The Mankato free press., 1911-09-08
BALL|NGER HAS PRISON RECORD;
SERVED THIRTEEN YEARS IN ALL

credit for what he has done. He
and Marshal Neuman worked to-
gether, the marshal Offering valuable
suggestions and he, too, comes in
for great measure Of praise for
effecting the capture of what the
authorities believe to be "frebug."
The authorities of Lake Crystal sus-
pected that Butch" Upson had some
knowledge of the robbery of the
postOffce in that village number
of weeks ago. Kelsey was engaged
to work on the case, and he man.
aged, so it is claimed, to get into the
good graces of Upson. They were
together great deal On Monday,
August %, Kelsey and Upson met at
the Omaha depot and it was there
that they had the conversation al
| legged by Kelsey. Immediately after
they had conversed together Kelsey,
so it is claimed, went into the depot
and wrote out what had been said
by the two men. The conversation
is written out on letterheads of the
Omaha Railway company.
How Kelsey clipped" Upson.
Two days before the conversation
which it is claimed occurred at the
depot, Kelsey and Upson are said to
have met and had talk. Kelsey
wanted to feel out" Upson and he
is said to have made this remark:
"If / had $400 | would buy the Gar
berding house and put $500 insur-
ance on it and then burn it." This
was the hip" that Upson referred
to in the conversation that is claim.
ed to have taken place at the depot.
Another "feeler" that Kelsey is said
to have handed to Upson is a story
to the effect that Kelsey while in
Mankato some weeks ago found a
pocketbook containing $50. He
hunted up the owner and returned it
to him. Upson is said to have told
Kelsey that he was a d-n fool;
that he ought to have kept the mon
ey." Kelsey is said to have made
remarks to Upson that he was try
ing to get money enough to pay his
way through college. but he found it
hard work to realize the required
! sum. That there was not much use
of a man trying to be honest in this
wicked world. Mr.. Kelsey is keep
ing company with one of the girls
that is employed at the Crystal
house, and he often calls on her.
That is what Upson is said to have
referred to in the alleged conversa-
ton with Kelsey on August %.
That Five Dollar Loan.
Following the conversation at the
depot, Kelsey made known what
was alleged to have been said, men,
| tiOning the request of UpsOn for the
! $5 loan. Neuman gave Kelsey SIS
and told him to give it to Upson.
Kelsey carried out these instructions.
| UpsOn, his wife and two children
| left town on Tuesday morning, going
direct to st. Paul. The youngest
child was left with Mrs. Upson' S
mother in Lake Crystal.
! 1t is claimed that on the evening
prior to the departure of the family
for st. Paul, Upson purchased q
gallon of kerosene and gallon of
gasOlene. Not a drop of kerosene
was found in the can following the
discovery of the fire. The can of
! gasOlene had not been disturbed,
but was standing near the empty
kerosene can not far from where the
flames were eating their way up the
stairway wall.
An investigation shows the care
that had been taken by the "firebug''
to prevent discovery of the flames
until it would be too late to save the
property; also to give him time to
make his getaway. The curtains OF
the Upson home had been drawn
down and fastened with pins to the
castings. The fire was started in a
stairway leading to the cellar A
hole had been cut in the partition
and rags saturated with oil dropped
into the opening. AS the fire burn.
ed it's way through the woodworb
brands fell to the floor below and
the flames were commencing to get
in their work rapidly. But for a
two by four that stretched it's way
across the building a few feet below
the roof, the fire would have gained
a more rapid headway and the
flames must surely have reached the
roof quickly and then a bad blaze
would have resulted. No doubt the
building would have been consumed
also the larger residence of John
Williams but few feet to the west
All plans had been made for slow
burning fire, in order to give its
starter ample time to make his es
cape before the flames could work
their way out through the roof OF
, sides.
House Owned BY Estate.
The house that has been occupied
by the Upsons lis owned by the Pau
Seibert estate and is insured fol
$500. Mr.. UpsOn carried $500 on his
furniture. Much of the furniture is
: still in the house, but much of the
clothing belonging to the family hat
} been taken away, SO the claim il
} made by the Lake Crystal authori
fioc