The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-01-17
Chris Walther Murdered; the
House Is Ransacked.
Blow on Right Temple Tells the
Manner of His Death.
Lived Like a RecIuse; Council
Offers a Big Reward.

New Tim, Jan. l0.-Chris Walther,
sixty-fve years old, was found muir
dcred in his home in North German
street. about six blocks from the bust
ness section of the city. From the
condition of the house robbery plainly
was the motive for the crime, but
there is no clue to the identity of
the murderer other than that the po
lice believe it to have been somebody
familiar with the habits of the man.
They think the act was deliberately
planned and that Walther had been
watched for some time.
There is nothing to show when the
crime was committed and the man
may have lain dead fully twenty-four
hours before he was found. He had
no relatives in this part of the coun-
try except a brother, Fred Walther, a
farmer in the town of Cottonwood
who has been notified of the tragedy.
The citizens are much stirred up
over the crime, and last night a
special meeting of the council was
held at which the city fathers gave
the authorities $500 to expend in hunt
ing down the murderer.
Lived Like a Hermit.
Walther was bachelor and has
lived in New Ulm about thirty years.
He has led the life of a recluse. and
has been the only occupant of his
little house, a one-story building, con-
tanning three rooms and with shed
attached to the rear
Walther kept few chickens, and it
was through a neighbor's noticing the
mans failure to care for these that
the crime was discovered. About five
o'clock yesterday afternoon Carl Fritz
telephoned to Chief of Police Klause
that he thought there must be some
thing wrong at the Walther place.
The officer went to investigate, and
on forcing open the door found Wal
Their lying on his back in the rear
room of the house, which served him
as kitchen and bedroom. He was
partly undressed, and the position of
the body gave the impression that he
had gone to answer Il summons at the
door while he was retiring and had
been struck down as he opened it.
The only wound on the body was a
mark of blow on the right temple,
and some blood had oOzed from the
left ear.
House Was Ransacked.
Going through the house, the police
found everything in disorder, and there
was every indication that the whole
place had been thoroughly and system
atically ransacked. Clothing was
strewn about in the various rooms,
and even the mattress of the bed had
been removed and ripped open. Wal
ther was known to have some money,
and during the recent financial furry
he was known to have drawn what
money he could from the banks, and
always insisted on receiving gold when
he made these Withdrawals. From re-
ports secured from these institutions
il is believed that he may have had
several hundred dollars in the house,
but no money was found during the
search by the officers.
Thcer was no fire in the house, and
Coroner l.. A. Fritsche, after examin
ing the body, said he could not be
certain whether the man had been
killed yesterday morning or the night
before. or even earlier than that.
Ncighbors have not seen him for the
last two days. y
Intense excitement pervaded the city
as the news of the crime spread. Feel
inc has not been so high since the
murder of DR.. Gebhardt on Nov. l.,
1904
Action By the Council
Acting Mayor Eibner called special
meeting of the council last night and
the members remained in session until
midnight discussing ways and means
for hunting down the criminal. The
city attorney and other city officers
also attended the meeting. The police
of the Twin Cities and other places
were notified, and word also was sent
to private detectives, and the council