The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-09-13
BRUTE ATTACKS LITTLE
GIRL; IS UNDER ARREST
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
If the story told by a seven-year-
old girl, Frances Stenberg, is true,
at New Ulm that ought to dangle
at a ropes end. The story of his
alleged crime is related by The
New Ulm Journal:
Late Tuesday afternoon, while
Frances, the seven-year-old daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin Stenberg,
residing on the Fisher & Mather
formerly Max Micklas) farm, To-
Gated opposite the county poor farm,
in the town of Cottonwood was re-
turning home from school, she was
accosted by young man riding on
a bicycle. This occurred near the
FIR Aufderheide brick yard, shortly
after five o'clock, and the stranger
offered to give the little girl a ride
home, to which she readily consent
ed in view of the fact that the day
was exceedingly warm and the walk
from the Washington school in this
city, which she attends, to her pa
rental home, is a long and dusty
one.
Enticed Into Cornfield.
Instead of taking the little girl
home. however, the man kept on rid
| ing further south, until arriving at
the Metzen bridge in the same town
ship, where he enticed the innocent
tot to accompany him into corn
field in hollow, across and to the
south of the bridge The little girls
apprehensions were soothed by the
mans assurance that they would
look for nuts.
! Shortly after entering the corn
| field the inhuman fiend made
cruel criminal assault upon the little
girl, and not until she cried bitterly
did he release her Upon leaving
the cornfield and walking towards
the road. the man and girl were met
nv Louise Metzen, the thirteersyear-
old daughter of Nick Metzen. Who
lives on farm nearby, and also by
Harold Petersen, driver for the Au-
gust Schell Brewing company, who
was just returning to New Ulm
from Searles where he had deliver
i ed wagon load of beer. Fortunate.
ly, Mr.. Petersen recognized the man,
who mounted his bicycle and rode
|. back to this city, leaving the little
girl to walk home alone.
When the child arrived at her pa
rental home, she was crying and be-
tween SObs and tears told her moth
er of the terrible occurrence. Mr..
Stenberg notified the local police and
Chief AID. Klause took immediate
steps to ferret out the matter. The
description of the man as given by
little Frances Stenberg was complete
in practically every detail and upon
inquiring of Mr.. Petersen, Mr.
Klause ascertained that Henry Kap-
!, ing of this city was the party seen
in company with the girl near the
: Metzen bridge.
J Early Wednesday morning Chief
!, Klause called upon Kaping at his
home on Payne street and requested
the latter to accompany him to the
: police station, dressed the same way
; he was Tuesday afternoon. Kaping
. hesitated at first, but when he be-
; gan to realize that he had been cor
, nered, he finally consented, and the
officer was able to secure a volun-
, tary, signed confession from Kap-
| ing, completing the chain of evil
; dence already in possession of the
| authorities
| Secured Confession.
After securing the confession,
Chief Klause notified County Attor-
: ney August G. Erickson of Spring
, field, who arrived here from Com
frey Wednesday evening. In the
meantime a warrant for Kapings
arrest was issued by City Justice N
, Henningsen and was signed by Chief
7 Klause.
: Kaping was placed in custody and
taken to the county Jail, pending his
preliminary. hearing which was be-
: gun before Justice Henningsen
Thursday afternoon. He was charg
ed with the crime of having at
J tempted to commit carnal knowledge
| of female child under ten years
| Of age, the penalty for which is
J term of from one to ten years in
= the state penitentiary. He was
bound over to the grand jury of the
, December term of district court
| without bail being allowed. Kaping,
3 who is married man and has one
: child has retained Attorney Joseph
{ A. Eckstein of this city, as his
: counsel, while the state was repre-
sented at the hearing by County At.
: torney Erickson.