The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-09-16

who called him out of his car may
have been tramps who represented that
they were in charge of another car OF
stock, and who were bent on robbery.
1t may be that two roustabouts, IN
charge of another car, returning from
the state fair, committed the assault
and robbery. If they did, they might
have removed the victims clothing
enough to have fired the shot. Whoever
fired it, must have stood some distance
away, as there were no powder burns
either on the flesh or clothing.
The fact that blood clot was found
in the road and another i'll the weeds
is accounted for by the statement OF
the telegraph line men who found
Wheeler lying in the road. They lifted
him and placed him beside the road,
fearing that some team might run over
him.
These Men Not Suspected.
Chief Pond and Deputy Sheriff
Klugherz made no arrests at st. Peter.
They returned this afternoon, after
having looked into the matter care
fully. What they found opens up
new line of thought and speculation,
and seems to relieve the hostlers of
any suspicion.
1t seems that Wheeler conducted his
Hamburger steak stand at the state
fair, as stated yesterday, and was on
his way home when he met w. "A.
Dawson of Webster City, who had
charge of two stock cars bound for
the fair at st. Peter, to make the CIR
cult, including Mankato. In one of the
cars was Mr.. Dawson's racing horse,
Phil Fry, and in the other was Sheriff
Browns racing horse, Early Boy. The
latter horse was in the immediate
charge of two hostlers, Charles Rowe
and Thurston Carsa of Webster City.
Wheeler Knew These Men.
Wheeler knew all of these parties,
all having been raised together in
Webster City, and when he learned
that they were to make the circuit
of the fairs in Southern Minnesota he
concluded to turn around and come
DdCk Will tIcIi HANc ehN 'eeih %
with his Hamburger steak stand. He
put his machine into one of the cars,
and rode in the cars with his friends,
dividing his time between the two
cars.
Girl in the Case.
When the train reached Mankato
Monday evening the stock cars were
standing for long time near the
Mound avenue culvert. Mr.. Dawson
stated to the officers today that it was
about 1870 o'clock in the evening when
Wheeler left the car that he was i'll
and that he came back an hour later
and went away again shortly after
wards. Rowe and Carsa stated that
Wheeler came to their car about mid
night and wanted one of them to go
with him to some place, saying some
thing about having Il girl there, but
both refused to GO. He then went
alone, and this was the last seen of
him.
Wheeler, Rowe, Carsa and Dawson
always were friends and no suspicion
attaches to any of them.
Must Have Had Money.
Having just come from the state fair
where he conducted stand for a
week, it is every way likely that
Wheeler had plentiful supply OF
money with him. He had invested $50
for the privilege of having the stand
and as the crowds were large and hun
cry, he doubtless did good business
That only about So was found upon
him two days after the fair closed, and
that in hip pocket, would indicate
that he was robbed. The robbers may
have set trap for him, using the cir
story as a bait to draw him to some
distance from the car. He may have
been shot while his clothing was re-
moved, robbed, and then dressed and
taken back to his car and thrown of
of the culvert to divert suspicion.
This afternoon Wheeler was about
the same.