The Mankato free press., 1910-04-22
SMITH IS HIS ALIAS.
ADMITS FOLLOWING PROFESSION,
SAFE CRACKING
Bold, Bad Man Under Arrest at Owa-
tonna; Is Believed That He Is
Wanted in Chicago; Held on a
Charge of Vagrancy; Made a Des-
pcrate Attempt to Get Away;
Diagram Of Town.

Owatonna, April Is Frank Hitch
cock, arrested OH Friday evening for
yagrancy and lodged in the county Jail
over night, may prove to be much
wanted criminal in view of the devel-
opments of Saturday, when after m-
dergoing a Slight 'third degree" exam
nation he admitted being Il safe crack
CT" by profession, and had in his
pockets diagrams of a number of Cedar
street stores.
While being interrogated by Chief of
Police Mallingcr and Sheriff Leehy the
prisoner made sensational attempt to
escape, dashing through the corridors of
the sheriti's residence, and running up
stairs where he crawled beneath bed
in his cndeayor to elude pursuit and
perhaps have no opportunity of making
his get away" from the building.
Like Flash of Lightning.
IL never saw man make quicker
start said the chief of police in
speaking of the incident. ale was like
"A flash of lightning, and was out OF
the Jail proper and dashing through
Shcrifi's Leehy's home before you could
snap your fingers. Failing to get out
the front door, he turned to the stair
way. and went up four or five steps
at a jump. evidently in search of a
rear exit. or window from which he
could leap
The sheriff and Chief Mallingel
were after him Instantly. however, and
after taking precautions TO see that he
could not escape through an upstairs
window while his pursuers were climb
ing the stairs, they went aloft, and
finally found him hidden beneath bed
IN rear room.
His Alias Was Smith.
Hitchcock. when "swcatcd" by the
chief, admitted that he mad Travelled
under the alias of Frank Smith, and
Frank Johnson, and that he had been
arrested for petty olfenscs several
times in st. Louis and Milwaukee. He
stands about five feet seven inches il
height, and weighs approximately l4(
pounds, wears light brown suit, i.
light compleNioned I'm nearly all re
spects he answers the description of a
man much wanted by the Chicago po
lice. on a serious charge. and local Off
cials will communicate with the Chi
cago police department Immediately
and secure a more complete description
of the "Joe Welcome" wanted i'm that
city
Questioned reyardin" the diagram oil
pocket, Hitchcock remained absolutely
silent although shifty. hunted look
came into his eyes. and inc stubbornls
refused to look his questoners in the
face. The diagram was II rough penc
sketch on Il shoot of cheap paper
showing the various railroad lines en-
tering the city, and the principal busi
ness streets. On what represented Cedar
street in his plan of the town Hitch
cock had carefully plotted the various
drawings of the buildings to indicate
| windows and exits. This. taken in con
| nection with his own admission that Inc
is safe cracker. leads the police tc
believe that he was preparing to at
tempt a burglary in this city.
Given a Ten Day Sentence.
Chief of Police Mallinger took Hitch
cock before Municipal Judge Durham
on Saturday morning and formally
charged him with vagrancy. which re-
suited in a sentence of ten days i'm the
county Jail. during which time the po
lice feel sure they will be able to learn
more about his previous record. and
may perhaps discover him to be q
much wanted man.
Stockholders of Mankat0 Saving and