The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-05-12
Father of Three Tells His Story
To the Police Chief
Then CAME HIS ARREST
Freight Cars Had Been Broken
Into; All the Lads Have
Confessed
From Saturdays Daily.

noon to bring to the police station
the alleged stolen goods, that had
Just been found at the residence OF
Albert Besser, conductor and motor
man of the local street car system,
at 1925 Sixth avenue, out on the
prairie. August Deike's rig came with
the load
Chief of Police Eli Klugherz and
two detectives of the Northwestern
railroad had long been quietly at
work on the matter. AS the result
of their collection of information and
the raid that they made yesterday on
the Besser home, several boys were
locked up at the police station yes
terday and Besser himself was plain
ly told by the chief that he would be
placed under arrest This occurred
at the station this morning, when
Besser and his wife, formerly Mrs.
Rooney, came to the station to see
what they could do to meet the COM
ing, troubles.
Four Boys Detained.
The boys who were detained this
morning on the charge of stealing
the goods were three of the Besser
household and Clifford Manning The
four are Arthur Besser, aged Is, who
has been employed at the knitting
mills; Clifford Manning, aged fifteen,
a lad conspicuous for his sauciness,
son of John Manning, former railroad
fireman; Edward Rooney, aged six
teen, son of Mrs Besser by former
marriage, and Arthur Besser, aged
thirteen.
The most interesting development
of the case this morning was the ac-
acknowledgement by BesSer that he had
helped one of the boys carry things
over to his residence from near the
side track, where the box car stood.
Besser in confession admitted the
knowledge of some of the property be-
ing in his house and denied knowl-
edge of the rest. He was subjected
this morning to a grilling fire of cross
questions by Chief KlugherZ.
Mrs. Besser admitted knowing of
one of the boys bringing some cans
of food into the house in his pocket
Besser Made Denial.
What looks worse for Besser than
anything else is the announcement
that yesterday when Chief Klugherz
and the two railroad detectives met
the chief told Besser that they were
going to search his house for stolen
property, he denied that there was
anything there to be found. Yet, aft
er much of the alleged stolen prop
erty had been found in and about his
house, Besser stated that he might
as well tell where it all was, and
thereupon he told where some of it
was concealed in the barn. Chief of
Police Klugherz related this this
morning in his account of the search
search.
1t will be remembered that Clifford
Manning has run away from his home
on more occasions than one. He was
recently picked up by the police at
LIE Sueur and brought back to Man
kato.
Rooney Made Confession.
Edward Rooney made a confession
yesterday afternoon and he admitted
to Chief Klugherz that he was one
OF the boys who blocked up the switch
of a Northwestern side track a few
weeks ago. An account of this block
ing was published at the time in The
Free Press. Rooney said it was Ar
stunt of blocking the track and steal
ing things from the box car. August
Besser was also there
August Besser shed tears when
questioned at the police station in
the office yesterday. The little fell
low appeared to have lost his spirit
completely and every consideration
was shown for his feelings, and he
was told that all the officers wanted
was to get at the truth, and it would
be best for those that told the truth
at once
The array of goods brought to the
station as a result of the raid was
quite impressive and occupied a con-
siderable amount Of the office floor
space. There were three pairs of
mems shoes, which had been worn !;
eight stone jugs of whisky, and two
Mason jars of the same liquid, all
making up ten gallons three gall
yanized iron tubs, one large can of
liquid disinfectant; one box of Palm
Olive soap, comprising about 100
bars; three large copper wash boil
erS, one dozen large glass beer
mugs; thirty empty cigar boxes
which had never been used for Gig
ars; five cans said to contain corn
but with the labels torn off; three
gallon cans of paint, so sticks OF
stove backing, seven bottles of mu-
cilage, one cigar box nearly filled
with caramels, seven bottles of ink,
twenty cigars with a few packages OF
tobacco in another box, and small
camera that was said to have. been
stolen from the Krause studio.
Report to the Chief.
Chief Klugherz related this
morning how the report had come tC
him from G. H.-Johnson, agent at the
Northwestern freight depot, that
somebody had robbed freight train
on the night of the tenth of last
month. The chief went down to the
place and looked over the situation
and one of the special agents of the
Northwestern railroad came and
made an investigation
The officers talked the matter over
and thought of the neighborhood and
discussed different people who might
have done the job. The chief gave
the railroad men the names of GER
tain persons who might be guilty
The special agent then spent most