The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-04-01

Litchfeld, Mimi, March 3O.--lIiss
Lena Pacllbarth, aged twenty years, of
Cedar Mills township, mas written AMI
signed confession that she sent poi
soned candy to Miss Minnie Lutheus
on December ?: last, according 20
County Attorney Sexton.
Revenge for an alleged wrong done
her by Frank Wurdel. fiance of Miss
Luthens, three and one-half years ago,
is the motive the prisoner is alleged to
have given. 1na confession is said to
have been wrllng from her at two
o'clock in the morning, after hours of
close examination by the county attoi-
ncy and others.
The girl, according to the confession,
entertained no malice toward Miss
Luthens. Sh. sent the candy in the
hope that Wuldel might be accused Of
the murder of his iiarcee. In the box
was written From Frank W. This
was to have thrown suspicion on Wur~
Gel.
Olll WALL WI DIS f1CKeQ I'D.
The arrest of the girl followed the
examination of mail that, it is alleged,
she deposited on Sunday i'll The post
Office at Hutchinson Employees of the
postoiiice had been asked to watch for
mail that contained writing similar to
the writing on the box oi poisoned
candy. Miss Pachbar.h PUT Wall i'll
the box, it is said There were only
five letters III the rece ptaclc. Two of
tic'c had upon tie e:Aelopcs return
addresses. Two others were anyny-
moss, one addressed 80 F.auk WurdeI;
the ether to Miss Mimi. I.uthens.
Tie fifth was directed 10 Miss Pack
barth's sister. Writing on the three
without return addresses was similar,
it is alleged.
The letter addressed to Miss Luthens
contained Il threat against her life
should she be married 20 Wurde'. The
letter to Wurdel contained .inilar
threat and also intimatcd that his
home would be burned To her sister
Miss Packbath is alleged to have
spoken bitterly in her letter. regarding
how Wurdel had wroneed her.
Arrests of two young farmers have
been made stree the ease came to the
attention 81 the authorities. Both were
discharged because of lack of evidence.
Editor Asked for Advice.
st. Paul March 30.-A letter came
TO the editor OF The Farmers Weekly
Dispatch about five weeks ago. 1t was
signed Frank Wurdel' but evidently
had been written by school girl
tor surmised. 1T was an appeal for
advice. The writer said he was re-
Ientlessly pursued by girl to whom
he once had paid attentions, but whom
he no longer loved. Can | kill her
and let on somebody else did it," was
asked. The editor greatly shocked,
made all haste to write Il motherly
letter of advice, suggesting that it
hardly would be in Keeping with the
social customs of the countryside to
SLY the former sweet heart The edi
tor requested the name of the girl.
III order ttlat she might ADVISE lICr
how procrastinating it was to ''hang
round il man that didn't love her. n
few days after the letter of advice
vas mailed detective called and in
formed the editor that Frank Wurdei
YHantcd 10 know what she was writin.
about; that Wurdel had not written to
the editor. Developments in the case
1T Iitchheid NAV reveal the identity
of the writer.
The Alleged Confession.
In her alleged confession, The girl
states that she used in preparing the
ca dy shr sent to Miss Luthcns, So
lUtion Of powdered sugar milk and sui
phate Of strychnine, which she pro.
cured at drug store in Hutchinson,
the first part of last December and
signed an assumed name on the poison
register
The prisoner has engaged f. W.
Campbell as counsel and will he given
u hearing late today before Judge Ba
con County Attorney Sexton expects
to have her bound over the grand
jury, which meets in June