The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-05-23
Search Virgens Land
ID Matched Stick Found
From Tuesdays Daily.

Colts AUTOMATIC revolver that was
purchased by Chris Virgens from a
Chicago concern. another search for
the weaaoH will be instituted. Not
having been Able to locate. the gun
on the uirgens. farm the authorities
win look elsewhere for, it.
The Fairm0nt Sentinel gives this
story of the .,hunt for the revolver
and Other reformation connected
with the murder of John Steen.
Probably three hundred persons
visited the virgens farm in Fox
Lake Sunday to assist in the, search
for the revolver with, which Yirgens
is supposed to have killed John
Steen on the night of May Z.
They came from far and near, on
foot. with. teams and automobiles.
Among them were many, women and
children. Many brought spades,
forks and other implements useful in
a general search
Despite the efforts put forth the
missing frearm was not found,
Seemingly every conceivable place
of concealmant was investigated.
Every nook and corner of house,
barn, granary and other buildings
was searched again and again.
Three thousand bushels of oats in
the granary were. ,shoyeled over.
Manure piles and hog yards were
shaded up and all suspicious looking
places ip, the fields looked into.
Even the astrawpiles were we'll
The Well Searched.
The most likely place of conceal
ment in the opinion of most present,
was an old bored we'll about four
rods southeast of the house. 1t is
something over thirty feet deep and
contains about twenty feet of water.
Men worked there all day and sue
coded in fishing. up from its depths
a mans sock with a five pound
rock tied in the toe. This would
be dangerous weapon but is not
what was used in the Staen murder.
A discovery made at this old well
is a good deal of an enigma to the
officers. 1t is a stick in which are
cut six notches, five of them old,
the sixth very recent. 1t had evil
IDENTIFY been carefully put away but
what it's portant is no one is able
to guess but many believed that it
has some bearing on the case.
Both of these articles were; taken
possession Of by the sheriff.
Intended to Fill the Well.
This we'll has not been in use for
some time. as the water therein is
notugood and there is neY tubular
well on the Virgens farm. A week
after the Steen murder Virgens had
his father-in-law, Fred Hultgren,
come over and help him take the
pump out of the old, well and said
he was going to fill it up as he was
afraid his little girl might fall into
it, while playing about the yard.
However nothing had been done to-
ward filling the well but it was
boarded over the top.
1t is generally understood that af-
ter Nirgens was arrested and
brought to jail on Saturday Detec-
tive Lawler and Mr.. Nicholas secur-
ed admissions from Virgens' wife
that greatly strengthens the case.
These admissions are in writing
and the contents of the statement
known only to the officers.
Wife Witnessed Struggle.
Mrs. Virgens saw the struggle be-
tween her husband and the officers
Saturday morning when the arrest
was, made She viewed it FROM the
kitchen window but made no out
cry nor any attempt to render her
husband assistance although il is
said there was loaded shotgun, in
the house. Mrs. Virgens is said to
have talked freely with the officers
after the arrest.
After her husband was taker
to Jail Mrs. Virgens' parents, who
live about mile away, Games ovel
and took her and her fifteen months
old baby daughter to their home
where she is now staying and was
seen, by, a Sentinel reporter on Sun
day. mo
ai Mrs. Virgens Interviewed.
Mrs. Virgens is fifteen year
younger than her husband, beinl
but twenty.one years of age. Sh'
is in. a delieateJ condition and eS
poets a second child soon. She wa
questioned briefly by the reporte
and answered all questions frankl
and intelligently. She showed plain
ly the mental ordeal she is passini
through but was, on the whole, sci
controlled and willing to give il
formation. She was not question:
with direct reference to the murder
that being a matter properly left t
the officers.
Concerned About the Stock.
She said she had known tn
Steen family all her life, as sh
was born and has always lived on
farm adjoining the Steen place. Sh
was much concerned about the we
fare of the live stock on their place
which is left for the present withol
care. but said she did not want
20 hack there. She was assured thu
arrangements would be made S
that the stock would not suffer-
is unbelievable that either she {
her parents sahaye any direct know
edge of the murder.