The Mankato free press., 1904-01-15
upon the regular police force twenty fly

upon the regular police force twenty five
years ago, but at that time he had al
ready served three years as a special or
merchant police. He remained upon the
force until the time of his death.
During the Sioux Indian outbreak, Mr..
Kelly entered the volunteers and went
through one of the most arduous cam
paigns that soldiers are ever called upon
to go through. The command that he
served under drove the unruly Sioux
far up into North Dakota, which was
then trackless prairie, desolate and un-
inviting. 1t was in the middle of winter,
and the troops suffered intensely. Mr..
Kelly made vow that if he ever got
out of that country alive he would never
be induced to enter it again, and he never
broke that vow.
In the early part of the campaign, in
crossing the Big Sioux river, his wagon
became overturned, and its load of bar
rels of flour went to the bottom. He
stood waist deep in the water, but he
succeeded in righting the wagon, and
then he lifted the barrels of flour back
into the wagon unassisted.
In his younger days, the deceased was
a giant in strength. He thought nothing
of lifting weights that other men could
not move. He would take barrel of
alcohol, weighing four hundred pounds,
and lift it from the floor to the
counter
While special policeman, he had
charge of the Younger brothers when
they passed through the city after their
capture near Madelia, after the North
field robbery.
It was as a member of the regular
police force of the city that Mr.. Kelly
was known best to our citizens, and he
served the city long and faithfully. He
was during his later years one of the
oldest policemen in actual service in the
country, but his age did not lessen the
value of his service, as his powers of
,, endurance were strong and he was able
to handle anyone whom he undertook to
arrest
The deceased was possessed of splendid
Judgment as an officer. He was willing
to carry out any duty that offered itself
and never shirked his share of the work
He was never sick or absent, and never
had doctor or sick day until his final
illness. He was an inveterate smoker
but avoided stimulants.
While on the police force, Mr.. Kelly
made some of the most daring arrests
that were ever made in this section OF
the country. He was absolutely fearless
and revolver in a desperado's hand had
no terrors for him. He arrested des-
perate men who with drawn revolvers
defed anyone to attempt to take them
What was more dangerous, he captured
insane men who were fourishing re-
volvers and stood ready to shoot the
first one to approach. To do this he had
to match his brain and strategy against
/ their cunning.
! Perhaps the most daring feat which he
| ever accomplished was the arrest single
handed of eighteen tramps and desper-
ADDE'S who had taken possession of a
| freight train and come to the city. They
were reported to be in a car breaking
open boxes. Officer Kelly responded and
although it was dark entered the car and
rounded up the entire gang. He marched
/ them to the city hall, but as there were
not enough cells to hold them all he
! locked them in the building. One OF
/ them wanted some tobacco, and he prom
! ised to get some. Calling another officer
/ to keep guard at the door, he went to
his house block or so away to get the
tobacco. He had no sooner reached home
than he heard the other officer shouting
for him. Looking back, he saw that the
prisoners had broken the door and were
all filing down Front street.
! Officer Kelly hastened back and at
tempted to arrest the bunch again, when
the leader, desperate character known
as Mississippi Red," who was after
wards killed by Detective Hoy in Mime
apolis, attacked him. Mr.. Kelly hauled
! off and struck the fellow down with his
walking stick, and while he lay there on
the ground unconscious the officer cor
raled the remainder of the gang and
locked them up. Then he went back and
got the still prostrate leader.
! On another occasion, the intrepid off
fcer located crook in the second story
of barn. The fellow lay on the floor
at the hole by which the loft was reached
and pointed revolver down and warned
, the officer not to come UP. Mr.. Kelly
disregarded the gun and went up into
the loft, and as he did so the man beat
a retreat and went down hay chute,