped man
to New Ulm in the evening, but several
parties in this city, who knew that the
graft was being worked, got him away
from the detective and kept him for the
remainder of the evening The detective
made himself scarce after he became
aware that his game was exposed. The
friends of the duped man expect to have
him examined in the probate court with
in few days and have guardian APP
pointed to take charge of his affairs. 1t
is not known what course will be pur-
sued. If he can prove that he acted in
good faith in the case, he will not come
under the bane of the law. The neigh
bors of the duped man, when they OBJ
served that the detective was making
SO many trips to the home of the derang
ed individual became curious, and it is
through them that the deal has leaked
out.