The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-09
He FORCES and Passes Three
Checks, Each for $25.
Was Arrested at Lake Crystal,
While Going Home.
Makes Full Confession, and I'm
pIicates One Coxey.


A man giving the name of John BOyd
succeeded in passing a forged check fol
$25 on George Mitchell, brother of
Charles Mitchell, proprietor of the candy
kitchen, between six and seven O'Clock
last evening. The Mitcnells are Greeks
in spite of their name.
The check was written with lead pen
ell and was drawn on the Mankato
State bank and purported to be signed
by Charles Zimmerman. 1t was made
in favor of John Boyd, and endorsed
on the back by that name.
Charles Mitchell became suspicious
when he saw the check and hunted up
Mr.. Zimmerman and showed it to him
The cigar manufacturer at once pro.
nounced the check forgery. Then Mr.
Mitchell reported the matter to the
police, and search was started for the
man who passed the check. A fairly good
description was gotten of him. He is
said to have tried to pass the check ear
Ter in the day at Lorentz's saloon.
1t was nearly ten o'clock when the po
lice learned of the forgery and two
passenger trains had already left the
city. Certain parties who claimed to
know the man said that he had been
working in the city for about a month
at different jobs.
Chief Donahue learned that the party
suspected was named William Kopischke
and that his home was near Vernon Cen
ter. He also learned that he had taker
the p. m. train for Lake Crystal, or
his way home. He sent message te
Marshal Osten, who found the man in a
hotel and placed him under arrest. This
morning the marshal came to MankatC
with his prisoner and turned him oyel
to the police.
Kopischke confessed that he had passed
three forged checks, eoch for $25,yester
day afternoon and last evening, on bust
mes men of this city. The checks were
exact duplicates. The first one was pas
SEQ upon L. Salet, where the young mar
bought goods to the value of 81 so, get
ting the balance in cash. Then Kopischkt
passed one upon Henry Fricke, the NORTH
Front street shoe man, getting a pail
of $4 shoes and $2l in cash. Then HI
went to Mitchell's candy kitchen and
paid bill of 65 cents and took the bal
ance in cash. He bought the goods al
Salet's in the morning and had then
wrapped up and laid aside, saying that
he would not get his pay check from Mr.
Zimmerman until afternoon, to late tc
get the cash at the banks. When he
appeared with the check, Mr.. Salet
thought that it was all right, especially
as the young man had traded there be
fore, and the assistant, Max Wishnick
knew his parents to be good people.
Kopischke is eighteen years of age, ant
tan and muscular. He does not have
bad face. His father is Julius Kop
ischke and is we'll to do farmer living
in Vernon Center township. William
came to Mankato March 10th, and ha:
been working at different jobs most OF
the time since. He made his home with
his uncle, Charles Lehman, on South
Sixth street, and worked for him for a
time, and was then employed for &
time by W. X Buffham, and lately by
the Hayes-Lucas Lumber company, ac
cording to statements made by him. HI,
says that he was struck on the hea(
while working at the lumber yard a
week ago Thursday, and that since ther
he has had much headache and not felt
well, and has left like fighting somebody
ever since" He quit work at that time
The young man states that he form
ed the acquaintance of man namedCox
ey, and was with him considerably ant
| cashed check for him, which was al
right. Later, Coxey asked him to casf
a check for $40, which he foolishly did
This turned out to be forgery Som,
time ago he met Coxey at st. Peter ant
! threatened to have him arestted ant
then the man refunded him the money
and also gave him another check fo
$40, which he has not yet presented fo
payment. He says that Coxey told hin
how to forge checks and gave him a lis,
of names of Mankato people who arr
good and told him that owing to hi
ignorance nobody would prosecute him i
he was found out. Kopisehke was borl
and raised in Vernon Center, and hi
parents have lived there for twenty
| five years or more.
1t is said that the young man trie,
to pass another check for Is, but he say
! that he had but three blank checks, an,
that these were given to him by Coke,
when the later gave him the ST.
check. Kopischke admits that he wrot
out the checks, and said he used Mr.. Tim
merman'S name because it was on tn