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

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The grand jury in the United States
court completed its work late yester-
day afternoon, but did not return any
more indictments. 1t was discharged.
and a little later court adjourned
for the term. 1t was decided to put
over until the November term to be
held in this city the trial of the par.
ties indicted for use of the mails in
alleged land swindling schemes. This
will make that term an important
one, for the trial of the cases will
take some time, as there is wide
scope to the testimony and numerous
witnesses will have to be examined.
The grand jury considered the
cases of several parties charged with
minor attractions Of the federal
statutes. One was the case of a
young girl who was accused of hav-
ing rified rural mail box. The jury
evidently thought that the parties
had received punishment enough al
ready.
Government Ready to Proceed.
United States District Attorney
Haupt wished to proceed with the
trial of the parties indicted at once,
saying that the witnesses were all
present and that he had expected the
trials to proceed. The attorneys for
the defendants were not ready to
proceed at once, but would be in a
70 u r.~f
wish for a long continuance of the
cases. They suggested that the trials
begin Monday. The indictment charg-
ing conspiracy was unexpected and
opened wide field, they said.
Judge Willard said that he would
have to be at Aberdeen, s. D., May 2
to hold court, and another reason for
not wanting to put off the trials for
a few days was that he did not like
to hold the jurors for several days
He asked how long the trials would
take.
The attorneys for the defense re-
piled that it would probably take a
week or ten days to try all of them
They could not start at once for vari-
GUS reasons given, one being that A.
H. Hall of Minneapolis, who is to
be one Of the attorneys for the de-
tense, could not come before Friday
morning at the shortest.
The court said that he thought that
sufficient reason had been shown for
postponing the trials. The indictment
charging conspiracy involved seri-
Gus matter.
The attorneys for the defendants
said that this indictment was seri-
GUS matter and the evidence was
likely to take wide range
Court Continued the Hearing.
The court decided to continue the
first indictment, which charges Sam.
uel D. OBrien and William A. Bor-
chardt of Sherburn and Felix l.. Per-
rizo Of Delavan Jointly with conspir-
acy to commit an offense against the
postal laws by using the mails in
connection with scheme to defraud.
The bond in this case for each indi-
vidual was placed at $4,000, at the
suggestion of Mr.. Haupt.
AT four o'clock in the afternoon
yesterday the defendants, including
Manly G. Thayer of Delavan, pleaded
not guilty to the four indictments
charging them with the use of the
mails in connection with as many
different schemes to defraud.
The attorneys for the defense
wished to proceed at once with the
trial OF Mr.. Thayer, but Mr.. Haupt
stated that he did not care to pro-
coed with this case at present, as
he considered Mr.. Borchardt the
principal party in the transaction and
ne was not under arrest.
After good deal of discussion.
all of the indictments went over until
the November term.
what Government Will AIeae.
According to the evidence which
the government expects to produce
at the trial of the cases, the defend
ants were a gang of land swindlers
who preyed upon numerous farmers
in Southern Minnesota and the Da.
kotas. They placed advertisements
In the papers, stating that they had
purchasers for farm lands and solicit
Ing correspondence from the owners
direct of farms that were for sale.
Ihey would say that they had pur-
chasers for farms in certain county
and adjoining counties, as for i'm.
stance they would advertise that thew
had purchasers for farm lands in
Martin county and adjoining counties.
and that only the owners of land that
was Tor sale need answer.
When replies came in. listing cards
We're sent to the owners of the land
10 be filled out, listing the land With
their agency. Then before long the
farmer would be visited by two men.
one claiming to be a member of the
real estate firm and introducing his
companion as prospective buyer.
Both men, the government claims.
were always members of the gang.
The so-called buyer would make a
Zeal for the land at good price
and give check for large sum to
olnd the contract. Then the real
estate man would put in claim for
m ye,p A.