The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-08-02

new potatoes are on the market, where
last year at this time they We're plenti-
full. If the rains continue much longer
the crop will rot in the ground.
From Fridays Daily.
Il Z. c. Peart has received the sad in
telligence of the death of his brother-in7
!. law, Henry Loud, which occurred in Min
neapolis last night. He took a morning
train for Minneapolis.
Mr. Loud was formerly a resident of
lMankatO, having located here soon af-
ter the civil war, and was engaged in
the furniture business. He moved to
Omaha twenty-siX years ago, and from
there went to Minneapolis, where he
has since resided. He was seventy years
lof age, and is survived by his wife, who
is Mr. Peart's sister, and one son.
4 Old settlers will remember Mr.. Loud
i as an excellent citizen, and his death is
greatly regretted.
Last Friday one Fritz Becker, well
to do farmer living near Okabena, was
brought before Judge Kellum charged
=. with an attempt to commit rape on one
of his daughters, says The Heron Lake
/ News. When brought into court Becker
who is about sixty five years of age, ad-
mitted that he is guilty of even worse
! crime than the one charged to him, that
of incest. Judge Kellum sent him to
the county Jail for safe keeping until
court sets, at which time he will no
doubt plead guilty, as he has intimated
as much and receive his sentence, the
maximum of which for incest is fifteen
years.
The feeling among his old neighbOrs
runs high, and undoubtedly they would
make it mighty unpleasant for him
should he ever return, which seems very
remote.
/ Becker has wife and several daugh-
tiers, and all keenly feel the awful dis
grace he has brought upon them.
| Word from the county Jail at jackson
saws the old man does not take kindly
to his incarceration, and puts in the time
praying, grooming and lamenting the
ls'cruel' fate has overtaken him.
Danville, ILL.,. July 26.-Unable to Sc
cure harvest hands by offering them
large wages. Stacy Van Valkenberg, a
lrich farmer and hOtelkeeper here, has
hit upon novel plan to secure them.
HE has big, red automobile and
whenever he wants a man to work in
the wheat fields he goes onto the
lstreet and soon picks one up. The
man is then hurried off to the farm
lin the machine.
/ The scheme is great success. Men
lwho work for farmers who have no
lcommodious vehicles than side
lbuggies or a spring wagon, which does
Iduty as buggy, are focking to the
Ivan Valkenberg farm. They want the
ride and if other people will not
give them rides, he will.
/ Employment agencies are having a
lizard time ever since Van Valkenberg
IOpened up his automobile attraction.
All the farm hands who are getting
the largest wages ever paid in the
history of the country refuse to ride
Ito work in anything but a machine,
land the result is but few of them are
accepting jobs.
Granada, July 26.-The Methodist
congregation yesterday laid the corner
stone of its new $1,000 house of wor-
ship. Presiding Elder Kerfoot of Man.
kato was in charge of the exercises and
was assisted by Rev. Messrs. Johnston
of Winnebago, Quigley of Fairmont,
Brown of Triumph, and Allen and Jen-
kinson~ of this village. A large crowd
WITNESSED the exercises, some from Hur-
ley and East Chain being present.
| The suit of G. A. Lewis VS.. Elsie B.
iOsmundsen and o. HI. Osmundsen was
ltried before Judge Cray today. The
action is brought to decide where the
boundary line between their lots on
State street is. A difference of opinion
has existed for some time as to where
4 the boundary is.
Il The suit of Edwin L. Buck VS.. George
w. Monks and wife is the next case for
trial, and is also the last case for trial
on the June term calendar
1t is understood that the suit of
Frank H. Barnes, trustee of the estate
of DeForest E. Carpenter, bankrupt, VS..
DeForest E. Carpenter and Others, is to
be continued
4 The county board yesterday after
noon had hearing on the matter of
|, going ahead with public ditch No. 10,
Tor dropping it, as only one bid of
Il6A cents yard could be obtained
after repeated advertising. 1t was
decided to drop the proposed ditch,
as the opposition to it was strong.
Those who opposed it. did so on the
ground that too big a ditch was pro-
posed, the specifications calling for one
leighteen feet wide. A smaller ditch,
! only intended to take off the sur
lplus water, and not to drain the deep
est mudholes, would have satisfied
them. 1t was estimated that the ditch
would cost 81, to SIS rod, and that
i, the assessment would have been $50
to $40 an acre.
New Ulm, July 2G.-Several farmers
| residing near Fort Ridgley are aroused
over the finding of gold on their farms.
, The whole neighborhood is excited and
fmany farmers have stopped work and
, are searching for the precious metal.
: The recent discovery of gold
; linear this city has caused the Fort
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