The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-02-10
Daring Hold-Up Pulled Off
in the Outskirts of Sank
Centre Early Tuesday Night

| TWO HeIl COIl0 OUT VI IIlc SIIScC llCO
which the lone man had gone. These
men came toward him and the young
woman with whom he was standing,
passed by at a distance of ten or
twelve feet so that he plainly recog-
nized them as Lawrence and Johnson,
both of whom he knew before. Later
he visited the scene of the robbery and
it was in the street into which he had
seen the lone man 60 and the two men
come out, to be followed later by Hal
both coming from the same street.
| Both Halboth and Gilbertson iden-
titled a mackinaw worn at the time
by Lawrence and described him as
wearing a dark cap. Johnson was de-
scribed as wearing a dark suit and
when arrested was wearing a blue
serge. All witnesses testified to the
brightness of the night.
Officer Fish testified to visiting the
scene Of robbery, of tracing the var
ious footprints and of finding the pipe.
He also testified of the arrest of the
two young men and their denial OF
any connection with the crime.
Attorney Conklin cross-examlned
only slightly. In questioning Halboth
he attempted to show that Halboth was
| drunk and not in condition to recog-
| nize his assailants but succeeded only
in gaining an admission from Halboth
that he had been drinking. He did
not waver on Identification.
There was a stir when Conklin call
ed Lawrence to the stand to testify IN
his own behalf but no one hand an
inkling of the surprising story that
was to come from his lips.
He testified that Tuesday night he
was home between 6 and Z o'clocq,
when he went up town and to Evans
pool hall. There he met Johnson but
was positive that Halboth was not
in the room. He said he was sitting
in chair with Johnson standing near
by, when he and Johnson overheard
young man sitting beside Lawrence
whisper to another young man near
by, give got live guy with money;
let's get it."
A pin could have been heard to drop
as Prosecutor Ahles leaned forward
and asked: "Who was the young man
who made that statement ?"
Lawrence hesitated moment and
replied in a low voice and slowly:
"Charley Wiley or Hughes as he is
sometimes known"
Again the prosecutor leaned for
ward and this time asked: "And who
was the other young man; the one he
spoke toy
Lawrence's voice was again low and
he answered slowly: "John Schwartz y
Then under questioning of Ahles
Lawrence told Of leaving the pool hall
and seeing Wiley and Schwartz and
the man he recognized in court as
Halboth, walking west on Third street
about block and half ahead.
Lawrence testified he and Johnson
| followed to see what would happen
but lost track of the trio ahead. Sud-
denly, when near the radiator factory
they saw three men scufling and then
two of them broke away and ran down
the railway track. The witness said
he told Johnson it was none of their
business and came on down town. AS
they turned away they heard man
yell, "I'll get you YETI. He admit
ted passing Gilbertson on his way
back to town, and recognized him.
| Here Lawrence was asked to de-
scribe the clothing worn by Wiley
and Schwartz, testifying that Wiley
wore rubbers over felt boots, and
Schwartz wore tan shoes with rubber
soles and heels. Asked what he and
Johnson did after they came back to
town Lawrence replied that they look
ed for Wiley and Schwartz, first 60
ing to the pool hall and then to the G.
N. depot, where they found Wiley.
When asked by Ahles why they want
ed to find Wiley and Schwartz Law
renee stated he wanted to know if the
two had hurt or robbed man.
"Did you ask Wiley if they had
robbed man ?" was asked by Ahles.
eyes, and he said they had, and
got 5000 from him which they chang
ed at the movie theatre so as to divide
it evenly" replied Lawrence. He said
that Wiley and Johnson then went to
the show while he went home.
Schwartz had gone to the show before
that.
Ahles asked Lawrence why he had
submitted to arrest and stayed in Jail
all night when he was innocent of any
wrongdoing; why he had not told the
police what he was telling in court;
why he had martyred himself. To all
of which Lawrence said that at first
he was unwilling to tell.
johnson reiterated Lawrence's story
in general but became hazy at times
in regards to details. He testified to
meeting Lawrence in the pool hall but