The Mankato free press., 1912-10-04
From Tesday's Daily.

From Tesdays Daily.
Sheriff Anton Osten and Deputy
Edward lrio put an end to the gin
seng roberies last night and early
this mining Deputy Ario came
home With the game the officers
had bees hunting for. The prisoner
is H. G Brewer, who was arrested
some das ago on charge of steal
ing chic ems, and was given his lib
erty whn he deposited with the
municipal court clerk, F. w. Bates
certified check for $100, the
amount if the bond fixed upon by
Judge " L. Comstock.
Hardly had Brewer been released
from cstody when tho almost
nightly aids on ginseng plants com
menced. The first"fof these noctur
nal visit to the gardens where gin
seng grows, was week ago last
SATURDAY. night. The premises Of
DIR. C. F. Burrows, Lake Crystal
was invaded and several thousand
plants were taken out of the
ground in such a manner as to con
vince the doctor that the thief was
we'll acquainted with the cultivation
of the plant. The news of this bold
theft created something of stir in
Lake Crystal, and the wise resi-
dents of that village at once sus
pecHd Brewer of having had a
hasd in the robbery, but whatever
syspicions anyone possessed they die
rot speak them above whisper
because they did not want to flush
the game.
Made Another Raid.
A few nights passed and another
ginseng garden was raided.
This time the premises of Charles
Peterson was ravaged by the bold
thief Indications pointed strongly
in the direction of Brewer. 1t was
evident that the thief who stole the
plants from the Peterson garden
was the same one who robbed DR.
Burrows of his ginseng. The third
theft was committed last Thursday
night. The thief cleaned up three
beds on the farm of G. H. Schen
del at Rapidan. Early Friday morn
ing man driving a white horse
was seen by several young men return
ing from a dance, driving along the
country road and going in the di
horse was owned by Brewer. Sheriff
Osten had followed the tracks made
by the buggy wheels from Rapidan
to Brewers home in Lake Crystal
Friday night Sheriff Osten and
Deputy Ario were on the job-ol
trail rather. They suspected that
Brewer was the man, it was neces
sary to watch. So early Friday
evening these officials accompanied
by two or three other gentlemen
camped near the home of Brewer
who lives on the cemetery road, in
the limits of Lake Crystal. There
was nothing stirring that night
However, the officers were deter
mined not to give up their vigil
Convinced they were on the right
scent.
Watch Kept on Brewer.
Again on Saturday night a watch
was kept on Brewers premises in
the hope that the officers could
catch him with the goods on. When
Sheriff Osten and Deputy Ario were
rounding the corner of the barn OF
Brewers premises, and making
preparations to go into camp in q
cornfield near by, they encountered
Brewer. The fellow was much sur
prised on meeting the officers. Sher
iff Osten boldly charged Brewer
with being the ginseng robber.
Brewer, of course, put up bold
front, but finally he told the officers
where some of the ginseng was
planted" However, he denied the
theft. He claimed that "paP' haG
hi h,,pr
that all the robberies were com
mitted by this pal" He admitted
to the officers that he knew where
some of the stolen ginseng was
cached and mentioned the Lake
Crystal cemetery. Sheriff Osten or
dered Brewer to get pitchforl
and accompany him and his deput,
to the cemetery. Arriving there
Brewer dug up about thirty pounds
of ginseng which had been planted
in different places.
Talked About a opal"
When questioned by the office
about his pal" Brewer replied tha
he did not know the fellows name
but knew him when he saw him.
The officers were convinced tha
Brewer had no pal" but they diC
not take Brewer into their conf
dence to this extent. They contin
ued to let him believe that the,
were convinced of the truth of hi
story.
During all day Sunday Brewer LEI
the officers in a chase up and dow
the banks of the Watonwan river
having made the statement that hi
"pal' had buried more of th
stolen ginseng in that locality, bu
the stuff was not unearthed, although
the officers had reason to believ
that it was planted somewhere il
that locality, and Brewer was pre-
tending not to know just where tn
exact spot was. All this tim
Brewer was blaming the robberie
on his "pal"
Last night the climax in tn
drama was reached. Sheriff Ostel
and Deputy Ario went to Lake Crys
tai. The sheriff met Brewer an
the officer gave Brewer to under
stand that he was not going to al
rest him, but would rather b
pleased to meet his "pal" Brewe
told the sheriff that he expected hi
"paP' would arrive on one of tn
late trains. The two walked owe
toward the depot. Brewer was quit
cautious. He advised the sherii
that he would go to the depot an
if his "paP' put in an appearance