The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-28
WERE OUT DURING
NIGHT IN FLWER
AUTOMOBILE WAS STOLEN
FROM G. E. WHITNEY
SHORTAGE OF GASOLINE
Father of Maidens Attacked
Young Man When Party
Were Discovered.

FRED DoTentZ, aged nineteen, is
in custody OF the authorities. His
rosy dreams of romantic trip to
Texas have been shattered. The
young man is accused of stealing
an automobile and of grand larceny
in the second degree for the theft
OF a revolver from the gunshop OF
Captain Theodore Andrews. Also
he is accused of enucing two lit
tie girls to leave home. This will be
a matter for grand jury investiga
ton at the June term OF the district
court
Mankato police were certainly
kept on the jump last night in
search Of c. Z. Whitneys car which
was left parked on the corner Of
Second and Hickory streets, and
was found to have been stolen.
when the owner, who had been at
the Blue Earth County bankers
meeting at the Efks building, came
out with the intention OF returning
to his home in Mapleton. While in
the midst of this search, the police
also received an earnest request
from Mr.. and Mrs. L. NJ. Bowen OF
42S North Fifth street and Mr. and
Mrs. E. Z. Wright of 1928 Hickory
locate their daughters who had
been playing near the court house
early in the evening and had dis
appeared. The girls were Martha
Bowen and Norine Wright. twelve
years of age. Every nook and cor
ner Of Mankato was searched by
the police officers. who kept on the
job all night long, but no clue as
TO the Whereabouts Of the girls or
~
about eight o'clock this morning.
First cIew Obtained
Evan Stubs. proprietor OF the
taxi lines in this city, and Bert
Cooper, who works for Miller &
about eight o'clock and stated that
man who had driven in from
toward Lake Crystal noticed a car
stalled for the want of gasoline on
the top of Pigeon Hill, and that two
girls were making a great fuss in
the car. The description Of the
auto tailed with the one stolen. Mr..
Stubs offered the use of his car
TO Chief Landmark, who first call
ed L. NJ. Bowen, the father OF one
of the girls. and an immediate start
was made through the thick fog for
the place where the car was SEEN
Stubs let no grass grow under the
tires and soon was hitting merry
clip across the Van Brunt slough
road when a Ford suddenly ap
peared out of the fog. The license
number of the car indicated that it
was Mr.. Whitney's and the two
Bowen. Stubs turned around as
quickly as he could but the driver
OF the Ford had disappeared around
the corner of Record street Stubs
soon oVerhauled the Ford when It
turned into State street and the
runaway was forced to the curb,
when the car containing the chief
OF police was run in front of it.
Father Seized Young Man
I; Chief of Police Landmark leaped
from the car as soon as it was
brought to a standstill and told the
driver that he was under arrest. l..
NJ. Bowen. the father of one Of the
girls, also leaped from the car and
tearing the side curtains plunged
into the car and throttled the young
man at the wheel, and was handling
him roughly when he was pulled
away by the chief and another man
who had accompanied officers on
the chase.
The young man was gotten out of
reach of the irate father by Chief
of Police Landmark and taken 10
the police station in MI Stubs
Bert Cooper and a reporter of
The Free Press got into the Ford
with the little girls and brought
them to the police station.
On the way to the police station,
the girls said that the young mans
he had picked them up for ride
last night about eight o'clock,
starting toward Madelia. After
they had been driving for some
time two bright headlights were
follow ing them. The girls then said
that Lorentz pulled reVolvef
from a holster in his belt, and said:
'T'nl bet that is Henry Kachelmyer.
If he runs up alongside of me |
will shoot him. l am not going to
let him take me-"
Was Homeward Bound
According to the statement of
a point about two miles from Ma
della. Then owing to the fact that
the Bowen girl wanted to go home
the car was run some distance to-
ward Mankato and then stopped.
The little girl said that they beg
ged Lorentz to return to Mankatc.
but he said that the car would not
run. Inc wright Slrl nnaIIy lay
down behind the front seat and
went to sleep as best she could in
the cold and the Bowen girl slept
on the back seat, while LorentZ
slept on the front seat. The girls
said that he did not modest them.
This morning he had obtained some
gasoline and was bringing them
home. when he was picked up by
: Chief of Police Landmark.
At the police station, after Lor-
entz was searched and found to DO
wearing a cartridge belt filed with
thirty two calibre shells, and re-
yolver, Norine Wright stated that
Lorentz had told her that he broke
into a store and stole a revolver a
few nights ago. A short time later,
Iorentz admitted that he broke in
10 the Captain Andrews gunsmith
shop on Main street and stole the
g1In and belt. He also admitted
stealing Mr.. Whitney's car. He SAID
that he intended to go to Texas in
the machine, and was going to take
Norine Wright with him.
II is understood that Lorentz is
a son of Gust Lorentz, former
resident of this city.
Notes From Little Girls
Lorentz had in his possession
when searched a number of notes
written by Norine Wright asking