The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-16

if of Renville telephoned Sheriff Chris
Jensen that a party with white team
was under arrest at Renville, charged
with obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. The sheriff 'phoned Mr.. Revall to
meet him at the depot and 60 with him
to Renyille that night, having in his poe
ket warrant for the mans arrest, if
he proved to be wanted. The team was
identified.
Meanwhile suspicious transaction
was going ON at Renville at the hands of
the village marshal and local justice
which caused some apprehension by the
mayor and other citizens. Two days
previous Shomperlen had been arrested
by the Renville marshal on the charge of
CARRYING concealed weapons, and upon
hearing was fined $23, which he paid
ind was discharged. The suspicious cir
cumstance was that this hearing was be-
hind the locked doors of the justices
court, and in the presence of only the
marshall and the justice.
Upon the prisoners release he left
town, but had got only as far as Sacred
Heart when he was again arrested, this
time by constable OF Renville village
IN the charge of obtaining money under
false pretenses. This arrest was insti.
gated by two men namels Smith and
Hopman, who had bought ac-ses and
buggies of Schomperlcn at ridiculously
low prices, and were apparently uneasy
regarding the transaction.
The arrival of Sheriff Christensen III
he early morning found~ the prisoner
in cell, surrounded by the sheriff, mar
shall and a miscellaneous gathering OF
men, who were loud in denouncing the
nan. Christensen counseled moderation
md expressed sympathy for the prison
er in manner that won his confidence.
Soon the sheriff and marshal and 9TH
ers left for breakfast, and two men were
left to guard the prisoner. The sheriff
persuaded these men to leave him alone
with the man, and in a short time he
lured from him all the details of three
horse stealing exploits. the location and
names of the owners. Later he was dis
charged, when Christensen arrested him
10 o,,f 60, 10, linz, fha Hin q Il
team, and took him to Marshall. At a
hearing before Justice Wakeman he
waived examination. was bound over to
the district court.
The suspicious transaction by the
marshal and justice of the village OF
Renville, the hearing on a trumped -uI
charge of carrying concealed weapons, be.
hind locked doors and with no one pres
ent but the marshal and justice, arous-
ed indignation among certain citizens
and led Mayor Adrian Bennett to ask
Sheriff Christensen to learn what facts
he could.
Having gained the prisoners confidence
Schomperlen made clean breast of his
dealings with the Renyille marshal and
Justice. The prisoners story is that
when he paid the fine of $23 at the Sc
cret hearing, the marshal remarked that
he had been at considerable expense on
his account The prisoner replied that ii
he would help him get out OF town he
would give him So to be divided be-
tween the marshal and justice.
The marshal took the money and in
the presence of the prisoner divided ii
with the justice.
Sheriff Christensen secured from the
prisoner the further confession of steal
inc two other teams and outfits from
Sioux City, and learned the names and
location of the owners, and the prices
the prisoner secured from the Renville
parties for each team.
Schomperlen appears to be an unusual
ly bright young fellow of weight
years. The hcme of his parents is il
Glencoe. where his father is clergyman
and writer and interpreter of the Ger
man language for an English newspaper
He has one brother, Benjamin, and q
married sister who lives at Hutchinson
He has secured an attorney at Hutch
inson for his defense Some two years
ago Theodore and his father conducted a
restaurant at Litchfield.
There is a woman at Hills whom he
claims to be his wife, and to whom he
| has written since in custody. He also
claims to have young child whom he
has placed to live with other people.
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