The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-05-20
Sheriff of Redwood County Traces
Couple to Mankato.
Hired Man Charged With Enticing Wife
and Stealing Team.
John Drochter and Mrs. John Staples
Are Sought After.
Believed TO Have Offered Team For
Sale in This City.
From Mondays Daily.


Sheriff Schueller of Redwood county
was in the city yesterday in search OF
John Drochter, who is alleged to have
stolen team of ponies, buggy and har-
ness there and to have eloped with the
wife of a farmer named John Staples
of Redwood county. The fact that this
man was wanted and had been seen in
the city by Chief Donahue has been men
toned by The Free Press.
According to the sheriff's statement,
John Dochter, aged 80, and fine speci-
men of man, as far as externals go,
applied for work at the farmhouse of
John Staples, situated some eight or
nine miles from the county seat, last
summer
Staples needed man at that time to
help him harvest and do other work
about the place, and Drochter made HIM
self generally useful and stayed for
weeks after the pressing need of farm
work had ceased. He then returned to
Minneapolis, where he had been EN-
ployed prior to going to Redwood Falls.
Staples is a well TODD farmer and
his wife, who was somewhat younger
than Drochter, also had as good an opin-
ion of the young man as Staples him
self held
The officer says that nothing was sus-
pected by Staples during the term of
Drochter's employment and when seed
ing and blowing time came around this
spring Drochter was again hired to help
the farmer.
When the work was finally done on
the farm and it was time for Drochter
to leave he made his preparations with
out attracting any suspicion from his
employer.
A week ago Saturday the hired man
hitched up team from the well-stocked
barns of Staples for the ostensible pur-
pose of driving Mrs. Staples and the
district school teacher as far as Redwood
Falls. The teacher was going to new
boarding place and Mrs. Staples told her
husband that she wished to do a little
shopping Of course the baby, about
six weeks old, went along with its moth
er. The teacher was taken to her des-
tination and then Drochter, Mrs. Staples,
the baby and the horses and wagon dis
appeared.
Staples waited long into the night for
his supper, and finally decided to go to
bed and leave the tardy ones to come
back when they chose. He of course
thought they would be safely back by
midnight at least, but when Sunday
came neither had returned.
The farmer was nearly Frustrated,
but could believe nothing wrong until
Thursday, when he reported the whole
matter to Schueller. The sheriff inn
mediately armed himself with warrant,
charging Drochter with horse stealing,
and started in pursuit of the man and
woman.
Saturday he followed their trail as far
as Mankato.
A man and woman answering to the
description of Drochter and Mrs. Sta
Piles, the latter accompanied by six
weeks old babe, drove into the city
Monday last with rig answering the
description of the stolen one. They Sc
cured room over Pearson & Peterson's
saloon registering as j. Miller and wife
They remained over night and left the
next day. The man endeavored to dis
pose of the team and buggy to Martin
Wiltgen and also to Harlan & Macbeth,
alleging that the season was too cold for
outdoor travelling, where one of the pas
sengers was a small baby and another
delicate woman. He told Mr. WiltgeR
that he would sell the entire outfit for
$40. Mr.. Wiltgen suspected that some
thing was wrong, as the price named was
so low, and refused to consider the of
fer. The man had no better luck with
Harlin & Macbeth. 1t is believed that
he headed for Minneapolis, and Sheriff
Schueller went there in search of the
couple.