The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-07-18
ENDS HIS LIFE
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LVUO IliO Ill
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overtaken he fired bullet into his
body and fell dead.
Deserted Wife and Children.
Langbehn left Germany in 1914.
when the war broke Nout, to escape
military service. He registered at
Lake Park, Iowa, as an; alien enemy.
He had deserted wife and three
children in Hanover, Germany.
Langbehn worked as a farmland in
Sioux Valley township for the last
year.
The frenzieJ Hun was employed
by Hans Jacobson, a farmer living
just over the line in Jackson county.
Last Saturday the jacobson family
was called to Humboldt, Iowa to at
tend the funeral Of relative.
In the absence of the family, a
widowed daughter, Mrs. 3ressle,
twenty eight years old, and the
mother of three chiidi,sn, came to
the Jacobson home to keep house for
Langbehn and another hired man.
Mrs. Bressle's husband died last win
ter of influenza.
At dinner Saturday Langbehn ac-
cused Mrs. Bressle of having talked
against his character to different
people In, the peighborhood. Mrs.
Bressle denied his charges, but a
rather violent quarrel ensued. Finally
the woman slapped Langbehn's face.
I'll get you,"r he threatened and
his manner was so menacing that
Z Mrs. Bressle became alarmed. After
finishing the noon meal, she went
with her children to her room to
prepare to leave the place. being
afraid to remain longer with Lang
behn.
He FIourished Revolver.
A half hour after the dinner table
incident. Langbehn forced his way
to Mrs. Bressle's room and at the
point of a revolver forced her to
promise not to tell what had hap
SHed
Still fearful, Mrs. Bressle went to
the home of a neighbor, William
Riedemann, and with her children,
stayed there Saturday night.
to the Riedemann place and demand
ed that Mrs. Bressle return and take
up the household duties at the JAG
OLSON place as he had had nothing
to eat since she left Saturday after
noon. This she refused to do and
Riedemann ordered the man of the
place, after he had made threats.
Afraid to Telephone.
After nighfsaI Sunday Langbehn
.>,pe haei 1seaernann.s with a
&otgun and stationed himself out
aide the window, making threats
against the household. The people
In the house were afraid to phone
for help as Langbehn had full view
OF the telephone from his station
outside the window.
Finally a heavy rain and electric
storm came up and Langhehn re-
turned to the Jacobson place. The
people at Riedemann's could see him
leaving by the lightning flashes.
They then telephoned to Lake Park,
Iowa, the nearest town, for help.
At 5 a. m. Monday Langhehn was
back at Riedemann's with two shot
guns and a revolver. He took up a
position in the grove from which he
could. command the premises. He
continued his threats to kill and fired
some shots but without injuring any
one.
Posse Quickly Formed.
Shortly after Marshal Smith and
four assistants from Lake Park ar
rived. They were reinforced by half
a dozen farmers from the neighbor-
hood carrying a variety of weapons.
On approach of the posse Langbehn
withdrew to an oatfield, the posse
following. Langbehn told them to
stop or he'd pick off some of them
with his shotguns and revolver.
Disregarding threats, Mark Emer-
son, a nineteen year old boy from
Lake Park, approached within ten
feet OF Landbehn, who got the drop
on Emerson and ordered him to drop
his gun and throw up his hands,
Langbehn then shot Emerson point
blank with his reyoler, the bullet
striking a. rib and DETECTING from
vital organs, lodged in the young
mans spine. Emerson fell and while
helpless on the ground Langbehn
shot him again with a shotgun, the
charge penetrating his face, arms
and back, but not deeply.
Taking Emerson's shotgun, Lang
behn climed a tree in nearby
marsh. Riedemann approached on
horse back and did not see Langbehn
until directly under him. Disregard
ing Langbehn's command to throw up
his hands Riedemann sprang from the
horse and attempted to use his rifle
but the ammunition refused to fire..
Took Refuge in Swamp.
Evidently not knowingr this Lang
behn jumped from the tree and ran
into the marsh. Marshal Smith fol-
lowed on horseback and ordered the
murder mad Hun to throw up his
hands. With his left hand in the air
I'm token of surrender Langbehn
turned the revolver upon himself
shooting himself through the body
and dying instantly.
Sheriff o. G. Lee Of Jackson coun-
ty arrived just in time to prevent the
enraged neighbors who had gathered
from mutilating and burning Lang
behn's body, which he took to jack
SON. 1t was buried at the expense
of the county in the potters field.
Planned to Get ranks.
Last Thursday Langbehn remarked
L. to-