The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-29

OF Wichita Fails, IexaS.
The remains may be brought to
Mankato for burial.
From Fridays Daily.
The News, edited by Postmaster
Carl Eastwood, publishes the follow
ing story OF the blowing" of the
safe in the Heron Lake postoffice:
The Heron Lake postoffice was
robbed last Saturday, presumably
between the hours of 2 and 8 a. m.
The thieves came in through the
front door, using some kind of in
strument to pry open the door The
safe, which is located just back of
the money order window, was com.
pletely wrecked, the door being
blown off and the bottom of the
safe blown out.
There is every indication to be-
lieve the robbers were frightened
away before they completed their
work as a sack of change contain
ing $l1.6l, taken in after the banks
closed, was left, also registered
letter and registered package. The
letter was for Mrs. Ben Weld, and
contained money.
Reasons for the Retreat.
There may be two reasons for
the hasty retreat, first the numer-
GUS blood marks around on different
articles, which indicate that one of
the men was hurt, and the second
theory is that the dog in the rooms
above, as soon as the explosion took
place, commenced to move about,
making noise, which the robbers
might have taken for some person,
and thought the safest thing to do
was to make a hasty retreat. The
plumber was thrown into a pouch
and taken to the car house of Sec
ton Boss Charles Olson, and there
the robbers selected what they want
ed and left the balance. Mr.. Olson
reported this find to the postmaster
as soon as he discovered it, about
a. m.
No time was lost in reporting the
robbery to Chief Inspector Simmons
at st. Paul, the police chiefs at ST.
Paul and at iMankato, Sioux Falls
and Sioux City. y" 80
Sheriff on the Case.
Sheriff TerHaar was communicat.
ed with at once, and he got busy
on the job. The sheriff came to
Heron Lake in an auto and after
gathering what facts he could left
on the night train for Sioux Falls,
where a, gang of yeggs are known
to have headquarters. He spent Sun
day and Monday in that city and
vicinity and gathered some valuable
information. He came home Tues.
day fully convinced, that the robbers
are in that city, and will go back
there after a consultation with
County Attorney Mansfield.
Mr.. Postle, postoffice, Inspector,
arrived Sunday and checked up the
office, and then went to Sioux Falls,
returning Tuesday morning. He too
is of the opinion that the robbers
have headquarters in that city. Mr.
Postle, having urgent business else
where, was obliged to leave Sioux
Falls, but may return to the job a
little later on. In the meantime
Sheriff TerHaar will be after the
robbers, and has every reason to
believe he will land them before
long.
Thought Dance Leader Fired Shot.
The report was distinctly heard
by a number of people, but not
much attention was paid to it, as
there was dance in town that
night, and one of the musicians, in
order to keep the dancers in good
step, frequently shot off pistol, and
those who heard the explosion per-
haps thought it was the pistol at
the dance, and gave it little or nc
thought.
Harvey Prescott got up few min
ntes before o'clock to meet the
$3.50 train, and while dressing heard
the explosion, but he too. thought
it must have been the pistol. AS he
came out of the house to go to the
depot he saw two strange men in
the road near the Benson-Prescoti
corner. They were carrying some
thing between them, and making
rapid Roadway toward the railroad
crossing. AS they passed the house
he heard one of the men say tt
the other to keep right on this road
The package they were carrying was
no doubt the mail pouch and tbey
were on their way to the car house
Mrs. Prescott also says she heard
the explosion, but did not think any
thing serious had happened. Albert
Bong, who rooms at the Corner res
taurant, also heard the explosion
but thought someone was pounding
on the door.
Conductor Saw Two Strangers.
Conductor Arthur Steadman wen
west on No. 9 Saturday morning
and when interviewed by Sheriff
TerHaar said he noticed two mer
run around the head of the trair
and presumably they got on the
blind baggage. At Miloma the real
! brakeman says he saw two mer
| come around the rear of the trair
and get on. They paid cash fair tt
Worthington, and then boarded thu
Sioux Falls train, arriving in that
city at a. m. The sheriff got ;
good description of one of the mel
and thinks he has him located, bu
the description of the other one
is not so good Conductor Steadmar
thinks he could identify one OF thu
men anywhere.
The pick and bar used in the worl
were taken from the car house ant
1 a n tVN