The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-01-12
Hunt for Rev. Edmand's Re-
main SHOT Abandoned.
EDITOR WRITES A LOCAL MAN.
Statement Is Issued by a Committee
Of Wahpeton Business Men Re.
garding Distressing Affair.
From Tuesdays Daily.

from r. j. Hughes, publisher of The
Wahpeton, N. D., Gazette, in regard to
the disappearance of Rev. T. M. Ed
mands. Mr.. Hughes writes that he can
add but little to what has appeared in
the papers. He says:
"There is nothing new in the matter
this week. The river has been thorough
ly dragged for a distance of about fif-
teen hundred feet below the hole where
it is supposed he went in, but nothing
has been found as yet. Divers have
been at work now for two days, but
they have only covered about half of
the ground. The work is slow and /
fear it will be fruitless. The current
in the river is very swift and it seems
very probable that if he is in the river
he would have been carried down stream
past where the net is before the net
was put in. The net was put in about
fifteen hundred feet below the hole, but
not until about twelve hours after he is
supposed to have been drowned.
''Of course there are a great many
theories about this matter and there are
many people who think that he is not in
the river at ALL There are those who
think that he may have put the cap in
the hole as sort of a dodge, and that
he has gone somewhere to avoid pend
ing trouble, either real or imaginary.
Others think that perhaps he might
have met with foul play, and that the
cap was placed in the hole by his as
sailants. Then there are those who
think that he deliberately jumped into
the hole, not being at the time in his
right mind. His friends, however, and
l count myself as one of them, think
that the most probable theory is that
he met his death by accidental drown
ing.
"Mr Edmands had had great deal
to worry him during the past year. He
had taken very active part in trying to
rid that church of a preacher who has
had possession of the church property
there for good many years. A libel
suit grew out of this, and while the
criminal action was withdrawn, there
is still civil action pending. Then Mr.
Edmands knew that there were a few
members of his church who did not care
to retain him las there always are), and
he rendered his resignation some three
months ago.
81 don't doubt but that these things
have had a bad effect upon his health
and it is possible that he may not
have been in his right mind that morn
ing and that he may have drowned him
self, though 1 doubt it very much. He
had had number of sleepless nights
during the two or three weeks previous
and tainted in the church one morning
Mrs. Edmands, however, says that he
slept well the night before the accident
and that he was in excellent spirits
that morning. The poor woman is, OF
course, almost distracted, but she is
holding up very well considering what
she has been going through. 1 do hope
the body will be found, as that will
clear up what may always remain
mystery.
"The divers will work down as far as
the net and if he is not found by that
time the searchs will have to be given
up until spring, as it would be impossi'
BILE to tell how far he has gone down
You may rest assured that loving
friends of the family will do all in theil
power to find him."
Statement of Wahpeton Men.
Several gentlemen in Wahpe-
ton, friends of the late Rev. T. M. Ed
mands, are quite indignant over the
story afloat that the pastor was out OF
his mind for several days prior to his
death, and that he committed suicide
These gentlemen have issued state
ment in which they state that there is
no truth in the report that he borrow
ed an axe and cut hole in the ice the
day previous to his DEATH The state
| ment continues:
| The facts in regard to the matter are
that while Mr. Edmands was for some
| time prior to his death in somewhat
poor health yet he was fast recovering
his usual health, and on Dec. 81, the
day he was last seen, he was in un-
usual good spirits and seemed quite well
both mental and physically.
Mr.. Edmands was man of exemplary
| life and habits, as all who knew him
well would willingly testify. Further
more, he had a strong and noble mind
and always looked on the brighter side
of the affairs of his life. At no time
during his sickness did he lose any OF
his mental vigor, and, therefore, the
charge that he ''had been sick and out
of mis- mind for several weeks" is alto
gether untrue.
1t was custom of his to frequently
take long walks along the banks of the
river in the summer and on the ice over
U tho ,;var in xv,ptor II xvoo IN fhace