The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-05-23
Virgens is Arraigned
Murder Is the Charge
From MONDAYS Daily.

GIFTS. N1FStHS was diioi6hSu ~
fore Justice W. C. Gamble at Fair
mont during this forenoon on the
charge of having murdered John
Steen. The complaint was sworn to
by County Attorney Dean. The
prisoner is charged with first degree
murder
Virgens was brought into court
at about eleven o'clock. But very
few people knew of the appearance
of the prisoner in the court of JUS
tice and the audience was small.
County Attorney Dean requested
that the hearing be put over for a
week in order to give the. authorities
an opportunity to hunt up certain
evidence which they claim to have
in view Virgens has no attorney,
but it is expected that he will en-
gage one soon
The authorities had Virgens in the
"sweatbox" this morning, but If they
secured anything from him that can
be used to his detriment in trial,
they refuse to divulge it to the pub
lie.
Search For the Gun.
More than 300 men visited the
farm of Chris Virgens yesterday In
the hope of finding the Colts auto
matte revolver which he is alleged
to have purchased in Chicago, Al
though every nook and corner Of the
premises was searched the weapon
was not found The grain in the
barn was dug into, search was made
underneath the barn and house and
other places where gun might
be slowed away were looked into.
One unusual circumstance was
brought to light. The searchers dis
covered rope hanging in the well.
Attached to the rope was stone
. wrapped in a pair of German socks.
Whether Virgens did this to try to
create the impression that crazy
man had been on the place is not
known.
Mrs. Virgens is the mother of a
few days old baby She is confined
to her bed It is understood that
she has made certain statements con-
corning her husband, but whether
they can be used against him at the
trial is problematical.
j Bought Revolver in CHICAGO.
That Chris Virgens, charged with
the murder of John Steen, near
Triumph, purchased a Colts auto
matte revolver from Montgomery
Ward & Co., Chicago, and had II
, shipped by express to his address
at Sherburn, Mimi, has been estab
: lished beyond any doubt. Not only
, did Virgens purchase the revolver
but a quantity of steel-jacketed bull
: lets as we'll, were bought of the
: same firm. An investigation brough
t to light these discriminating facts. |
. is believed the revolver was buried
on the Virgens farm following thu
: murder of Steen. Yesterday more
7 than a hundred men searched thu
!. premises in the hope of locating tn
weapon that the Martin county au
: thorities say was used to end tn
g life of John Steen, while the latte
$ was engaged in looking after som
y brood soWs in the hog house on hi
t farm on the night of May z. Sherii
! Carver and County Attorney Dea
are leading the search. Men wit
spades were engaged in turning owe
the earth in the hope of bringing t
: the surface the much-sought TO
y revolver.
e The Martin county authorities clair
# to have evidence going to show tina
z Virgens purchased the revolver fror
+ the Chicago concern two months ag
and that the weapon was shipped t
Sherburn at his request.
e On Saturday evening an electri
9. search-light and several batterie
}. were found in the barn on the vi
. gems farm.
II How Arrest Was Effected.
l.. VIRGINS was arrested by Sheri
Carver at eight o'clock Saturda
morning. The arrest was made
% Virgen's home, which is in Sectio
le 4, Fox Lake township, about mi
east OF the Queen farm. oHCi
n Carver, Detective Lawler OF the Pi
- kerton agency, ST. Paul, and w.
lie Nicholas, with Elery Paras as drive
went to Triumph Friday evening, r
naming in that town over night. \
q one in Triumph knew the real o
=, = ject of the, officers visit.
- Saturday morning the officers toe
their rig and drove out of tow
= They drove east past. the Virgei
place a short distance, then turne
around and drove directly to Il
ID premises. Virgens was in the bal
doing his morning chores He eN
IDENTIFY did not know the officers we
on the premises until they appear'
at the barn. AS he stepped to Il
barn door Sheriff Carver took hi
% by the shoulder and said:
Ordered Under Arrest
" "You are under arrest for the mi
- der of John Steen."
49, 81 didn't do it, said Virgens, ]
- sisting desperately.
- The sheriff snapped the handcut
= on one of Virgens' wrists before
- was able to resist. Detective Lawl
- drew his revolver but the weapon d
- not intimidate Virgens in the lea
hi o.