The Mankato free press., 1918-07-12
STOLE AN AUTO
LANDS IN COOP
Joseph Wharta Of New Ulm
Came to Grief Quickly
THIRD TO SELL The CAR
Would BE Purchaser Wanted to
Know if the Deal was
On the Square
From Saturdays Daoy.

TOI1 SATURDAY IVY
Joseph Wartha, twenty-one years
old, living in New Ulm, was arrest
ed Wednesday evening by Sheriff
Olson of Nicollet county, charged
with stealing a Ford automobile, be-
longing to Herman Ebert of Bernae
dotte, Mimi. From the story that
can be cleaned from Whatra's ex-
periences he has had a tale that
would make an interesting movie
film since he took Ebert's machine.
After stealing the machine, Wartha
drove to New Ulm where he
stole a pair of license tags off Ru
ick machine, to hide the identity of
the Ebert car The Buick was own
ed by Armin Tauer of New Ulm.
Feeling secure under the protection
of the stolen license tags, which he
had placed on the stolen car he was
driving. Wartha proceeded toward
the twin cities.
Near Mortified, however. he add
ed another picturesque chapter to
his tale by turning turtle with the
car and rolling into the ditch. He
escaped the smashup without so much
as a scratch and had the cad taken
to a garage in Northfield for re-
pairs. The fender and radiator were
bent and damaged in the accident.
While in Northfield Wartha made
arrangements with the Minske gar
age at Morristown to be taken to
the twin cities. On the way to st.
Paul he negotiated for the sale of
the stolen Ford to Minske. Accord
ing to the agreement the Morris
town dealer was to pay no money
down but was to send the amount
to Wartha at Mankato. The car at
this time was still in the Mortified
garage, undergoing repairs.
Minske Was Suspicious.
Fearing that there might be some
thing wrong in the case, Minske
called up the Minneapolis Distri5ut-
ing Agency for Ford cars giving
them the engine number of the stol-
en- machine. Here he learned that
the car had been sold at New Ulm.
The Distributing Agency informed
the New Ulm dealer of the negotia-
tions, and the dealer learned that the
car had been stolen. He got in
touch. with Sheriff Olson of Nicollet
county. The sheriff then called Min
ske and learned all the details of the
agreement with Wartha, regarding
payment for the car.
Wartha, it appears, had assumed
the name of Fowler VIXEN he made
negotiations with Minsae, and the
money was to have been sent to Man
kato under that name. AS soon as
Sheriff Olson learned that the car
had not been paid for he called up
the Mankato police and told them to
be on the watch for Wartha when he
called for the letter.
Letter Was Forwarded.
In the meantime the young man
had not stopped at Mankato but had
gone on to New Ulm 1t may have
been that he suspected the theft
would be discovered as he wrote the
postoffice here requesting them to
forward the letter, which was to
have contained the money from Min
ske, to New Ulm. Sheriff Olson
learned that Wartha was in New Ulm
and arrested him Wednesday even
ing. The young man is now lodged
in the Jail at st. Peter.
JOSEPH Waltha is just twenty-one
years of age and has been employed
in a printing office in New Ulm. Aft
er he was taken to the Jail at st
Peter he made out his QUESTIONABLE
having registered in the last draft
Wartha admitted that he took Ebert's
machine but said he only intended to
take a joyride in it. The idea OF
trying 10 dispose of the car came
to him after the accident happened
His hearing was set to come up al
st. Peter today.