The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-05-26

Oleander, in preparation for trip
that they are to take soon.
The amount secured from the safe
was something over $500, and little
over SO was taken from the cash
register. The latter was not damag-
ed, but the safe was complete
wreck.
overcharge of NitrogIycerine.
1t appears as though an over
charge of nitroglycerine was used in
blowing the safe, for while the holes
were drilled in the door above the
lock it appears that the fluid must
have run down largely to the bottom
of the door, as the main force of the
explosion was there, and the bottom
of the safe was wrecked, as well as
the door being blown off. The heavy
door was found lying on the floor
several feet from the safe, and the
compartments in the safe were all
wrecked.
Damage to the Building.
Some damage was done to the
building by flying pieces of iron.
One piece, supposed to have been a
lower hinge, flew upwards at an
angle and passed through the top of
the lunch counter, composed OF
heavy inch or inch and a quarter oak
board. A hole was torn in this, and
it seemed to have detected the
course of the missile, for 1T then
few more nearly straight up and
tore a hole in the steel ceiling. One
or two other holes were torn in the
steel ceiling by other fragments, and
the plaster on the opposite wall was
broken in several places.
Did Not See Robbers.
Mr.. Veigel did not catch glimpse
of the robbers. who evidently made
their escape the back way and got
under cover as soon as possible. He
has no clue as to their identity No
suspicious characters were seen at
the saloon yesterday, but the day be-
fore two strangers were in the place
for fifteen minutes, and Mr.. Veigel
thinks that possibly these men may
have been the ones, taking the oppor-
tunity of sizing up the situation. They
stood near the safe while in the bar
room. One was a tall, slim man,
with a dark mustache, and the other
was short and had stubby mus
tache.
Police Spread Dragnet.
The police Immediately spread a
dragnet over parts of the city likely
to be the hiding place of the men
while awaiting an opportunity to
leave on freight trains. Officers
Lundberg and Swedberg went
through the railroad yards and tramp
jungles, but found no one but four
tramps who were asleep in box
car and whom they locked up at the
police station. They were at the
lower end of the c. & NJ w. railorad
yards, and said that they had come
in at nine o'clock last night. They
were held. but are not thought to
have any knowledge of the robbery.
Chief Donahue went to st. Peter
this morning, following what promis-
ed to possibly develop something.
May Have Had an Auto.
Adolph Popkin, employed in the
Free Press book bindery, makes a
statement that may throw some light
on the matter. He lives at 1876 Marsh
street, about half way up the hill lead
ing to East Mankato. He was in bed
at 1890 a. m. when he heard an
automobile descend the hill. About
twenty minutes later it assembled
again and came to stop near his
house and remained there until after
he went to sleep, and he does not
know when it left. He did not go
to sleep for half an hour. His mother
heard the sound of mems voices at
the automobile.
1t may be that the yeggs came in
the auto from st. Paul or some other
place, went to near the saloon and
got off, sent the car back to the
hillside to wait for them, and left as
soon as the robbery was pulled off
This would account for all absence
of a clue.
Found No CIeW.
Chief Donahue and Officer Lund
berg searched Kasota and st. Peter
thoroughly this forenoon without sue
cess and returned to Mankato. The
former states that there is no clue
whatever to work on. All that was
found at the saloon was two pick
axes and an old lantern. The picks
were used to break in the panel o.
the rear door, to gain entrance tc
the building.
CaIrarraI. A q