The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-09-07
Fight Followed; West Mankato
Resident Used Fists With
Dexterity
Police Show Up and More
Trouble Occurred; Heads
Are Sore
From Tuesdays Daily.

quite d lIdCdS, Will 'uioio lhoh ohS
marked head and face, grew out of
an un-American remark, alleged to
have been made in South Front
street saloon. late yesterday. Ger
many can lick the United States in
ten minutes is what a man from
Wells is accused of saying. do you
think you can lick me?" asked a West
Nankato man, according to report.
IT might is the alleged reply.
II is said that the Wells man struck
frst but that the West Mankato man
got the better Of him. However that
may be, 1t is certain that there was
quite mix-up and the police were
called. The Wells man submitted
tamely to arrest, and walked out of
the front door and over to the police
station without making any further
trouble. The West Mankato man
started over in about the same man
ner and little would have been
thought of the incident, if he had
continued the same policy. He fol-
lowed the two officers in charge of
him, Chief Ario and Frank Gregg,
for a time, and then stopped, refused
to 60 farther and paid his compli-
ments to the nplice in language that
is not justified by any of the high
echool or college rhetorics. The po-
lice officer went over to him and
he began to fight. The chief receiv-
ed a blow near the left ear, leaving
q mark that is still visible. Officer
Gregg was also attacked. There was
O. scri1nmagc and the belligerent West
Msnkatonian was knocked down, his
head striking the curb. This was
probably what led to the circulation
of the report that Officer Gregg
struck the man with a club. This, the
officer strenuously denied. Chief Ario
Last night had swollen right hand.
Both of the fighters that started
the row in the saloon were soon lock-
ed up. The West Mankato man, how
ever, after bis identity and residence
became known, was allowed to go
home. and spend the night with his
family: The Wells man was kept
locked up.
The Wells Kan was asked In his
cell whether he said Germany could
lick the United States in ten minutes,
and he said he did not remember
having said it, He gave the name of
located On a farm between Wells and
Easton.
Given Suspended Sentence.
Claude Clemens, the West Mankato
man, whose fervent patriotism got
him into trouble in saloon yester-
day AFTERNOON, with the result of still
more trouble after leaving the sa-
loon, pleaded guilty in the municipal
court this morning to the charges OF
disorderly conduct and resisting Off
GERS. Judge Harry Johnson placed
him under suspended sentence of
sixty days in the county Jail, order
ing him to be better behaved in the
future, keep out of saloons and re-
port after certain time to the court.
Clemens is said to have threatened
to, "clean up every Dutchman he
could find" and his friends have been
afraid he would get into trouble.
William j. Walker, the farmer,
from Wells, with whom Clemens did
get into trouble, pleaded guilty to a
charge of disorderly conduct and paid
a fine Of $2365. Walker denied that
he had made the remark that Germany
could lick the United States in ten
minutes, and anything of the kind.
Clemens this morning would not say
positively that Walker did make that
remark. How the fight started is
still something of mystery.
Royal Bellisle pleaded guilty to the
charge of disorderly conduct and paid
q, fine of $zs.65.
A. G. Ness, commercial traveller.
paid fine of IS for recless driving
OF a. motor vehicle.