The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 5, 1905

Mayor Bennett’s First Court

His Honor Balances Scales of Justice.

First Drunk of Administration Gets Let Off Easy and Goes Away Rejoicing.

Major S.J. Bennett held his first police court this morning when he handed out a bunch of justice to a new offender, giving him the usual $1 and costs. Later, however, when the man made the statement that he was in a hurry to catch a train out of the city, his honor relented and let him off with a lecture.

The first plain one of the present administration, Thomas Oleson, of Vincent, was in the city making preparations for the removal of his family from there here. He forgot his mission, however, and surrounded a most mighty jag which landed him in jail, as jags have a tendency to do in this city.

That was yesterday afternoon and this morning in police court Oleson was extremely repentant and made the statement that he had never been arrested before and that this would be the last time he would let it occur. He had no money, but if his honor would let him off, he would get it and come in with it as soon as he got back with his family.

Mayor Bennett made the remark that if Oleson followed up his habit of drinking he would not be a very valuable acquisition to the town, and with that let him go. He was thankful to make his escape and made a run for the train that would take him to Vincent.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 6, 1905

Oleson Missed His Train

Thomas Oleson, of Vincent, Was Up Wednesday Morning in Court Again.

He Missed His Train Out

Tried to Dissolve That Dark Brown Taste and Falls in the Pit – Brass Buttons Have an Affinity for Him and He Leaves His Watch.

Thomas Oleson, of Vincent, the man who was up on police court Wednesday morning for the first time in his life and who only waited an opportunity to get out of town so that he could move his family to Fort Dodge, evidently missed his train, for he was up on court again this morning, and this time, instead of being let off with the mayor’s blessing, he was compelled to leave his watch, which he valued at $25 with the city as security for his fine of $5.00 and costs, amounting to $9.85.

It appears that after leaving the presence of the mayor on Wednesday morning, he had gone directly to the nearest jag plant where he  hoped to be able to wash the discolored taste from his mouth and reduce the size of his head. This he succeeded in doing with the first good “straight.” Seeing the excellent effect one drink had on his general good feeling, he immediately came to the conclusion that if a small dose was good a large one would be still better, and hit himself below the belt with a few more.

It was only a few minutes till he forgot there ever was a train to Vincent and went in for one of the best times the town had in stock. He got it all right, but one of the brass buttons came along and took his measure for a place in the city jail, where he was landed to sober up.

This morning he was as repentant as before, but his honor was not to be influenced and took his watch for security.

“What was your business in Vincent?” asked Mayor Bennett.

“I kept a saloon, your honor,” was the answer.

“I don’t doubt it in the least,” was the rejoiner (sic) of his honor. “You have been doing your best to keep the saloons of Fort Dodge since you came here.”

Tags: 1905

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 4, 1917

Army Recruiting Office Gets Orders

Prepare to Handle Men in Large Numbers

To Ask Ministers to Help

Orders were received by the Fort Dodge recruiting office this morning from district army headquarters in Omaha to have the local office prepared to handle recruits in large numbers by the latter part of the week.

Corporal Weir in charge said today that as yet he could not give out any information which is purported to back the order, but that within a few days there would probably be more definite news given out by the war department at Washington.

Military men here believe that this order is a forerunner of an order which will be received within the next few days to recruit the regular army up to full war strength. In that case it would be necessary for the government to enlist 75,000 men at once. The standing army as it is in peace times numbers about 150,000 and 225,000 in war strength.

Two Men Enlist.

James S. Jenkins of Bancroft was enlisted into the coast artillery today. He left this morning for Fort Logan, Colo. Glen M. Paul of Bancroft was enlisted this morning but upon protests from his mother, who said that he was not of age, he was rejected by the local officers.

Want Ministers to Help.

Recruiting Officers Kellar and Weir at the army recruiting office announced today that they would visit every minister in the city this week and request them to urge men to join the army. This is one of the plans that the army is taking to recruit up to the required strength.

Sergeant Kellar said today that he had planned to see all the ministers in the city as soon as possible. He will urge them to speak fro the pulpit on the standing army and the excellent chances for promotion that is offers, and tell of its need of good clean men to enlist under the colors of the United States of America.

The army has no trouble in getting recruits, but it can not get the right kind of recruits. Men are being turned down daily because they are not the kind of men that are needed in the regular army.

Sergeant Kellar would like to have the ministers preach a sermon next Sunday on the army. Next Sunday, however, is Easter Sunday and it is probably that many of the ministers would rather not give over the entire service. Recruiting officers, however, will try and get them to say a few words about the army.

Tags: 1917, Paul, World War I

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 4, 1903

Two Women Engage in Single Combat

Desperate Struggle for Supremacy Interrupted by Arrival of Police in Court This Morning.

The sight of two women engaged in a fierce struggle mingled with cursing and hair pulling, was the panorama offered passerby near the Duncombe house at about 10 o’clock Friday night.

The participants in this fracas were Miss Edith Quegg and Mrs. Sadie O’Hara, who, Miss Quegg claimed in Police court this morning had become entangled in this dispute because Mrs. O’Hara had falsely claimed that Miss Quegg was paying attentions to Mrs. O’Hara’s husband.

The two women were arrested and continued to swear and wrangle after being taken to the city jail. Upon paymen (sic) of $20 Mrs. O’Hara was released on promise of appearing in Police Court this morning but she did not appear. Miss Quegg, accompanied by her mother, defended herself in court this morning, saying that neither were intoxicated and that Mrs. O’Hara was the cause of all the trouble.

Mayor Bennett fined her $10 and costs. Mrs. Quegg left a gold watch as security for her daughter’s fine.
This was the only case in police court this morning.

Tags: 1903, O'Hara, Quegg

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1917

Enlist at Once in IA. Nat’l Guard

Two Fort Dodge Companies Must Get Men

Enlist to 100 Men Each

“Proof of Patriotism” Declares Philpot

Plans for a big mass meeting in the armory Thursday evening were begun by national guard officers to spur many Fort Dodge young men to enlist in Companies F and G. Both companies probably will parade behind the Fort Dodge Municipal band. After the parade, the meeting will be held in the armory at which Mayor John F. Ford, Robert Healy and Major S.B. Philpot will speak.

Every effort is being made to recruit the Second Iowa up to full strength so it can be called out at once. One report has it that as soon as the regiment is on a war footing, it is to be divided into four skeleton regiments, each of which will then be recruited up to war strength.

Big posters printed in red have been put up in business places today telling the urgent need the Iowa National Guard has for recruits.

In the meantime, the officers of the two national guard companies at the armory are also making every effort to recruit the two companies up to 100 men each.

A total of only ten recruits was gained by Tuesday’s work. Personal canvass will be made in an effort to secure the required number. Co. F. now has about seventy eight while Company G has about ten more.

Major Philpot Here

Major S.B. Philpot of this city has been put on recruiting work, declared this morning that the two local companies have the least number of recruits of any of the companies in the Second Iowa Infantry. He urged the local men to get busy.

“We offer recruits,” said Major Philpot, “the best regiment on the border, officered by men of experience. Connection with a crack organization means a great deal more than connection with a loosely organized regiments. The Second Iowa will be used as an organization regiment. It saw the longest service on the border of any of the Iowa troops and will be used to train the raw men. Recruits should avail themselves of the opportunity to enlist without being drafted.

“At LeMars they got fourteen recruits after I left. Other companies in the regiment have been doing much better than Fort Dodge has. it’s up to Fort Dodge to get busy and do something.”

Put in Recruiting Window

The national guardsmen today decorated a display window in the front of The Messenger Building with some of their equipment and with posters appealing to the young men of the city to enlist before they will be made to suffer the stigma of a draft.

Fort Dodge guardsmen who came back from the border and were given so hearty a welcome feel that the city can pass the real test of patriotism by getting the young men of Fort Dodge to enlist. High school boys, particularly, whose parents are patriotic, will find a welcome in either of the local companies.

Suggest Earlier Graduation

Local guard officers have suggested that the eligible young men in the senior class of the high school be given their diplomas earlier than in June upon their enlistment with the national guard.

This would provide for many recruits among the best class of young fellows.

Governor Suggests Meeting

A citizens patriotic mass meeting in fort Dodge was suggested in a communication received today by Mayor John F. Ford from W.L. Harding, governor of Iowa.

Recruiting of the Iowa National Guard has been going along so slowly in the state that an effort has been launched to have the mayors in the cities in Iowa take hold of the work in order to hasten the recruiting of the guards up to the required strength.

The letter which Major Ford received today was a request for him to assemble the citizens of Fort Dodge at a mass meeting and urge those of military age to enlist in the national guard. The plan, it is hoped, will extend far enough to provide men who might be enlisted into the volunteers when the call comes for their enlistment.

Tags: 1917, Ford, Harding, military, Philpot, World War I

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1905

Come Back to Iowa

Frank Gotch Will Live Simple Life at Humboldt.

Humboldt, April 1 – Frank Gotch, the Iowa wrestler, who held the title of champion of the country until he was finally defeated a few days ago by Tom Jenkins, of Cleveland, will come back to his hold home here and undertake to restore his old form by a course of simple training.

Gotch and his chief patron, “Farmer” Burns, also an Iowan and a former champion wrestler, believes at thoroughly as ever that Gotch is still the champion wrestler. But he has lost the title to Jenkins, and must win it back.

Gotch is the victim of the desire to make money. Like Burns, he is a man of model habits in the main; not quite as abstemious as Burns, who never knew in his life the taste of liquor or tobacco, but a man who never gets out of training. Gotch was discovered, trained and brought out by Burns, and Burns was the most wonderful wrestler for his size and weight that ever went on a mat.

Jenkins wrested the championship from Burns, and Burns raised up Gotch to wrest it from Jenkins. Now Jenkins has taken it back again, and Gotch proposes to go back to the farm and the soil and the simple life to recover his weight and form and defeat Jenkins again.

There is little doubt that Gotch will succeed, for he has repeatedly proved himself superior to Jenkins. But the past winter he has been touring the country doing one-night stands agreeing to throw local champions at the rate of one to every five minutes as fast as they’ll bring ’em on, and such stunts, which are the very worst things possible fora man’s training, when taken with irregular hours and hard traveling. As a result Gotch went to the platform for his last match with Jenkins at fifteen pounds under his best weight.

Tags: 1905, Gotch, Jenkins

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1906

A $200 Horse is Stolen

Boldest Theft of Year Right in Heart of City Saturday Afternoon.

Owner Offers $50 Reward

Thief Took Horse, Buggy and all From Where it was Tied near Chapin’s Lumber Yard – Burgfried Bros. Were Owners.

The boldest theft of the year to occur in Fort Dodge took place Saturday afternoon when a two hundred dollar blooded horse belonging to Burgfried Brothers was stolen from its hitching place on the north side of Chapin’s lumber yard.

The theft occurred between two and five o’clock, as the animal was tied at the place as the animal was tied at the place mentioned at two and was gone when the owners returned at five.

The animal is a bay, sixteen adn one-half hands high, weight about 1,300 pounds. It has a small white star in the face also a white mark on the lower point of the left shoulder. The vehicle was a red wheeled road wagon, containing a light harness, horse blanket and robe.

The owners are incensed over the theft and without delay the matter was placed in the hands of Sheriff Oleson. A reward of fifty dollars has been offered by Burgfried Brothers for the capture of the thief and the return of the stolen property.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1906

Sold Stolen Horse for $40

Horse Stolen From Burgfried Bros. Sold by Thief to Teamster.

Sheriff Olson (sic) has recovered the horse stolen from Brugfied (sic) Bros. Saturday afternoon from the place where it was tied north of Chapin’s lumber yeard (sic).

The animal was sold for forty dollars to one A.H. Linda a teamster living on the flat and was later recovered from this man. Mr. Linda states that a young man approached him on the street stating that he had a horse to sell. He announced his willingness to look at the animal and was led to a side street where it was tied. The seller offered to dispose of it for forty dollars and seeing that the horse was a bargain at that price Linda at once closed the deal and the next day paid over his money, not thinking but that the man was its owner.

He took the horse home and on Monday hitched it up and started on his work with it. A liveryman recognized it and informed the sheriff. Linda was greatly surprised to hear of the manner in which he had been buncoed and at once gave up the horse. He has placed a description of the young man who sold the stolen animal to him in the hands of the officers who have instituted a search for him. It is supposed, however, that he at once made good his escape from the city. He is said to be a Fort Dodge young man, residing in “Bobtown.”

Tags: 1906, Bobtown, Burgfried, horse, Linda

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1905

A Bad Runaway Saturday

Farm Team Gets Beyond Control and Does Damage.

Scratched Themselves Up Badly And Succeeded in Smashing The Buggy And Tongue all to Pieces.

Saturday afternoon in the neighborhood of Twelfth street and First avenue south a runaway occurred, which resulted in a smashed buggy and two very much scratched horses. A farmer had been shopping in the city all day and was just going after his daughter who was visiting friends here. While on the way to the house one horse in some way stepped over the tongue and immediately began to jump and kick. The other horse followed suit, and almost before the man realized what had happened they had broken the tongue and had started at a run.

As they were nearing Central avenue, the driver had the presence of mind to turn the horses around and they ran at full speed down Twelfth street. He turned them west at Second avenue south and going down the hill both horses fell bruising themselves frightfully on the pavement, but regained their feet and started again.

They swerved around a full circle and started northeast into the John Pearson’s yard where they came to a standstill as they ran into a large tree with terrible force.

The tongue of the buggy was split its whole length, both front wheels were off and smashed to pieces and the box of the buggy was cracked to pieces. The horses were rather badly bruised and cut up and the man was compelled to drive them with broken harness to the livery barn where he could get a vehicle with which to return home.

Tags: 1903

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1903

Short Messages

Mr. and Mrs. W. Kopp are the proud parents of a baby girl.

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L.S. Braunstein made a business trip to Duncombe Wednesday.

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Arthur Lungren is confined to his home by an attack of la grippe.

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Miss Florence Parsons is clerking in the Gates Dry Goods store for a short time.

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Miss Margaret Mahoney is on the sick list today and not able to be at work.

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Fire Marshal J.W. Lowrey is recuperating from his recent illness in Colfax.

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Miss Harriet Major has left Fort Dodge for Decatur, Illinois, where she will make her future home.

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Mrs. John Steinbrink has returned to her home in Manson after undergoing a successful operation at the city hospital.

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John Hein of Chicago, is making a few day’s visit in this city.

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Mrs. C.D. Case entertained Wednesday evening in honor of her brother, Walter Anderson, who is visiting in this city.

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Mr. Early’s Methodist Sunday school class will hold a handkerchief bazaar in the east window of the Early Music house during the next ten days.

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P.A. Carson who has been at the city hospital during the past two weeks because of appendicitis has recovered. Mr. Carson’s home is on Round Prairie Hill.

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Dr. T.E. Devereaux left today for the Black Hills where he has interest in a mine. During his absence, his brother, Dr. C.H. Devereaux of Humboldt will attend to his office.

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Green B. Morse the famous race man with eighteen of his horses and seventeen men passed thru the city Tuesday night enroute from San Francisco (to) Gravesend, New York.

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Mrs. C.D. Case entertained Wednesday evening in honor of her brother, Walter Anderson who is visiting in this city. Miss Cromwell of Kansas City has gone to Humboldt for a visit at the Dr. McCreight home.

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The new carpet cleaning wheel at the Sherman laundry has been put up and is in operation. This system of cleaning is an innovation in the city, and it is promised that it will far exceed the old broom stick method.

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Wednesday at 3 o’clock, Henry Hale and Miss Katie Harbach, both of Kalo were married at the home of Emory Smith in this city. Only relatives were present at the ceremony which was performed by Rev. McIntire of the Christian Church.

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Three drunks were docketed at the police court this morning. All plead guilty and were given the usual $7.10. None of the prisoners having the wherewithal and this being their first offense they were dismissed. Their names were: John Seburg, Henry Adams and Frank Myers.

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The first of the three classes at the German Lutheran school received examinations this morning, which if passed, will signify the completion of work in the German school. The second class will receive its examination on Friday morning. Those of the highest class who have completed their required work will be confirmed on Easter Sunday.

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A good sized delegation of Webster County people came up to attend the performance of “The Chaperons,” at the Midland on Wednesday evening. Among the party were the following:

George C. Tucker, city editor of the Freeman-Tribune, and wife.

Tags: 1903, Adams, Arthur, Braunstein, Carson, Case, Colladay, Devereaux, Hale, Hamaker, Harbach, Hein, Kopp, Lets, Lowrey, Lungren, Mahone, Major, Markin, Medbury, Morse, Myers, Parsons, Seburg, Steinbrink, Welch, White, Wickware

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1906

Webster County Coal Mines Idle

Coal Barons as Well as People in the Grasp of the Shortage.

Not Fifty Ton in the City

“Only a Few Ton on Hand” say most of Dealers – About Two Hundred Men In This Locality Out – Ten Mines closed Down.

Fort Dodge is, or shortly will be, in the grasp of the coal situation. Pursuant to agreement made among miners and operators all local mines are shut down pending agreement at the joint conference of miners and operators in Des Moines.

Fort Dodge coal dealers who have been on the verge of a shortage for weeks, owing to the gradually tightening marking report today that that shortage in local conditions is practically at hand. One dealer stated to a Messenger reporter today that he did not think there were more than fifty tons on hand among the dealers of the entire city.

Each retailer when asked about his supply comes forth with the reply, “Only a few tons left” and in some cases, “All out” is given.

Orin W. Collins reports that his company is totally out. The Gleason company have a similar report, and McClure coal company, Parel Coal company, Townsend and Merrill, Butler and Rhodes, and numerous others say their supply is running low. Graig Coal company, John Amond and a few others have a fair supply on hand.

Fortunately the private coal consumption for the year is nearly done with and all the large consumers are supplied against emergency. Some two hundred men through the county are out of employment and ten or more mines are shut down.

Tags: 1906, Collins