The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-08-01
CUNNAN WASPEPPfR[D
"RED" BURzeTTE SHOT DEAD;
PAL TAKEN By POLICE
OTHERS ARE IN CUSTODY
Gang Alleged BootIeggers Has
Been Broken Up by the
Officers

Luyerne, Mimi, July 25.-With the
killing of RED" Burzette, alias How
ard de Franz, and the wounding oil
Jim Davis and TEX" Maynard early
Tuesday morning at a restaurant in
Sioux City, and the arrest there later
that day of Max Berg and c. ]. Story
the most notorious and daring gang
OF bootleggers and gunner that has
been operating between Trosky and
Sioux City during the past year or
more is said to be fully accounted for.
In the capture of Burzette Detective
James G. Britton of Sioux City was
shot to death. while Detective M. e
Farley wounded both Davis and May
nard before they could raise their re-
volvers.
The corralling of these men is di-
rectly due to a warrant issued for
their arrest on the charge of grand
larceny in the first degree issued the
first of this week by Judge N. r. Rey-
nolds, of the Luverne municipal court,
at the instigation of a representative
Of the Iowa attorney generals office.
on complaint of John Papakis, of
Sioux City. one of the victims of the
gang. The representative of the at
torney generals office and two de-
tectives from Sioux City were here
Sunday with Papakis for the purpose
of obtaining the warrant and accumu-
lating additional evidence of crimes
gainst the accused men.
Papakis Confessed Bootlegger.
Papakis is confessed bootlegger,
and the offense for which the warrant
was issued was committed on June
&c in Denver township. when the gang
held up Papakis, stole his large load
of booze, forced him to turn over a
large sum of money that he had on
his person, and then deliberately
smashed up his automobile SO that
pursuit was impossible This offense
is said to be only one of the dozen of
other similar ones committed by the
gang, but, as their victims who rec
ognizsd them were invariably engaged
in the Illicit traffic. it has been i'm
possible for. authorities to secure
positive evidence against them, until
Papakis agreed to furnish evidence.
At the time he was held up he was
q ecmpanied by an acquaintance
named Joseph BOWS who will also
testify against the men.
The warrant issued in the Luverne
court is said to be dragnet affair,
through which the Iowa authorities
hope to connect the gang with other
more serious crimes, among which are
at least two deliberate murders. One
of these murders is that of Claude
N 4f ~, Of
r. r. Letner of this city, who was
shot on the evening Of March 28th,
near Hull, Ia, while returning to
Sioux City in his automobile after
spending the afternoon in Luverne.
Between $500 and 5000 was taken
from Letner's person after he was
killed. This crime is charged to Bur-
zette.
Frequently Stopped Travellers. /,
1t is said that this gang is the one
that frequently stopped travellers on
the Luverne Pipestone road dr~'n
the spring and early summer. appar-
emily for the sole ru-oo.;e of looking
them over to ascertain whether they
were detectives on the gangs trail, and
the insolence they displayed at such
times was unsurpassed. A liberal dis
play of firearms was usually feature
of these incidents, and on several &C.
casions members of the gang shot at
the travellers automobiles after the
occupants of the cars mad been per-
mitted to continue on their way.
In one of these cases party of
young people from Mobiles county
were returning from Pipestone when
they were stopped, and upon being
permitted tc resume travel were shot
at, the bullet passing between the &C.
cupants of the seats and smashing the
windshield.
Sheriff Frank Virgins left for Sioux
City Tuesday night and returned
Wednesday afternoon with Berg and
Story, in an automobile driven by De-
tective Jas. Walker. Both Berg and
Story admit that they have been en-
gagged in bootIegging, but deny that
they are members of the gang or that
they have committed any other
crimes, and do not appear to be wor-
ried over their arrest. They will be
given a preliminary hearing next
Monday afternoon.
The trio is suspected of sensa-
tional robbery near Window, Mimi,
July 16. Three men, armed with re-
volvers and a sawed off shotgun,
entered a Window house and threat
ened the lives of Mrs. Francis l..
West, her daughter and the hired
man. They looted the cellar OF lot
cases of whiskey, valued at $4,000 and
drove away.
Gilbert F. Moat of GAIA, Ia, was In
the city on business yesterday.
Miss Viola Herald of LIE Sueur
was a guest in the city yesterday.
M. Norstegard of Westbrook was a
business caller in the city yesterday
Mrs. j. Johnson Of Sleepy. Eye Is
visiting at the home of Theo Schutt
Miss Eva Hawer went to the twin
Ia Tor hort wi sit wit n