The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-01-18
MUELLER LIBERATED HIM
MAN WHO SHOT THREE RELEASED
HoRsETHlEF GEBHARDT.
THEN HE TOLD A FAKE STORY
August Mueller, Stanton Jail Prisoner
Sentenced to IS Years in Pen, Told
Young Gebhardt How to Escape and
Broke Bars-Gebhardt Of Weak Mind

Sentenced to IS Years in Pen, Told
Young Gebhardt How to Escape and
Broke Bars-Gebhardt Of Weak Mind
August Mueller, prisoner in the
Stanton county Jail awaiting a SUI
preme court decision before he goes
to the penitentiary to serve fifteen
years for shooting his wife, his father
in-law and Notwithstanding Holm.
exc family -n not only suggested but
aided the escape of George Gebhardt,
the horsethief, from the stanton jail
last week, according to a confession
given by Gebhardt to a Madison man.
The startling story is printed in the
Madison StarMail.
Why Mueller Stayed.
Mueller not only suggested the es-
cape of Gebhardt but went so far as
to haul long thin bar from a hiding
place in the jail and then broke open
the bars of a window and told Geb-
hardt to flee. 1t was agreed between
the two men that Mueller, who re-
manned in Jail because he believed that
he might be given freedom by the
courts and because he felt sure he
would be recaptured if he tried to es-
cape, should tell Sheriff Sucker that
three men came and pried off the bars
in order to let Gebhardt escape.
The story is consistent one all the
way through and explains several mys-
terious points that were rather con
fusing at the time Gebhardts escape
was discovered In the first place, it
was thought queer that the three
pals" of Gebhardt should know Just
what moment to come to the jail, since
there were generally ianitors around
the door while the sheriff was at sup
per. In the second place, Mueller de
scribed the bar that was used, but
stated that he had not been allowed
close TO the men, The bar was gone
and it was a question how Mueller had
come to see the strip of iron. And in
the third place Young Gebhardt de-
clared when caught, that he did not
know the men who released him. Fur
then than that, if he had any accom-
plices none of the neighbors around
the farm where he worked in Stanton
county ever heard of them, for he as
ISOLATED with boys of the neighbor-
hood always.
Belongs to No Gang
The Madison Star-Mail does not be-
licve that Cebhardt was one of a gang
of horsethieves, and if this opinion be
correct there is still in this section
an undiscovered organized outfit.
A romance is limited at by the Star.
Mail as the cause of Gebhardt's taking
Besks team Of horses, and Gebhardt
told a close friend in Madison that he
intended to return the team; he mere.
ly wanted to get to Missouri because
Of a girl.
Gebhardt Tells of Mueller.
This is the story, as told by the Star
Mail:
The district court will not convene
in Stanton county until the latter part
of February and it was while mcditat
ing behind the cold steel bars that il
occurred to Gebhardt that the land OF
the big red apple would look aWfully
good to him so he decided to take an
other chance for liberty and according
to his story he escaped with the aid OF
fellow prisoner named Mueller who
is charged with trying to murder the
IfOhneke family and is now awaiting
the result of a motion filed for new
trial In talking to what Gebhardt
considered a close friend he said, "Af
t,,. I IN, No ntn,
county Jail | soon formed the acuaint
ance of Mueller who did not talk tC
me half hour until he suggested that
make my getaway
81 had already pleaded guilty and tC
remain meant a sure shot for the pen
told him | could see no way to es
cape, those iron bars looked big tC
me. I can get you out of here in
ten minutes, said Mueller and at the
same time he pulled from the top OF
the cell steel bar about three inches
wide and one-half inch thick and about
four feet in length, walking over tC
the iron bars he slipped the steel In
and sure enough without scarcely any
effort he spread the uprights which
he had already loosened from the out
side and all that was left for us then
! to do was wrench off one cross bal
which was much easier than digging
out one fence post. We then sat down
and talked the situation over and sci
a time for my departure. 1t was
agreed that / was to leave on Monday
evening. My pal was to remain as he
said, if | stick, it may result in my
being discharged and if | run away
they will get me anyhow SO it was
agreed between us that Mueller was tC
tell the sheriff that three men ap
peared from the outside and liberated
me-"
The Star-Mail does not think thai
Gebhardt is extremely brillian, neither
do we think he is member of any or
ganized gang of thieves unless it is
gang of petty larceny workers like
| himself.
Should the facts ever be known il
will be shown that it was not Geb
hardt's intention to steal Mr. Besk'S
team and they would have been re
turned to him, that is to say he would
have got them back.