The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-12-16
Alleged Forger Is Taken to
Eau Claire, Wis.
From Saturdays Daily.


William Drews was arrested last night
in Minneapolis and was taken to Eau
Claire, Wis, to answer to the charge
of forgery. Drews is the man whom
Chief Donahue had in custody last
Sunday, but whom he released, as he did
not answer the description of the man
wanted Drews made Mankato his home
for three or four weeks, having posi-
tion in George Dumbeck's dye and
clothes cleaning house on Hickory street.
He devoted good part of his spare
time to women.
Drews is charged with having passed
a forged check for $2S.75 at Eau Claire,
and the officers have found other checks
which they say he passed. He did not
undertake any of this work in Mankato.
When he skipped out last Monday morn
ing he went to Minneapolis, but sue
ceeded in evading the officers until last
night.
The Minneapolis Tribune gives the
following account of the arrest of
Drews:
With the date set for his wedding only
a few hours off, William Dressler, or
Drews, was yesterday arrested for Eau
Claire, Wis, authorities and is now in
the Central police station.
Kate Curtis, of Mankato, his promised
bride, is in the city hoping against hope
that her sweetheart will be released. She
is heartbroken and her sorrow has been
made greater over the refusal of Cen
trail police station officers to let her see
and talk to the man whom she had prom
Used to wed.
Dressler in the meantime, although
cursing his luck, maintains that he will
some day wed the woman he had wooed
and won. He asserts that as soon as he
is released he and she will walk to the
altar together. She is just as determ-
ined. The fact that he has been arrest
ed on serious charge and for some time
may be confined in prison does not weak
en- her love for him. Instead, she seems
to have became more attached to him
than ever.
Dressler was arrested yesterday by
Detectives Helm, Hansen and Johnson
upon orders from Eau Claire, where it is
alleged he wrote checks on banks in
which he had no funds.
Dressler, or Drew as his name may be,
was once proprietor of dye house at
Eau Claire. He was prosperous and the
future looked bright. Then began his
downfall. Several girls whom he employ
ed began to steal from him systematic
cally, taking money from time to time
that belonged to him, until finally his
bank accounts were all gone.
He went into bankruptcy and decided
to leave Eau Claire. Before doing so,
however, it is alleged that he wrote a
number of checks which two girls, with
whom he had become intimate, cashed.
With good sized sum in his possession
he with the two girls started on trip
of enjoyment. They went to many places
in Minnesota and to many cities in sur
rounding states. Finally Dressler rid
ded himself of the two and went to
Mankato alone. There he determined to
settle down and start life anew.
He met Kate Curtis, a girl of promi-
net family, wooed and won her. His
hopes of happy future were about to
be realized when he was arrested in
Mankato for Eau Claire officers. For
some reason he was released. His
sweetheart stuck to him through his
trouble and yesterday they. came to
Minneapolis to be married. They had
been in Minneapolis only few hours
when the detectives got on his trail and
arrested him just as he and the girl
were preparing to be married.
Dressler will be taken to Eau Claire
to answer the charges against him. Miss
Curtis assert that he will follow him
and help him fight his battles. The fact
that he is now in jail and in disgrace
does not seem to lessen her love for
him.
The Curtis girl formerly resided in
Mankato. She bears an excellent reputa-
ton.