The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-10-10
Belle PLANE Man
Left Note For Wife;
Would End His Life

From Thursdays Daily.
The latest report from Belle
PLANE is to the effect that the
dragging of the river availed
nothing.
Deputy Sheriff Ed Ario, George
Lang and Frank FFanciscus re-
turned last night from Belle
PLANE, where they took the two
bloodhounds in response to a call
for their use in trying to locate a
man who had not been seen since
Sunday night, and who it was feared
had committed suicide. The. name
of the missing man is William Task,
and lie has been following the pur.
suit of stationary engineer. Sunday
evening, between six and seven
O'Clock, he was seen passing the
home of his brother, a block from
his own home, and that was the
last seen of him. He was dressed
in his Sunday clothes, but he left
his watch and an insurance policy
on the table in his home, and also
a note to his wife to the effect that
he was going to drown himself and
that she would never see him again.
Note For His Wife.
This note read: 81 am going to
not look for me- Written on his
insurance policy were the words:
Goodbye. sweetheart"
AS Task had done this same thing
before, and after, having been away
from home day or so returned, his
wife did not become alarmed when
she discovered her husbands alb
sence and the notes left behind;
until he had been away; several days.
She notified tho authorities who i'm
,mediately instituted a search for the
missing man. A small sum of money
that had been in the house was gone,
and it was learned later that this
money was used by Task to pay the
interest. OH a pote for $50 given by
him to resident sof Belle Plaine.
When Mrs. Task could not locate the
money she thought that her husband
had taken it and gone into the coun'
try to seek employment as engineer
of a thresbing engine. Tie pay
ment of the interest was discovered
later. Aas ~ ~ -
f The only reason that can be as
signed for ;fask making away with
| himself is that he was, respondent.
He Lad remarked to friends that it
! was hard work for him to make both
ends meet. He had held the posi-
! tion of engineer at the city electric
! light plant. but was discharged q
few, months ago. He obtained an
other position as engineer, but his
pay was not as large as formerly.
He was thirty.four years old and
! the father of three children. 1t is
said that about year ago he tried
to hang himself, but this report was
not verified By the officers
Dogs Given the Scent.
On their arrival at Belle PLANE
the dogs were given the scent from
Tasks clothing that he had been
wearing, and Mankato Queen quickly
took it up and followed it past. the
brothers house and along path and
| the highway to the Omaha railroad
! track some distance from town, and
| along the track to a point a mile
FEAST of Blakeley. Then the dog dove
off along private road to the Min
| nesota river bank, and thence along
the bank for twenty or thirty rods
I, to point where threshing engine
tanks are filled, and refused to go
further. Here The water is fifteen
| feet deep, with a stony bottom. 1T
/, is said to be The deepest place in
the river. 1t was pitch dark, and
| the officers could SEE nothing, and
+, it was decided to drag the river
/ there this morning. !;
I Deputy Sheriff Ario and his party
! and the dogs went to Belle Plaine in
i Mr.. Lang's automobile but near
/ Kasota spring was broken. and the
party was delayed SO much that it
was nearly dark when they reached
, Belle Plaiiie. sc most of the work
was done after dark.