The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-29


GORGE SCHosTAG"
APPEARS IN MANKATO
Schostag made his appearance at Frank Mettler's
saloon, 200 North Front street. shortly after eight
o'clock last evening" and related story to Mettler
that sounded like that which might have originated in
the days of romance Meter notified Chief of Police
Osten that Schostag at his place, and the chief
at invited the st. Clair to the police sta
ton Later in the evening Schostag told his story to
the newspaper He said that Wednesday, Sept
Is, he drew from the State bank at st. Clair the
of $3.50, intending to go to Minneapolis the fol-
lowing day and make payment OF $50 to the Min
neapolis Brewing company. The trip delayed
til Friday. He did not find the party he wanted to
at the brewing company's office and returned to
Mankato that evening. He drove to st. Clair Sat
urday morning, and during the day went to James
vile where he paid Mr. Deudonne $l40 money that .
he had borrowed from him the year previous to pay
the hired help on his farm
NIGHT OF THE ATTACK.
Most all of Sunday Sclostag in his saloon and
the place enjoyed good patronage Monday
good day and early that evening number of harvest
hands dropped in and settled their bills. He had
cumulated about $3.50. Along about 1918 he stepped
to the front door of his saloon and gazed out the
street. ALI silence He noticed but dim light
drink business had closed their parors for the night
retired. Schostag returned the saloon locked
the door and preparing to 60 to his home Sud-
denly a dark entered the saloon from the
door and walking hastily up to the bar he ordered
three quart bottles of beer. He fastening out
when Schostag reminded him that he had not paid
for the goods ooh, that's all right" replied the fell
low in deep, gruf voice. Il am coming right back.
The stranger could not have gone farther than
followed by two companions. The largest ii.
of the trio, the first to enter, flashed revolver
Schostag and ordered him to throw up his hands,
Immediately George was blindfoded and of the
fellows stood guard him with gun. The others
ransacked the saloon George could hear one of
the kdnapers at the ice box and the other one
the cigar They ratified the bottles and
searched the money drawer. The fellows in the
saloon about ten minutes and all this time Schostag
under the shadow of revolver that he thought
as large Gattlng
DROVE HIM TO THE GAVE.
The kidnappers led Schostag out through the back
door and thence through aleyway, going east, he
thought, although it rather difficult for him
to get his bearings-he frightened. He is
of the opinion that his captors walked him quite
distance He remembers stepping on board that lies
the ground between the postofce and the livery
stable After a walk of fifteen twenty minutes,
with each side of him, and holding his
arms, the prisoner loaded into spring wagon
and the long drive to the begun Schostags
hands tied behind him. He placed in the
back part of the rig, blanket thrown him,
and of the trio placed there to prevent his
escape.
After agonzng three hours ride the wagon was
stopped, and George led into cave Here he was
kept prisoner from that night until late yesterday
afternoon.
His captors removed his clothes and he left with
nothing but his Undertaking. The was dark
damp and chilly. Schostag had nothing but a pallet
of straw upon which to lay his head and body. For
weeks he the helpless victim of his heartless cap
tors. They gave him but little food and drink These
passed in to him through small aperature in
the door. He bad off the "Man in the
Iron Mask" of olden times. His captors gave him :
one change of undertaking When kidnapped he wore
union suit. They gave him a shirt and underdraw-
They also took his oversbirt from him and
liz return gave him negligee affair with collar at
tached and of the Oak brand. He was wearing two
pairs of stockings last night and could not account
for this extravaganza. These stockings he claimed
were given him by his captors. He did not know
he had pair the other. The pair next
to the skin showed evidences of having been worn
for some time while the outer pair were clean, al.
though the in which he said he had been con-
fined had nothing but dirt floor and he admitted
having worn the stockings several days.
SOUGHT NAME OF HIS FATHER
After Schostag had been confined in the cave a
couple of days, his captors demanded to know the
name of his father He refused to divulge the name
until week ago. He had given up all hope of
escaping from the cave, although he had attempted
to gain his freedom by breaking down the door, The
walls of his dungeon boarded up and there
was no chance of his digging his way to freedom
Had he escaped Sehostag would have been in a sad
plight according to his story His captors had taken