The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-28
While People Danced
Yeggman Robs Depot
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
Rochester, Mimi. November 22.-
The Great Western ticket office in
this city was the scene Of daring
robbery and a sensational escape on
Thursday night about the midnight
hour, when the safe of the company
was blown open and the contents
taken. A very heavy charge of nitro
glycerine was used in breaking the
safe, that completely tore the door
from it's fastening and shattered it
into a mass of broken steel and fire
walls. So complete was the explosion
that all of the windows of the ticket
office were blown cut and pieces OF
the door lodged near one of the stat
ues in Mayo park, a half block away.
Gaining entrance through the win
dow in the mems waiting room that
is used for the parcel check depart
ment. by breaking the glass and
raising the window, the robber made
quick work of his job. Using soap
to fill all of the cracks in the safe a
heavy charge of nitro-glycerine was
then employed. The force OF the
explosion was heard throughout the
business section.
PatroIman Heard Explosion.
At the time of the robbery PATROL
man William Strege was standing
near Max Hargesheimer's pharmacy.
He heard the explosion, and rushed
at once to the Gamble-Robinson
building, believing that was the
80 rsn nd in q
nothing disturbed there the police
man then went to the Great West
ern depot, but in the few minutes
that had elapsed the burglar had
picked up his loot and made a sensa-
tional get away. Patrolman Strege
whistled for help and Chief McDer-
mott was quickly on the scene.
The robbery took place just few
minutes before twelve, and about that
time the dancing party in the Wood
men hall was closing. A large num-
Der of people gathered at the depot.
Agent c. F. Boyce and Ticket Agent
Treiber were summoned and were
on the job hardly before the dust
had settled in the ticket office. 1t
was learned that about $3.50 was in
the safe when it was locked for the
night, and O small amount of cur
rency was found on the floor, which
the yeggman had failed to secure in
his hurried figh'. 1t was estimated
that about $3.50 was secured.
Chief Made Search.
Chief of Police McDermott Sc
cured a taxi and made a search
throughout the city and outside the
| limits, but was unable to locate a
clue that would lead to the arrest
# the guilty party.
! r. is believed that but one was
connected with the job. August
Heine who works at the electric
! light plant, was returning to his
home about that time through Mayo
park, and states that he saw a party
going through the park in a great
1 hurry. Oothers also claim to have
seen an unknown party travelling
hurriedly in that vicinity.
In investigating the conditions
this morning Superintendent Harri
son going through Mayo park in ar
effort to locate a trace of the yegg
man, found the draft for $3.50, which
would indicate that he adopted thai
| =.
Secret Man on the Job.
A secret service man in the EN-
ploy of the Great Western happened
to be in the city Thursday night
and is now on the case. In his be
lief it was the work of an expert
but others are of the opinion thai
the job was done by an amateur
believing that no professional crook
would use the heavy charge of the
explosive that was employed ir
wrecking the small safe. In from
of the cash box in the safe was the
daily report book of the local office
the pages of which are completely
torn, and the reports covered in the
book are total loss, which will
probably necessitate checking up the
office.
Superintendent Harrison state:
that in all probability Pinkertor
detective would be brought here or
the case. The Great Western com
pany purpose to use all resources
to detect the guilty one. Workmer
were placed at the depot at an early
hour restoring order and replacing
the shattered windows.
From Saturdays Daily.
Farmers clubs are becoming NOR,
and more popular every month ant
are increasing in number Throughout
the state. On October ], 1913, Their,
were 800 such organizations in Min
nesota and all of them growing il
strength and dement's to their mem
bers.
The farmers clubs are usually OF
ganized with the social, educationa
and professional advancement of tn
community in view, and should in
clude all members of the family
men, women and children Their
should be something in each meetin,
to interest them all, and in which
they may all take part A farmers
club must not necessarily be larg
organization, two families nein,
enough for a beginning, but tn
larger the club the greater its effec
tiveness~
In Blue Earth county the farmers
clubs already established have secure,
some road improvements mucl
needed, have marketed potatoes tc
gether, have organized bands, hav
had fairs, and have had boys corr
growing contests, and the clubs ar
all still in their infancy. At tn
present time there are at least tw
communities, Minneopa and Sterling
which are about to organize.
To organize a club the agriculture
experts of the state suggest tina
some person in the community ir