The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-06-28

, went to st. James and took them int
custody, together with their belongings
bringing them back here at three O'Clock
in the afternoon, placing them i'm Jail
in separate cells, on different floors OF
the Jail, where they can have no com
munication with each other. On Mon.
day they were photographed by Thomp-
son and their measurements were taken
with the government machine in the
clerks office.
Are these the men who committed the
robbery? That is the question for the
court to settle. What is the proof
against them? So far as the Reporter is
able to learn some of the stolen money
was taken from the Window National
bank here the day before the robbery,
and when the money was found in the
grip it was still in the original package
just as Mr.. Rupp had delivered it to the
bank of Bingham Lake Another pack
age, we understand, was in the condition
with band around it, Cashier Benson
left it in the night before when he
closed the safe, both of which are cas-
lily identified by Messrs. Rupp and Ben
son. We also understand that other
pieces of money are easily identified by
Mr.. Benson as having been in the bank
the night before. The people at Bing-
ham Lake will probably be able to iden-
tify the men from having seen them
either at the depot or in proximity to
the bank, while Mr.. Barr and wife saw
men answering the description of the
prisoners, Friday afternoon, walking be-
tween Window and Bingham Lake, one
carrying grip, similar to the one cap
tured, and the other an overcoat. We
| also understand that lady in Window
met them on the street near Quevli's
store on the same afternoon. During
the latter part of the evening before the
saloon closed one of them is reported
| by the saloon people to have bought
some whisky and the bar tender easily
Identifies him, while one went into Holt
& Wicklund's store to buy a market
basket, and being unable to find what
he wanted went to the other store. 1t
is said that near one of the elevators
some of the plumber taken from the
bank. together with the coin tray in
which the gold and silver were kept, was
found, besides the empty bottle which
one of the suspects in during the even
ing. All these circumstances, together
with their so clandestinely taking the
train, to say nothing of the Doodle
found in the grip, constitute a chain of
circumstances pointing so strongly to
them as to make it almost impossible
for them to escape conviction, though
they are entitled to the benefit of ''reas-
enable doubt" This is the substance
of the evidence which can be produced
against the suspects il.
There is. however, one link in the
chain which may prove troublesome,
and that is to connect the grip with
the men under arrest, though we under
stand that train men are prepared to
swear to the identity of the grip and
men.
Entrance to the bank was made
through a side window. Tools from
Winkler's blacksmith shop and from the
railroad were found in the bank. The
safe was combination fire and burglar
proof, an old pattern, once burglar proof.
but burglary has made as much prog
ress as safe making, and it was easily
opened, though it took four charges of
explosives to do the job. The combina-
ton of the outer door was evidently un-
locked as neither it nor the door were
injured and all the explosives were need
ed to open the burglar chest. White and
Chester are the names the men seem
to bear White seems to have had a
bank book from the Capital National
bank of st. Paul, showing deposit of
several hundred dollars, while Chester
had a certificate OF deposit on the Swed
ish- American bank of Minneapolis.
On Monday President Henderson went
to st. Paul to garnishee the bank hold
ing the open deposit, and we under
stand found the bankers discussing the
capture and rejoicing that men sup
posed to have committed the burglary
have been caught. The records in the
clerks office show that writs of attach
ment have been sued out attaching the
property of the man holding the GER
tificate of deposit in the interest of the
bank, whose loss will be small if it
succeeds in holding the money now tied
up in the twin city banks belonging
to the men named White and Chester.
To do this it will have to be shown that
they are the men who committed the
burglary, and the reports above of the
evidence obtained at Bingham Lake is
substantially all there is thus far made
public against the men under arrest,
who, Judging from their photographs,
are well dressed, intelligent, shrewd
looking fellows.
The Mankato Free Press says the
men were seen in that city day be-
fore the robbery, and the fact that the
coin is missing gives strong belief that
third man was connected with the
affair, and his identity may be made
through agencies at work in Mankato.
This is farther strengthened by the
report that they have said they expected
an attorney here yesterday to take their
defense.
We understand that the Pinkertons
have rendered their assistance in every |
way possible to aid in the conviction of
the suspects. The Pinkertons are in the
employ of the bankers association and
always at hand when these robberies |
occur.
What move will be taken The Re- |
porter is unadvised at this writing, but |
it is quite likely that special grand
iury will be called and a new petit |