The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-07-22
total holdings are placed at 100000
Shortage Exceeds $4,000

Shortage Exceeds $4,000
Just what the total amount of his
defalcations will be is not known
politically, but Thomson is working
with the accountants clearing up de-
tails, and the total figures will be an
nounced probably Wednesday, after a
conference Of the plants creditors.
The amount is admittedly in excess
of $4,000.
Il must have been crazy" was
Thomson's explanation for his deeds.
l have turned over everything; they
can have it all and ! will take my
medicine. No one is connected with
the affair except myself"
Thomson went to work Saturday
smoking a cigar and seemed the least
concerned Of any one in the office,
where he was engaged in attempting
to untangle his records Of years past.
His defalcations have extended over
a period of seven years he said.
Books Of the company have been
audited annually and approved. 1t
was not indicated how the first ink
ling of the shortae was obtained.
George A. HORNED said the defalca-
ton will in NO way affect the pack
ing company" 1t will be necessary
to take certain financial measures, it
was indicated, however.
The story of the rise Of ICY"
Thomson from an awkward country
boy to the most influential resident of
this section reads like melodrama.
Bankers. farmers and business men
have been kept guessing as to the
source of the hundreds OF thousands
of dollars "Cy" put into his Oakdale
ventures, but ICY" explained that if
you take out more than you put in,
you can do anything"
Is Young Man
Thomson was born thirty-six years
ago just south of here on farm near
Leroy. He came to Austin when he
was fifteen years old and got a Job
various Jobs in the plant, but failed
to make good and was discharged.
Then "Cy"-only he was Ransome
]. Thomson then-went away to
school. A few years later he returned
to the packing plant and announced
to Mr.. HORNED that he was back again
ito make good" And he did.
A dozen years ago ICY" ran little
confectionery department in HORNETS
offices, sellir~ chocolate bars, sailed
peanuts, gum, ETC., in order to help
his wages which were then $12 a
week.
been left a forty acre farm at Leroy,
and when asked what he was going to
do with it, replied: "Pm going to
start a chicken ranch"
He said later he had no idea at the
time Of starting chicken farm, but
the idea kept developing. When he
had his chicken farm complete, he
was so carried away by the publicity
that resulted, that he branched into
other lines.
With lightning like rapidity ICY"
worked up through various depart
ments of the HORNED concern and fin
ally was made comptroller of finance.
HORNED Praises DefauIter
Mr.. HORNED said ICY" was lone of
the most capable men that ever came
into the office. He was a remarkable
organizer, and in a short time had the
office organized to perfection. Every
stenographer in the office was regis
tered as to her efficiency"
From the S12 a week lowly clerk of
a decade ago ICY" soon climbed the
ladder to the millionaire class, and
made a name as a doer Of unusual
things. Every week he had some
thing spectacular to "pull out Of his
sleeve" and make his neighbors take
notice. ~.
He took an old farm lying south of
Leroy vilage-the one he said he had
fallen heir to-and spent $4,000 upon
it. He laid out beautiful parks on
the farm. He erected dancing
pavilion at an expense of 100000.
with a dancing floor to accommodate a
thousand couples, and had it decorat-
ed by the artist who decorated the
Hippodrome in New York and the
Coliseum in Chicago.
Like a Fairy Place
Two thousand electric lamps help
ed to turn this pavilion into fairy
place.
On the farm, ICY" erected a hotel
with fifty beds and a dining room to
care for seventy five diners. Then
he built a fire station and installed
two chemical engines with a perma-
nent fire-fighting force and there was
music by band Of thirty five pieces
A ten acre playground for children
was laid out, and as there was no lake
he built one on the farm and kept
pumps constantly at work keeping
the water at the proper level.
On his farm north of Austin he
buildings to house his 100000 herd
of Holstein cows and his $4,000
Duroc hogs. He had one of the finest
Holstein herds in the state and the
cows were cleaned with vacuum
cleaners.
Had Electric Fans For Cows
Electric fans were installed in the
cowbarn, so arranged as to drive all
| flies to a room at one end of the
| building, where they were destroyed
by chemical gases. His hog barn was
steam heated.
He built a dormitory for his hired
men, spending $4,000 for rugs and
| draperies. The most costly electric
fixtures were installed in every room
There was billiard room, sun
room and a dance hall in this hired
| mems heaven" Every man in Mower
and Steele county wanted to get a
Job on the Oakdale farm.
The three farms are known
| throughout the country as models OF
agriculture and his buildings, which
| include a dormitory and clubhouses
for employees have been visited by
| thousands.
Thomson paid $4,000 for half. i'm
| terest in Holstein bull and $4,000
for another bull. After the interna
| tional poultry show at Madison
Square Garden, New York, he bought
most Of the prize winning birds.
Built Mansion for Home
He built a mansion here for his
home and owns a score OF duplexes