The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-09-05
ONE ROGERS TELLS HOW JOHN
LARSON WAS SLAIN
BRUTAL ACT OF COUPLE
One of the Alleged Murderers
Is Safe In Hands of
Offers

|. Minneapolis, September 3.-Within
twenty -four hours the police expect
to have under arrest the second man
liconcerned in the murder of John
rGust Larson of Slayton, whose mu
tilated body was found in a cornfield
near Glencoe, Saturday. Information
given the police by j. Rogers, ar
rested by Detectives Michael Duffy
and James Mcclure in Glendive,
Mont, and now in the city jail,
where he is said to have confessed
|, his part in the murder, leads detec-
tives to believe that the capture of
the second man is only a matter of
hours. According to Rogers, the
name of his accomplice is James Arm
strong.
The murder of Larson in it's bru-
tally rivals that of Patrolman George
Connery by Frank McCool and Jo-
seph Redenbaugh in April, 1917, and
the murder of Verne Bergman, taxi
driver, whose body was found in the
| weeds near Buffalo, Mimi, about
three years ago.
Larson May Have Lived for Days.
Larson had been trussed up with a
clothes line and gagged with hand
kerchief after his skull had been frac-
tured Broken corn stalks within a
| radius of many feet where the body
was found bore mute evidence that
Larson had regained consciousness
and made a desperate struggle to
| free himself The man might have
lived and suffered for many days, ac-
cording to w. o. McNelly, attorney
of Mcleod county, who made care
full examination of the scene of the
murder.
Armstrong, according to Rogers. is
the man who received bullet wound
in the shoulder about three weeks
ago when he rescued his partner
from the sheriff of Sisseton, S. D.,
who had arrested Rogers for driving
a car without license numbers.
Couplet Given Ride, Then Pull Guns.
The two are accused by the Min
apolis police of having murdered-far-
son for his money on July %. Larson
| had been in Minneapolis on business,
| and was returning to his home in
Slayton, when he met two soldiers
| on the road near Lake Minnewashta,
two miles from Excelsior. They ask
ed for ride, which was granted
them. When they heard that Larson
was driving through Olivia they told
him that was their destination.
About three miles southwest of
Glencoe the two men suddenly drew
their revolvers and forced Larson to
drive up. a cornfield. They, robbed him
of a $1,000 Liberty bond and $1535
in cash. Then they tied him hand
and foot with clothes line they had
/ purcased in Minneapolis, dragged him
into the cornfield, hit him on the head
with one of the revolvers and left
/ him to die, after having gagged
him with handkerchief and an elastic
knee stocking taken from their vic.
tim.
Were Taken After Three Weeks Chase
The story of the assault and rob-
berry was told by Rogers, discharged
| Canadian soldier, after his arrest by
the Minneapolis detectives.
Rogers, or Forbes, was arrested
after sensational chase that covered
period of nearly three weeks.
Larson, a retired farmer whose
wealth is estimated at 100000, left
Minneapolis for home early July 20.
Then all trace of him was lost and
his relatives started an inquiry. Po-
lice of the twin cities were notified,
but the search was without results
until three weeks ago; when Rogers
was arrested in Sisseton.
Made Escape After GunpIay.
When arrested, Rogers led the po-
lice to rooming house and shouted
to Armstrong that he was under ar
rest Armstrong appeared with an
automatic in each hand, rescued with
his partner and the two made their
escape in the machine, although Arm
strong was wounded by shot fired
'by one of the deputies.
Their machine was wrecked a short
distance from Sisseton, but they stop
ped farmer in another car and fore
ed him to drive them several miles.
Then they tied him to a tree and
made their escape.
The wrecked machine furnished the
clue that eventually led to the cap
ture of Rogers. An investigation by
the local police showed that it was
owned by Larson, who had so my
seriously disappeared a short time
before. The Minneapolis police were
notified and Detectives MCGUIRE and
Duffy assigned to the case.
Were Always Day Behind Quarry
The detectives obtained a clue that
led them first to Miles City, Mont.
They were too late. Their quarry
had escaped. Thence back to Miles
City, to Deer Lodge, to Garrison, to
Drummond, to Wallace, Idaho, back
to Superior, Mont, and Deer Lodge.
to Billings and Glendive-the detec-
tives always twenty -four hours be>
hind.
At Glendive the trail grew hotter.
Information had reached the detec-
tives that one of the men would re-
ceive mail there. They watched for
1t and caught an Italian in the act
of claiming the mail for J. Rogers.
They arrested him and forced him to
come across with information Of
Rogers whereabouts.
The frightened Italian said that
Rogers was hidden in some sandpits
about three miles away from the
town. The detectives made the trip
tic he had in his possession they
covered" him with their own guns
and forced him to surrender