The Mankato free press., 1918-07-12
PREACHER ISP|NCHED
CHARGE IS DISLOYAL
The Rev. A. c. Larson Was
Brought Into Court
Wife ARRESTED ALSO
Convicted Traitor in Jackson
County Was Given a
Light Sentence

FalrmOnt July 5.-ReV. A. u. Lar
son, Swedish Lutheran pastor living
two miles west of Monterey, and his
wife, Selma, were arraigned before
Justice J. Everett on charges of dis
loyalty. Their four small children
accompanied them to court. The ar
rest was made by Deputy Sheriff A..
A. Harris of Triumph. Examination
was set for July II.
1t is charged in the warrants is
sued by County Attorney Allen that
Larson made the following state
ments:
'"The kaiser gets blamed for every
thing"
Should the Germans stand up and
spread out their hands and get shot?"
II believe in this country, too but
don't like to see the boys go over
there and get shot and killed"
The warrant also asserts that Lar
son taught and argued many other
things and used many other state
ments, all tending to unlawful teach
ing discouraging enlistments.'
Alleged Against Mrs. Larson.
Mrs. Larson, the warrant says,
made these statements:
"Ycu do too much for the Red
Cross"
"The money given to the Red Cross
does not go to- the Red Cross. / do
mot know where it goes"
County Attorney Allen advised the
Larsons to get an attorney and told
them they could have all the time
they wished to prepare for- examina-
tion. Larson retained Paul c. Cooper
He Has Two Congregations.
The minister, who has two par
ishes, one west of Monterey, where
he lives, and the other north of Odin,
said he came to this country from
Sweden in 1891 and formerly had
congregations in Iowa. He is a man
of between forty and fifty.
Young Child in Court
Mrs. Larson took her youngest
child into court while three remained
outside in Mr.. Harris automobile
The preacher said he did not know
many people in Fairmont. He asked
where Senator Ward lived and was
told by Justice Everett.
According to reports from that sec
tion of the country. the Larsons have
been hostile to active prosecution of
the war for some time, and because
of their positions in the two com :
munities, their statements and opin-
ions have carried considerable
weight.
Deputy Harris said there were
Ctn1.i0c fhof T &c of
i the Nonpartisan league, but he did
not know whether they were true.
DisIoyaIist Sent to Jail.
81 hope to God that you and the
rest of the soldiers who go to
France will go down like those did
on the Lusitania The Germans
were justified in sinking the Lusi-
tania."
! These foul and traitorous state
ments last night resulted in Law
renee Lungovan of Jackson beina
sentenced to the three months
in the Jackson county Jail and fined
$100 by Judge Dean.
Eungovan was brought to Fair
mont by County Attorney Nicholas
and Sheriff Lee.
He uttered these words, which are
probably the most reasonable heard
} in any prosecution locally, to three
young men who had enlisted and
were about to leave for war.
He was arrested on orders of Coun
| ty Attorney Nicholas and pleaded
guilty.
Asked his nationality, Lungover
said he was, born in Muscatine
Iowa, and his parents in Ireland. He
is about fifty years old and unmar-
ried.
Converted DisIoyaIist
Fairmort, July 5.-Henrv Bast; VIII,
| has been in the county Jail for severa
, months, as the result of an attack upo,
/ two citizens az Triumph the day h
! was called in the draft, today was re
| leased and sent to CamD Grant ILL.,, t,
take his place in the national army.
For the first three months he was il
Jail. Bast was sullen and defiant 81
4 much SO that six months suspende,
sentence hanging over him for disloyalty
was put into effect
1 Sheriff Carver has been working witt
Bast TRYING to convince him of the er
! ror of his ways. and apparently wa
successful All spruced up, and deelar
ing that he wants to do his bit, th
young man, today left for Rockford.