The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-01-21
ROBBERY IS CHARGED
AGAINST THE PARTIES
Accused BurgIarizing Hardware
Store of Fred Day at Eagle
Lake Friday Night
From n~.day-s Dally.

Charged with burglarizing the hard
three young men living on a farm
i'll that vicinity were locked up in the
county Jail by Sheriff Osten Saturday
afternoon and evening. A warrant
was sworn out for four, Raymond,
Walter and Wilfred Johnston, broth
@srs, and R. McGetnick. all of whom
have been living on the farm of the
parents of the Johnston boys on the
shore of Eagle Lake. Raymond john
Stcn is twenty years old and each of
the other three are eighteen. All but
Walter Johnston were jailed Satur-
day.
The burglary, as narrated in Satur-
days Free Press, occurred Friday
night or early Saturday mornings
Thnr;ff Osten and Fred Day worked
tyH" the. circumstances most of Sat
T'rdav. End in the afternoon a war
rant was sworn out for the four boys
It is said that the four were in Eagle
Lake Friday evening, and the talk
that they are said to have made led
afterwards to the suspicion that they
were the, ones who broke into the
store. 1t is said that thev inquired
around the village late that night,
after the stores were closed. for the
very things that were stolen from the
store. namely, pistols. cartridges,
SearchlightS and pocket knives. 1T is
stated that they were seen about two
O'clock in the morning around little
tool house near the depot. Now. the
iron rod that the burglars used to
Dry up the back window of the store
and get in, was found, and was dis
covered to have come from that rail-
road tool house. 1t is stated that
there are other clues. which throw
suspicion on these four boys.
Picked Up Raymond.
The first to be arrested was Ray
mond. He was picked up in a down.
town restaurant of Mankato about
40 Saturday afternoon. Wilfred
Johnston and McGetnick were found
out on the farm in little shack,
where thew had been doing some
trapping. These two were arrested
Saturday evening. 1t was thought that
Walter was not far off.
1t will be remembered that Ray
mond Johnston, the oldest of the
hnys was arrested here on August
% last on the charge of forgery. al
legged to have been committed at
Stockton. Cal. and California sher-
if took him from this place to Stock
ton. 1t was also stated at that time
that a, charge was to be preferred
against him by a young woman CT
california. However, that may be, he
is back in this state.
Don't you send any reporters to
talk to me-" was an Injunction that
he laid on the sheriff, after he was
arrested Saturday.
All three of the boys who were
tailed Saturday strenuously denied
that they had anything to do with the
robbery of the Day store.
Third Boy Apprehended.
Walter Johnston, the last of the
four boys to be approhended. was
brought to the city this morning by
his father, James A. Johnston, and
turned over tn the sheriff.
All three of the younger boys made
n confession to the sheriff this morn
- ing. but the oldest of the four, to
whom the others pointed as a leader,
still held out that he was innocent
and knew nothing of the robbery. This
was Raymond Johnston.
Fulton Is the Clue.
An interesting circumstance, in
connection with the running down of
the uuartette, was the fact that 3;
button was found On the floor of the
Day store, which was burglarized, and
it was found that that button was
exactly like the buttors on the coat
of Raymond Johnston. The three
younger bows said it was he who pried
up the window Still he held out and
would not confess. ''
All the bows were taken before
Judge Plymat of the municipal court
and were arraigned on the charge OF
burglary in the third degree. All
waived eXamination and were bound
over to await the action of the dis
trict court. Judge Plvmat required
one bond in the sum of 5000 to guar
antee the appearances of the boys
for trial and. pending the furnishing
of that bond, the four were placed
in the custody of Sheriff Osten.
McGetnick stated that his home was
at Redwood Falls. end that he was
visiting at the Johnston home.
No Bail For Boys.
All four of the boys were still in
the, jail this afternoon, no hail having
been obtained for them. Tho ode
Raymond Johnston, persisted in his
sweeping denials. notwithstanding the
confessions that the other three had
made duplicating him.
He was asked about what happened
when he was taken to California to
answer to a charge of passing worth
less checks. and he said he was ac-
quilted His father. however, told
Sheriff Osten that the young man had
been placed on probation for three
wears. Raymond was asked also what
there was to the story that he was
wanted also in California to answer
to a charge preferred by a young
woman He denied that any such
charge had ever been made against
him. -.
Johnston Tells Story.
Wilfred Johnston was the first of
the bows to confess. He told cutie q
story last night. giving the sheriff the
circumstances of the affair. He said
the four boys had been talking amcns
themselves about guns and REVIEWERS
and where thev right ret hold Of
them. Raymond, he said. remarked
that they could get suoh things at