The Mankato free press., 1917-01-19
She Stated That He Was Not
Her AssaiIant
PLANT OF MISS STRAND
While Prisoner Is Serving Time
His Record Will Be
Inquired Into
From Thursdays Daily.

oSNSsSAAhJ
made on women in Mankato Tues
day evening left the riddle still un-
solved. Mrs. Lottie Hobbs, the wom-
an who was cruelty abused, saw the
prisoner, d. r. Cottrell, in the muni-
cipal court room this morning and
declared positively that he was not
the man who attacked her. On tn
other hand, Miss Fannie Strand, who
was attacked the same night, stuck
to her statement that the voice
clothing and cap of the prisoner were
all recognized by her as those of the
man who assaulted her. Miss Strand
signed a complaint, charging the
prisoner with assault and attempt to
commit rape.
AS a result of the proceedings that
took place in court this morning,
Cottrell was sent by Judge Plymat tC
Jail for ninety days, having been
found guilty of a charge of disorder
ly conduct. This will give County
Attorney J. w. Schmitt all that
time in which to decide what to dc
in regard to the more serious offense
"The Red Bird"
The charge of diSorderly conduct
on which Cottrell was convicted, con-
sisted in his insulting talk towards
some ladies on Front street Tuesday
night. One of the ladies, Miss Eliza
Studt was a witness in court in re-
gard to this. Chief of Police Klug-
herr told how the prisoner denied
this charge until late yesterday aft
ernoon, when he was confronted with
the fact that there were several wit
nesses against him, including Frank
Miller Alley Reichel and their wives
He admitted that he tried to tell one
or more of the girls which way tC
go, but he tried to soften it down by
saying that one of them began talk
ing about him first, speaking of a
"red bird in reference to his red
sweater.
Cottrell claimed to have come from
farm near Moritz, S. d. He said he
came here to sell hay grown on some
land Of which he had charge there
He said he came to MankatO Mon
day afternoon.
He was asked by Free Press rep
resentative this morning to tel
where he had been on Tuesday even
ing, the night when the two bastard
ly assaults occurred. He said he was
at two restaurants and several sa-
looms and that he had been drink
ing. He said he could not remember
just where he had been, but he de-
clared he knew that he had not at
tackled any women. He said that he
out that night until one o'clock when
he went to bed at his hotel, the
Heinrich.
CottreII Right Name.
The police have no doubt that Cott-
rell is this mans right name. When
he was searched he had on him two
bank books, showing that he had ac-
counts at two South Dakota banks.
and the name, D. r. Cottrell, was on
both books. He did not attempt to
give any other name than that. He
tried to keep that name from getting
into the newspaper
CottrelPs arrest grew out of a COM
plaint that a certain married lady of
the city made of having been insult
ed on the street Tuesday evening.
Her husband told the police about it
on Wednesday morning. Officer
Waters picked up Cottrell from the
description.
There is another feature to the
story. Chief Klugherz has been in
formed that a man with red sweat
er acted in fresh and unbecoming
manner among some girls employed
in the Saulpaugh dining service
Recalls Another Assault.
Another question to be answered is
whether the stranger who few
weeks ago insulted little girl by the
name Of Thilgen, early one evening.
near the home of her father, Philip
Thilgen, 125 North Fourth street. but
was scared off by the approach c.
another man, could possibly be the
man who was sentenced to jail this
morning. The man who insulted the
Thilgen girl is understood to have
boarded at the st. Paul house. ad
the police may be able to get infor-
nation throwing light on that ques-
tion from the people who run that
hostelry.
All these and other questions re-
main to be investigated and ans
wered
Mrs. Hobbs declaration that the
prisoner was not her assailant was
positive and final. She saw that the
prisoner had a mustache and she said
the man who attacked her was
smooth -shaven.
1t has been found that Cottrell
actually was at the Heinrich hotel
and that he came in very late on
Tuesday night, as he said, some time
around midnight. Cottrell, it has
been learned, made some trouble in
the dining room and was taken out.
Cottrell was at the Heinrich on
Wednesday morning. After partaking
of breakfast he turned his back on
the table and commenced to oogle lady
members of the "Katinka" company
who were in the dining room. His
actions became very obnoxious to the
women an compaint was made to
the waitress, resulting in Cottrelrs
being elected from the dining room
by a male employe of the hotel.
Indignant at the Attacks.
One of the women upon whom a
cowardly assault was made on Tues
day night is a member of the First
Baptist church of this city, Her
pastor, Rev. r. w. Hobbs, immedi-
ately following an interview with
her, secured the following interviews
@,v-f T. IA DcrnvI
ary : = : - --.,.s~', .hn hi,sinass $