The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-31
RLFZED HOUSE ROOMS
WHILE MISTRESS and !.
MAID WERE ABSENT

From Tuesdays Daily.
Taking advantage of the absence
of the landlady and the maid, and
with no one in the house to stay
him in his work, William Mcdowell
yesteday started to carry off every
thing that he could lay hands on In
the boarding house of Mrs. A. A.
Alvin at New Ulm. He went through
the house after everyone had gone,
and then left for what he thought
would be parts unknown, SO far as
anyone else was concerned. His
depredations and life of luxury as a
result of the easy money and methods
of getting living was short lived,
however, for he was soon captured
and brought back to New Ulm, where
he is resting in the county bastile.
Mcdowell, who claims his home is
in New York, arrived in New Ulm
yesterday afternoon about 1880 o'clock
from Mankato. He went to the
house conducted by Mrs. A. A. Alvin
and inquired for room She show
ed him through the house and the
vacant rooms, and he then and
there engaged a ROOM. ,. -
Mcdowell was we'll appearing
man, giving his age as twenty, al
though he appeared older. Mrs.
Alvin was making preparations to go
out to the country for the afternoon
and did not pay much attention to
her new roomer. When she left the
house, Mcdowell went up to his
room and remained there for some
time. .r -,-.,-... .-...
Maid Goes Down Town.
During the afternoon, the maid
left the house to go down town
to do some shopping. She never
be unsafe to leave the house en-
tirely. in the hands of the newcomer,
as he appeared to be refined
gentleman. However, when he found
that he was alone in the house, he
thought he was full master of the
situation, and started on a tour of
inspection to see what could be
found in the other rooms of the
house.
Before he had finished, he had
searched five different rooms. From
the room of Ferdinand Bleck, he
took new suit case, some cigars,
q stick pin, and tried to break into
the trunk. Rudolph Pfaender miss
ed a pair of new shoes, a box of
cigars, while Thor Snilsberg lost a
rare collection of Norwegian coins
and kodak. From the room of
Louis Somners, he took watch fob,
a safety razor, a pair of gold cuff
buttons. stick pin, meerschaum
pipe and pair of eye glasses. G..
Ryffel missed cornet, suit of
clothes worth about $40. In all Nc
DoweIl made a haul valued at about
$3.50 or $500.
: Left Town On Freight Train.
n'} Knowing full well that the articles
he had taken would soon be missed,
he parked them UP and caught north
bound freight train on the Minnea-
polls and st. Louis line, but got off
when he reached Klossner. He went
into the station, and there he was
observed by several young men who
were about to leave for New Ulm
to attend a dance. At that time
he little thought that they would
be the means of his capture, as he
felt sure that his theft and escapade
had not yet been discovered
When the young men reached New
Ulm they learned of the robbery
and they mentioned having seen the
stranger in Klossner. Sheriff w. j.
Julius and Night officer J. Herzog
were Immediately notified and they
proceeded to Klossner in pursuit.
reaching that village at 1:3O this.
morning There they finally found
Mcdowell, but when confronted by
the officers he refused to tell where
he had the booty cached.
The sheriff put him in the sweat
box for a while and Mcdowell finally
owned up to his guilt and told the
officers where he had the goods. He
went with them to box car where
he had left the booty and there the
Officers found everything intact.
His clothing was searched and other
valuables we're found on his person
When the officers at st. Peter
were called on the long distance tel
ephone today, they said that Nc.
Dowell's operations had not been
confined to New Ulm. He had TAX