The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-01-02
Story BY Mike Duriscko To
The Free Press
BROKE DOWN IN RECITAL
Claimed That He Had Commit
ted No Crime; Tale of
Drunken Father

ed twelve miles from Mankato to
Lake Crystal. afraid 10 remain in this
city because he had been ordered To
leave by Chief of Police Jack Martin,
after having been maltreated. as he
claimed in cell ut the city hall, the
evening before. Mike had just two
bits" in his pocket. No Santa Claus
or word of cheer accompanied Mike
on his lonely journey.
HE gave me two bits and told me
To beat il out of town. He gave me
half an hour TO get out OF the city"
said the boy.
Before party of four gentlemen
from Mankato. interested in the case,
Mike related his experiences here on
Christmas eve. The boy is now en-
ployed at the depot eating house in
Lake Crystal. the first employment
that he was able to obtain after be-
ing ordered away from Mankato.
Last August the boy left his home
in Pittsburg. following quarrel with
his father, with whom he was work
ing, i'm n coal mine. Duriscko told
his listeners that he had been work.
ing in a mine for some time. He re-
lated >stories Of hardships at home
when small boy. He is now twenty
years of age.
Told His Story Frankly.
Frankly and without the least res.
ervations the boy admitted that he
had been locked in Jail three or four
times when a youngster, for running
away from home. He said the first
time, when he was about five years o.
age. he ran away and was locked up
at Glassport, near Pittsburg. After
running away several more times, he
was sent to a reformatory for three
months. He said that since that time
he had never been jailed FOR any Of.
tense whatever.
During his wanderings, since last
August. the boy stated he was robbed
by railway brakeman of S25. whicr
he>had when he left home. Duriscko
said that the robbery took place at
Glassport and that when he reported
the affair TO the police there they did
not believe his story.
Came to Mankato.
On Sunday. December 81, Mikel
Duriscko arrived in Mankato. Az
evening approached he applied forj
lodgings at the city hall and remain
ed there overnight The next morn
ing the boy said he obtained work at
a restaurant here and worked during
the day. He said that Chief Jack
Martin treated him well during this
time and he slept at the station on
Monday night also.
On Tuesday, having completed wha'
work was to be done at the restaur-
ant where he worked, the boy said
he obtained employment at another
cafe and worked there during Tues
day. Wednesday he had no work but
spent his time looking for job. In
the evening he said he went to NOV
ing picture theatre and about nine
o'clock returned to the station to-
sleep overnight again.
Under the orders of Chief Martin,
Duriscko stated, he was locked in a
cell by the night sergeant on duty
1t was his opinion that he remained
in the cell several hours before the
chief came in and entered the eel
with him. Then began series of ac-
cusations, the boy said He was ask
ed If he did not enter an elevator an
Mankato, If he stole jewelry from the
Palmer home, and other like ques-
tions.
Saws Questions Were Foolish.
"He asked me lot of those foolish
questions" stated Mike. Il told him
didn't know anything about any of
them. Then he told the other men
to turn out the lights and we were in
the dark. | told him he did not need
to get me in the dark because | didn't
have no gun or anything on me. He
didn't say anything. just kept hitting
me over the head and in the face
and banged my head against the iron
wall of the CELL"
did you cry outp" the boy was
asked
ayes. He told me to go on and hol-
Ter louder if could"
Asked what happened then, Mike
declared that woman came into the
cell room and requested Chief Mar
tin to desist. He said the chief then
left and later the night sergeant gave
him two blankets to sleep on. In the
morning he was taken from the cell,
given 1.-TWO bits" and ordered out OF
the city by the chief
The boy said he had no intention
of leaving Mankato but intended to
obtain work here His apparent fear
of the chief was evidenced by the
fact that he walked the entire twelve
told the gentlemen from Mankato last
evening that Duriscko was good
worker. steady and. faithful as far as
he could see. and that he was salts
fed the boy was not crooked
Miss Minnie Nelson Of Little Fails
and Miss Gusta Nelson of Crookston,
are at home for couple of weeks.
Miss Theresa Netter of Russell,
Mimi, is a guest at the home OF her
parents. Mr.. and Mrs. u. Vetter.
Misses Ruth Buell. and Nora Pull
yer were among Saturdays Mankato
shoppers.
Benjamin Warrant/recently return
ed to Fort Smelling where he will
spend the rest OF the winter at the
Soldiers home
A. ]. Berquist of Mankato was a
Kasota caller between trains Satur-
day.
Carl Peterson spent few days OF
last week visiting relatives in Waseca.
Miss Kathrys: Babcock of Aurora.
n ..rt.,t Ilunr nnt Nf