The Mankato free press., 1918-07-12
HOLD-UP ON Street
SEQUEL TO DRINKING
Esbel Nieberg Put Up Battle
To Save His Coin
NOSE BROKEN IN FIGHT
Stranger Looked as Though He
Had Come Out of a
Slaughter Pen

Elmer Swan and Jim morgan, TWO
Mankato men, were held at the police
station this afternoon in connection
with the assault and attempted rob-
berry of Nieberg. Swan is said by
sauIting the man. This statement
was made shortly after Swan was
locked up. He claims, however, that
Morgan had nothing to do with the
matter.
Walter kIages, Mankato boy and
two men from ST. James were the
men who shouted at Swan and Nor
gan and drove them away when Me
berg was being beaten. kIages stated
to the police that when they first
shouted Morgan drew gun and in
pulling it from his pocket the weap-
on fell to the sidewalk. He hastily
picked it up and made his getaway.
Morgan and Swan were this after
noon arrested on a charge of robbery
in the first degree.
Battered and bruised, his nose
broken and face and shirt front mat
ted with blood, Esbel Nieberg, tiler
police headquarters between two and
three o'clock this morning. Nieberg
was hardly able to talk to the Off
GERS his face was SO swollen and
bruised. He stated that he had
been assaulted by two men and that
they tried to rob him of his money.
The fellow had a roll of bills in his
vest pocket, amounting to S127, and
despite the fact that he must have
been knocked nearly unconscious by
the blows he was struck he managed
to hang onto the money and escaped
the men. From his story it appears
that Nieberg came into the city yes
terday afternoon and had been
drinking considerably at saloons in
the city.
Was Invited to Their Home.
He said he did not remember show
ing the money but had been treating
freely and drank heavily himself dur
ing the evening. Two men chummed
with him in the different saloons and
when the thirst parlOrs were closed
they invited him to their home TO
spend the night Nieberg assented to
this and the fellows took him across
the river into North Mankato. APP
parently they merely wished to pass
the time over here, or were afraid
to attack Nieberg on that side of the
river
AS far as the fellow remembers
they could not have return
ed from here until nearly mid
night. After this they walked
about the city until nearly two o'clock
in the morning. When they were in
front of the Emmanuel Lutheran
church on North Second street one
of the men struck Nieberg blow
in the face. The fellow must have
hit him with some blunt instrument
as the mans nose was cut and
bruised in long cash and the whole
face was swollen, the nose being
broken and knocked way over to the
left side.
One Hit Him, Other Sought Money.
Nieberg states that as one man hit
him the other grabbed for his money,
in his vest pocket. He backed up
and fought the men off as best he
could From. the blood ON his
clothes and shirt it would appear that
Nieberg fought for several minutes
of blood The two men continued to
press him for the money until an
other party nearby shouted for them
to 'let him alone" He states that
there were four men just across the
street and as soon as they shouted
the two fellows assaulting him beat
a hasty retreat.
Nieberg made his way to the
police station and was kept there
during the night. This morning he
was taken to DR.. A. " Denman where
Lis bruises were treated ad the break
in his nose set. Police began work
ing on the case and believe they
know .he men who made the assault.
One of the fellows was picked up
and taken to the station this morn
ing. Nieberg made arrangements to
meet County Attorney j. w. Schmitt
this afternoon and stated he would
swear out warrant for the two fell
lows on a charge of assault.
When he came in last night ME-
berg appears to- have been under the
, impression that one of the men drew
gun on him. This morning he stated
that he did not remember seeing a
gun. He says he was stunned by the
blow and only remembers fighting off
the men, to keep them from taking
his money. Nieberg is man of about
fifty years of age and has been en-
gagged at steady work as tiler near
Fulda.
This Will Be Done Should War Be