The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-14
WOMAN CRAzED
ESCAPED QUICKLY
INSANE PARENT FLED AT.
TER COMMITTING DEED
Fears Are Entertained That She
Has Thrown Self Into Mime
sofa River; Police and Nicollet
County Sheriff In Search Girl
Was Beaten On Head With
Hammer,

Up to late this afternoon no
trace Of Mrs. Anne Fielder had
been found by those who had
been searching for her. The
country surrounding st. Peter
has been carefully gone over
and Inquiries made concerning
the unfortunate woman, but no
clew to her whereabouts was
obtained. 1t is suspected that
footprints made in the earth be-
low the Broadway bridge were
made by her. Officers are Of
the opinion that she made away
with herself.
st. Peter, April 12.-Mrs. Anne
Fielder, suddenly crazed for some
unaccountable reason, attempted to
take the lives OF her two only chill
dren, Albert, aged twenty one, and
her daughter, Leona, in her at
tempt, disappeared and is believed
to have committed suicide.
Police, and Sheriff Charles Nor
man with his deputies, after a
search which covered most of Mon
day night and yesterday, were OF
the opinion last night that the wo-
man had made her way to the Min
nesota river Immediately following
her deed and ended her life by
drowning. No trace of her had
been found up to that time.
The son was shot through the
back of the neck with a thirty
eight calibre revolver as he entered
the dark house at 1920 o'clock to
retire for the night. Fortunately
the path of the bullet was short and
it emerged before penetrating far
into the neck. His condition yes
terday was not considered critical
Sister Attacked In Her Room.
Just before his arrival home the
boys sister had been attacked in
her bedroom by the mother, as she
was retiring. She was beaten hor-
ribly about the head and face with
blacksmith's riveting hammer and
her condition last night was critical
Physicians attending her., Drs. w
w. .Covell and e. P. Strathern, were
unwilling to define the seriousness
Of her injuries.
Neither of the children yesterday
were able to assign a cause of their
mothers sudden fit of insanity. She
had been sullen and morose for two
weeks, they declared, and had re-
fused to talk during that time. Ac-
cording to the boy, however, she had
never complained to him of any
trouble or nervous disorder. It is
thought by those who were intimate
with the daughter that her moth
er's condition the last month had
alarmed her but she had never
spoken of it.
Entered Girls Room.
AS near as can be learned from
the girls disconnected story the
mother entered her bedroom short
ly after ten o'clock The girl was
ready to retire. Her mother fingered
a few moments but said nothing
Suddenly she attacked the girl and
beat her terribly about the head and
face, inflicting a dozen serious scalp
wounds and leaving a fracture OF
the nose and another above the left
eye. One ear was badly cut and
there were numerous other cuts. Her
arms were seriously bruised as q
result Of her efforts to ward off the
blows.
In some manner she succeeded in
getting downstairs and at about
this time Albert arrived home The
house was dark. He entered the
house and made his way across the
room to get a match with which to
light lamp. AS he entered he said
that he thought he detected some
one behind him but thought no more
of 1t, believing it to be the result
Of Imagination in a dark room. AS
he crossed the room and reached
for a match the shot was fired. He
turned and saw the weapon .glisten-
ing in the darkness. After strug
gle with his mother he took it from
her and ran from the house. In his
hurry to get out of the house he
fell off the porch and as he turned
after getting up, he saw his mother
standing in the doorway. This is
the last time that she has been seen
He hurried to the Setter and
Company garage, where he had been
employed, and was taken from there
to the office of DR.. Strathern, where
his wound was dressed.
Bullet Made Tracks
On examination 1t was found that
the bullet had entered on the left
side and passed through and out on
the right. The course lay near the
saved his life. He was taken to the
one of the members of the firm
he is being cared for.
Yesterday Leona said that she
was in the house, downstairs, when
she heard the report of the revolver
aimed at the head of her only broth
er. She hurried out of the house In
her nightgown and made her way
to the home of George Witty. DR.
CoveIl was called and found her in
an unconscious condition. Drs
Ccvell and Strathern. who had been
dressing the wound of her brother
worked over her for several hours
and between thirty five and forty
stitches were taken in the girls
head. She is being given the best
care possible and every hope is held
out for her recovery. Because OF
the many wounds, however, it is
difficult to predict on the serious
ness of her condition at this time
the doctors declared.
The daughter had been employed
at the Dry Cleaning and Tailoring
establishment of ]. F. Darlington
Both she and her brother were
among the finest young people Of
the city and were well like by all
their associates. They had been
supporting the household for nearly
two years, ever since their mother
stopped working. The mother own
ed the home at 227 Seventh street
Following their failure to locate
the missing woman last night Sher-
If Norman declared that activities
today probably will be conferred at