The Mankato free press., 1912-01-19

uuhCi luSOuOTE
Frantz, cock 1, 2, cockerel 1, 2, g.
hen 1, 2, 8, pullet /, 2, 8.
African geese: H. G. Krantz, cock
l hen 1.
Phoenix: w. Prenzlow, Mapleton
cockeral l, pullet 1, 2.
(From Mondays DaiIy.)
Mystery shrouds the death of six
horses belonging to William Hanni.
gan, a prosperous farmer living three
miles southwest of LIE Sueur Center.
A story as mysterious as the famous
tale unraveled by Sherlock Holmes
in "Silver STAR" confronts detec-
tives in LIE Sueur county. One does
not have to go to uncanny London
and it's surroundings to find crime
committed in as mysterious and
clever ways as ever was concOcted
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Foul Deeds Date Back Months.
For several months past, ever since
the harvest was gathered, Mr. Hanni-
gan's horses have been suddenly
taken i'll, one at a time, and then,
as suddenly, died. At first Mr.. Hanni-
gan suspected nothing, but when the
third and fourth horses died he made
an investigation with a view towards
discovering the cause of the sudden
deaths of his animals, which he yalu-
ed very highly.
Mr.. Hannigan called a veternar.
ian the first time, but the latter
could not fathom the cause of death
but after the fourth horse had died,
Mr.. Hannigan had post morten held
on the animal. An examination was
made of it's stomach and intestines
by DR.. r. M.uDodds of this city. No
trace of poison was found in the
stomach, but the cause of death was
discovered in the punctures that has
been made by sharp instrument
in the intestines. All the horses had
been killed in the same fiendish man.
ner.
-.- Detectives Find No CIeWs.
Detectives have been employed in
an endeavor to fathom the mystery
Of the Staying Of the horses. For
weeks shrewd, painstaking men were
in Mr.. Hannigan's employ, but they
were unable to gain the slightest
clew that would lead to the arrest
and conviction OF the slayer of the
animals. All this time Mr. Hannigan's s
horses were being killed off, and the
guilty person was still unapprehen-
ded. .tait." . '
Mr.. Hannigan could not even con-
ger a motive that should cause any,
one to slay his horses in such a
brutal and mysterious manner. He
had harmed no one. He had not done
anything toward any person, that he
could think of, that would cause
vengeance to be wrecked upon him
and his horses in the foul manner
that it had been done. Whenever 1t
was suggested to Mr.. Hannigan that
such and such a person might be
guilty of the foul deal, Mr.. Hannigan
would shake his head in the mega
tive. ..-"
Death of Fine Mare.
The last death revealed another
phase of the mysterious killings. TIE
animal was fine mare with a foal,
valued at 5000. On Wednesday night
of last week her manger was filed
with hay. IN the morning when the
children came into the barn they
found the horse seriously sick Mr..
Hannigan was called. He found the
manger empty of hay. The conclu.
sion was drawn that the deed had
been done after midnight, as 1t would
take until that time to eat all the
hay.
Some Mysterioues Writings.
Scraps of paper which had been
partly burned were found around
the stalls. This led them to believe
that some insane person had killed
the horses.
Wednesday night there was a
dance in the neighborhood to which
the eldest son went. He returned
about four o'clock inthe morning,
but in putting in his team, he did
not go to the end of the barn where
the mare was. He did not notice
anything peculiar at that time.
An investigation of the intestines
of the other horses revealed the
fact that they had been killed by
the same process, for incisions were
found in similar places Those who
have investigated the matter think
that the horses must have been
chloroformed, as they think the
horses would surely have kicked or
raised some disturbance when the
incisions were made.
Sheriff Is Investigating.
Sheriff Patrick keogh is making
thorough investigation. A detect
i've is also on the trail, but it seems
almost impossible to run the guilty
party down with the scant clues in
hand. @
Mr.. Hannigan has a fine 200 acre
farm three miles from LIE Sueur
Center. He is q well.kIiown man and
up to last summer it was not thought
that he had an enemy.
The loss of the ten horses amounts
to over $4,000, the animals averaging
about $175 in price. The fact that
they have been killed has driven
Mr.. Hannigans almost insane.
vOuNG MEN. We are ready for a