The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-12-17

left warrant for his apprehension in
the hands of Sheriff Donahue.
Smith expressed his willingness to
return to Illinois. In fact ne said
he would be more than pleased if he
could return to that state at once.
He always did like Illinois.
Sheriff Devine and Smith had quite
long talk. They discussed Smiths
experiences in Logan county, and the
prisoner was quite as ready to talk
as ever he was. Mr.. Devine and Smith
were employed together in a quarry
in Lincoln before Devine was elected
sheriff. The Logan county official
looks upon Smith as a dangerous char
acter and declares that he is not ac-
quainted with the truth.
Smith made the statement to Dowell
and Devine that his wife obtained her
divorce while he was serving his first
term in the penitentiary for forgery.
How Record Was Obtained
The investigation into Smiths bad
record covered long period. The
country was raked with a fine tooth
comb, as it were. His photographs
and description were sent to almost
every sheriff in the United States, and
every prison warden was written to.
1t seemed an almost hopeless task to
obtain any information concerning the
fellow. A clew to his having served
terms in the Illinois prison was Sc
county and Sheriff Devine of Logan
county. Deputy Warden Dowell of
the penitentiary assisted in establish
ing the identity of Smith. This in
vestigation was conducted by the at
torneys for Mrs. Grace Ledbeter, who
advised the attorneys for the prosecu-
ton of the result.
Would Not Submit to Measurements
In order to further satisfy them
selves that Smith and Lavendoski were
one, the attorneys for Mrs. Ledbeter
requested the deputy warden of the
Minnesota states prison, at Saltwater
to come to Mankato for the purpose of
! measuring Smith in accordance with
the Bertillon system. This official
reached mere a week ago Sunday and
when he went to the county Jail to
take the measurements Smith protest
ed vigorously against the proceedings.
His refusal to submit prevented the
officials from securing the measure
ments.
Sheriff Rodda of Wilkesbarre, Pa,
has identified the photograph of Smith
as that of a man who was in his
custody and who was charged with
assault and battery and burglary.
During the latter part of the sum-
mer Sheriff Donahue went east to
look up Smiths record Smith had
made the claim that he had brother
in-law named Schulz in Cleveland,
Ohio. The sheriff and a Cleveland de-
tective secured that city and inter
viewed everyone there by the name of
I.Schulz-and there are many of that
name in the Ohio town-but not one
of them admitted relationship to
Smith.
The first time that Sheriff Devine
walked into the district court room he
identified Smith without the least diff
Guilty. And he did so without OBJ
tanning look at his face, but when
he saw MIN walk he knew that he was
gazing at the man whom he once track
e1 for three miles and caught him
in haystack.
Smith or Lavendeski, when asked
about the statements of the Illinois
officials, stated that he did not care to
say anything about them at present
He said that he was well acquainted
with both men, and had lived in that
section for fifteen years.
Messrs. Dowell and Devine have been
subpoenaed to come to Mankato on
Jan. and act as witnesses for the de-
Tense.