The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-14

1913
remarkable circumstanc in itself
He is said to possess the peculiar
power of controlling his heart ac.
ton. He is thus able to simulate
serious illness. BY SO doing he was
admitted to the Massachusetts, prison
hospital, the physicians believing
him to be in dying condition. He
effected his escape from the hospital
and scaled the prison walls in the
night.
His Chicago Business.
In November, 1911, Reid complet-
ed his term in the Massachusetts pri-
son. In January, 1912, he opened his
business offices in Chicago. Little
is known of the real nature of his
enterprises, the Reid Investment
company and the Auto Owners Pro-
tective association, but these will be
fully investigated by Mr.. Henning-
sen while in Chicago. So far as
| known his only associate was c. f.
Belcher. who figured as vice president
of the Reid company. The firm had
an extensive office force, employing
fifteen stenographers.
Among his other attainments Reid
was an expert printer and printed
! the letterheads, notes, drafts, ETC.,
necessary to his business himself,
! duplicating the paper of the firms
whose names he used in his
swindleS.
There is a strong suspicion that
Reid sailed large sums accruing from
| his operations. His sister, Miss
Ethel Reid Of Los Angeles, is said
Detectives are trying to establish her
| connection with her brothers opera.
tons.
Had $4,000 Auto.
On December 2 last, two days be
fore the Ceylon deal, Reid visited
his sister at Rockford, la. He drove
| into Rockford with fine new $4,000
automobile. Creditors holding old
accounts, attached the machine and
it is now held at Mason City. If this
machine can be shown to belong to
Reid it may partly reimburse the
Ceylon bank for their loss.
A loss estimated at $4,000 result,
ed from a fire discovered this morn.
ing at the Fowler e Pay cement
works in Austin. All the buildings
in the entire plant were destroyed
and most of the machinery. 1t is
not known as yet, whether the loss
will be covered by the insurance.
The plant consisted Of large brick
ware house, about 400 by 200 feet
| several smaller buildings, lime kilns
and machinery. The blaze was dis,
covered about five O'Clock this morn
| ing in the vicinity of the ware house
by Nelson Holte who lives across
the street. The flames were beyond
control before the fire department
could arrive.
! 1t is thought that the fire started
| from a stove in the office in the
| large warehouse as that was the
only fire of any kind in the entire
! plant last night. Superintendent
! James Teany says that he left the
office at midnight last night and at
that time the fire in the stove was
low. AS far as known this is the
only solution as to the origin of the
fire. The plant has not been in
operation this winter.
Located Two Miles From Austin.
! S. X. Fowler of the firm of F'ow-
Ter & Pay, was notified Of the fire ut
about seven o'clock this morning. AS
the plant is located about two miles
from Austin, the fire department
/ could do but little to save the build
ings from destruction. The manager
Of the plant informed Mr.. Fowler
that when he was aroused the en-
tire plant was in flames. The steel
kilns will be saved. The plant was
partially insured. The only part o.
the plant that escaped the flames
were the coal house and the black
smith shop. Twelve thousand bar.
rels OF cement We're saved
| The plant was built about twenty
five years ago by the late Frank
Fowler. and it was remodeled in
1909. 1t had a capacity OF 10000
barrels Of cement per year.
1t was reported yesterday that the
two missing checks supposed to have
been forged on L. u. Smith by John
Quitting had been discovered but il
appears that only one of them has
so far turned up. This is check No
1211. for $25. 1t was cashed i'm Christ
| Polchows saloon last Saturday by
John Quitting. 1t was reported that
Joseph Stahl at the Stahl house had
the other check but he informed The
Free Press this morning that this
was q mistake. Mr.. Stahl says that
he cashed three checks Saturday
one for S25. one for 500 and one fol
5000. When he. learned that he was
supposed to have cashed one of the
bogus checks, Mr.. Stahl says that
he went to the German American
/ bank where he had cashed the
checks and inquired if he too was
"stung." He says that he was inform
ed by the cashier that all the paper
he had turned in there was good
Mr.. Stahl is anxious to know who
started the report that he had cash
ed Outings fifth check. 1t will BIZ
remembered that Quitting was seen
to have $120 in bills on the night he
was supposed to have left Mankato
| So far S95 worth of checks have
been discovered and one more
E"phoney" for $25 would make III
/ this amount. The number of the
missing check is 1910
Robert Dixon, who was indicted
by the district court grand jury yes
terday on the charge of assault il
the second degree, was arraigned
l h0fnrn nd NJ nsn e
morning. After hearing the indict
| M Nv, To, IL, .tk