The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-31
Men Held On Suspicion Of
Stealing Ford Car
WOULD IN THIS CITY
Story Is That They Did Net Tell
Truth To Him; Hence
Arrest
From Fridays Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
Mankato police officers apparently
rounded up pair of auto thieves
yesterday, when they arrested Alfred
Johnson, aged twenty eight and Hen
ry Miller, aged twentyfour as they
were leaving for st. Paul, where they
claim their home is. The two men
came into the city in Ford car yes
terday morning and checked their
grips at the Saulpaugh hotel About
ten o'clock they drove into the Pow
ell Ford garage and asked Mr.. Pow
ell if he would buy the machine.
Mr. Powell asked where they got
the machine and if it -as theirs. He
told them he had been let down on
machines last year and did not want
to buy stolen automobile. The fell
lows replied that they bought the
car at Bruno, Mimi, about year ago
and told Mr.. Powell he might call
the dealer there to prove their iden-
tity.
Powell Paid Over 1925.
Their statement seemed straight
enough and a call was put in at the
Ford garage in Bruno. The two fell
lows waited around until two o'clock,
apparently for an answer and then
stated they would have to leave town.
In view of the fact that they had
waited and seemed willing to have
the call from Bruno come in, Mr..
Powell paid over 1926 for the ma
chine, a 1917 touring car.
Miller and Johnson had hardly
gone from the shop when Mr.. Pow
ell heard from Bruno and the dealer
stated that he never heard of either
of the men. Powell at once called
police headquarters and warned the
officers to catch the two fellows be-
fore the train pulled out. Thy were
apprehended just as they boarded
the train and taken to the police sta
ton. Before officers could seize
their grips, which had hoeH checked
out, the train had pullo1 cut.
Neither Had Registration Gard.
At the station it developed that
neither of the men had q registration
card for the draft and they were held
for the time on this charge. The fell
lows seemed anxious to make it APP
pear that they had failed to register,
believing no doubt that they would be
sent into service and thus escape the
charge of stealing the machine.
Henry Miller, stated that he was
born in Eastern Canada, of German
parentage and that he was an alien,
having never taken out citizenship
papers. He had never even register
ed for the draft. Johnson, on the
other hand had registered at ST. Paul,
he stated, but did not fill out his
uuestionnaire and has not been class
flied for service.
Placed in Separate Cells.
AS soon as the mon arrived at the
station they were placed in separate
cells and upon questioning their stor-
les differed from the first. Johnson,
apparently realizing this, refused to
talk. Miller, when "sweated" by the
officers. made statements, contradict
cd them and mixed his statements
until he too would answer a few
questions. and then refuse to go far
ther fearing he would give away his
former assertion. Offlcers Workeu
with the men until late at mght put
failed to get any light on where the
car was stolen. :,
The bill of sale, shown Mr.. Powell,
from the Bruno dealer had been lax
cd nv the two mon and gave no clue
tn the officers. Chief OF Police AFRO
then called st. Paul headquarters and
fold them to watch for the grips the
men had checked through on the aft
ernoon train. The contents OF the
grips proved a dead give away.
Blank Bills of Sale in Grip.
ST paul officers called this morn
ING and stated that they found a
large stack of blank "bills- f-sale" IN
tho grin. a Nebraska and Iowa notary
coal and an Iowa number bearing the
license number 23SSOO Miller was
then closely questioned and seeing
the game was up confessed that ne
and Johnson stole the car from SIOUX
Falls on Wednesday afternoon apou'
five o'clock.
Sioux Falls officers were at once
wired that the men were held mere
From the fact that the men appear
cd to be in the game of taking cars
OFFICERS rather suspect that the ma
chine stolen here last week may have
been taken by these same men OF
their way down into Iowa. They de-
MED ever having been mere Delore
however. -. :,
This morning JOllIooh ote'e0
The Free Press that he and his part
Nor had bought the car in Duluth OF
March 8. Miller told the officers ina
neither he nor his pal had ever peel
near Duluth.
Sioux Falls Is Interested.
Late this afternoon Chief Ario re
ceived word from Sioux Fails OF
ficials that they would send for tn
two men a. once. 1t appears tina
thew were known by several dlHerenl
names in different places. the on
who gave the name OF AL Johnso
was also known as Carl Anderso
and Miller sometimes went DIV TN
name of Wilson st. Paul official
this afternoon wired that they ma
found the place where the fellows IN
the blank sale bills printed and Cap
tain Wells of the st. Paul detectlv
force complimented the local OFFICER
on the fine catch they made.
Mrs. G. M. Bergman, accompanle
by her mother, Mrs. Rachel A. Brow
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