The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 8, 1904

An Escaped Circus Lion Stampedes City Crowd

Norris & Rowe’s Circus Provides a Sensational Act Not On the Program.

Beast Got Out of His Cage

He Was Being Put Thru His Paces By His Trainer in His Cage.

He Came Out of Open Door

King of Beasts Made a Run For The Woods and The Crowd Fled in All Directions – Jumped on Horse But Was Driven Off and Caught.

Escaping from his cage Saturday night while the tent was crowded with terrified spectators, Hannibal, the man eating lion exhibited in the Norris & Rowe side show, caused a panic as big as an earthquake and set the whole town agog with all kinds of rumors all day Sunday.

Just as his trainer, Gustave Koehen, was about to make his exit from the cage after having tantalized the creature into a state of frenzy, his protege bounded ahead of him and leaped thru the open door and flew thru the air over the heads of some of the open-mouthed spectators to the edge of the canvas where he gained his freedom. Instantly the whole troupe and audience was on the qui vive. To have such a fierce denizen of the jungles running about on the Iowa prairies is no conventional incident.

Causes Nearly a Panic.

For a moment there was nearly a panic in the little tent. The crowd almost went wild with fear and excitement. The doors were flung open at once and the throng allowed to escape at once so that the lion might, if possible, be summoned back to his cage. Every available man and boy with the troupe was pressed into the service. guns were loaded with blanks and a light placed in the cage with a large quantity of meat to attract his lordship.

Jumps on a Horse.

But it was not until the beast, who after all was probably as frightened as the crowd, had jumped on a horse which was hitched near the tent that the real excitement occurred. Before the eyes of hundreds of horrified spectators, the savage beast pounced upon a horse and dug his claws into the animal’s flesh. Not before the horse, which was the property of Charles Dayton, who resides in the south part of the city near the Bradshaw brick yards, had been terribly lacerated and torn, would the lion be scared away from the fresh blood he as relishing so much. His cruel claws had penetrated clear to the stifle joint besides horribly tearing the animal’s side. The horse is being cared for at the veterinary hospital, but will probably not live. With the best of luck the equine must be maimed for life. the damage to the horse and buggy is estimated at $150 ($3,592 today). Compared with the $120 ($2,874) received and the loss of the horse, this seems a pittance.

Cajoled Into Cage.

Finally after much effort, when every possible means had been taken to cajole the creature into his civilized habitation, the lion was induced to re-enter his cage. The firing off of the blanks was perhaps the most efficacious method to scare him back, though the bright light and meat in the cage semed (sic) also to entice the creature. For a while it seemed as if the Round Prairie was for sometime to be the scene of the gambols of the fierce denizen of the African forest. The circus hands had almost given up in despair when he had advanced 150 yards from his tent and was rapidly nearing the heavy timber. Just how long it would have taken to secure the beast had he gained the woods is a difficult question to answer. Certain it is that this location of town would have ceased to be the favorite haunt of picnic parties.

Due to Carelessness.

Was the accident due to carelessness upon the part of the show management? Many of the spectators affirm that the trainer was somewhat intoxicated and that had he taken due precautions the lion need not have escaped. The cage in which Hannibal was kept was a poor excuse for a prison for such a fierce creature. Unlike most of the cages used for lions and tigers, it had but one room and the door was in a position that its occupant could with little effort dash by his trainer and gain his freedom.

Did it for Advertisement.

It is said that the same accident occurred with less serious results at Fonda where the show exhibited. If this is the case there is certainly evidence for suspecting the management of deliberately freeing the lion just for the advertisement, which the the troup (sic) will receive in the next town they visit. Chief Welch hearing of this, has sent word to Webster City, where the show spread its canvas today, to report any accident of this kind that might occur there. If it can be proven that the show management have purposely freed the lion just for the advertisement they receive a serious charge may be made against them. The danger of the loss of life to men and animals when such a  creature is at liberty is imminent and appalling. By some it is also said that this theory is pure fabrication as the show company could ill afford to risk the loss of such a valuable part of their menagerie.

Kohler Says it Was an Accident.

“No this is not the first time Hannibal has escaped from us,” said Trainer Gustav Koehler, when interviewed by a Messenger reporter, after the accident. “He is one of the hardest propositions we have ever had to handle. He has killed two men in California, and a horse maimed in Missouri during the last year. Every time he gets away from us we risk the loss of thousands of dollars worth of property besides the possible loss of life.”

“No sir, there was not the slightest word of truth in the assertion that I was under the influence of liquor when I entered the cage. Such an idea could only be conceived by an idiot. Why, it is dangerous enough to monkey with Hannibal when one is sober, let along being drunk.”

Writ of Attachment Served.

After discovering the awful condition of their horse, the Dayton boys who had driven to the circus in their father’s buggy, notified the police and in turn immediately filed a writ of attachment upon the management. After considerable dallying the treasurer came around and reluctantly doled out $120 of the day’s receipts. As the cost of the case were twenty dollars ($479), Mr. Dayton will receive only $100 ($2,395) in remuneration for his loss. the show people said that they would return to the city next Saturday and fight out the case, but local authorities are of the opinion that they will be glad to drop the matter entirely. As $120 is the limit of the amount which can be secured by a writ of attachment, the full value of the loss could not be received. It is generally admitted that the company got off easily.

Tags: 1904, Dayton, Koehler, Welch

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 7, 1905

Youngest Local Business Man

George Bowen Opens Electrical Supply House.

Is Only Sixteen Years of Age, and Said to Be the Youngest of Fort Dodge Business Men.

Who is the youngest business man in Fort Dodge?

This question would have been hard to answer until Thursday. But after Thursday when George Bowen opened to the public an electric supply establishment on upper Central avenue, where a large sign displayed in front of his stand just east of Leighton Bros. bears the inscription “Electrical Wonders at Little Prices.” There  is abundant evidence that he is Fort Dodge’s youngest hustling business man. He is just sixteen years of age.

The young merchant has a stock of electrical supplies such as door bells and incandescent globes and batteries. He also has in operation the smallest electric fan in the city; its diameter being only two inches.

His first day’s business on Thursday was very satisfactory. He is a local Edison, having always been interested in electricity and has taken every opportunity to study the phenomena, being a faithful reader of every book on the subject he could find and is well informed. He also has done considerable work in fiting electric bells for several years. His many friends will wish him success in his new venture.

Tags: 1905, Bowen

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 7, 1905

Stranger Arrested After Run

Dixon May Have to Answer to Serious Charge

While Only Partly Clothed He is Said to Have Pursued a 9-Year-Old Child.

A stranger, giving his name at William Dixon, was arrested by Policeman Weiss at 1:30 o’clock this afternoon on complaint of Mrs. I.L. Anderson who alleges taht Dixon had pursued her 9 year old daughter some time before. At that time it is claimed Dixon was without a full quota of his raiment. When arrested he declared  himself innocent of the charge. Dixon claims to be a laborer and to have come to Fort Dodge from Illinois in search of work.

He is said to have frightened the little girl, shortly after 1 o’clock while near the Third street viaduct. When the police were notified Dixon attempted to escape by crossing the hill to the north of the viaduct. While pursued by Marshal Welch, Officer Weiss, who lives in the vicinity was notified and succeeded in running down the man near the plant of the Fort Dodge Brick & Tile company.

Tags: 1905, Anderson, Dixon, Weiss, Welch

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 6, 1904

Police Court a Busy Session

Heaviest Grist in Some Time Reaped at This Morning’s Harvest.

Six Offenders Are Arraigned

Something Like the Good Old Great Western Days, Says Peter Ditmer – Four Drunks and Oe (sic) Vagrat (sic) Are Before the Mayor.

Police Court held a heavy session this morning. The mercy seat was lined up knee deep with the alleged offenders against the law. “This begins to look like the good old western days” remarked Peter Ditmer as he surveyed the motley throng. By the “Great Western” days he referred to the time when the Great Western built their line to Omaha. Rough laborers by the hundred then crowded the city whenever they were given the opportunity to come off the line. The influx often caused the wildest kind of a run on the police court. The completion of this work has made a corresponding depression in the police court docket.

Clarance Chevalier was the first of this morning’s prisoners to answer the charge of drunkeness. He pleaded guilty and was given the usual $5.85 ($140 today).

James Mahoney came next. His case was disposed of precisely as that of Chevalier.

The charge against Thomas Conners was a more serious one than that against his predecessors. His fine for being drunk and insulting ladies totaled $9.85 ($236).

Simon Fodge, an old standby who resides at Tara, but who has been a frequent customer at the fountain of justice in Fort Dodge plead guilty. The old familer was fined accordingly.

George O’Brien paid his fine of $5.85 for being drunk.

Charged with vagrancy, Frank McGuire answered by stating that he was merely out of a job. His honor took upon himself to give McGuire a few kind words of advice and gave him the alternative of leaving town at once and forsaking his old associates or working $10 ($239) fine on the street. McGuire decided to leave town.

Tags: 1904, Chevalier, Conners, Ditmer, Fodge, Mahoney, McGuire, O'Brien

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 6, 1904

Mrs. Whitney Has Returned

Lehigh Woman Connected With Recent Scandal Comes Back to Old Home to Live

Gather Children Together

Will Attempt to Live Down Recent Ill Doings and Regain Lost Respect of Citizens. Lehigh, However, Will be Slow to Credit Good Intentions.

Mrs. A.E. Whitney, the Lehigh woman whose name was so prominent in the recent disgraceful stories connecting her name to that of R.A. Pettibone, the prominent business man and ex-mayor of the same city who is a man with a large family, has returned to Lehigh, rented rooms, gathered her scattered children together and professes her intention of making her home in the city for the future, in an attempt to live down the disgrace of her alleged actions in the recent scandal.

Claims to be Innocent of Much.

The woman claims to be innocent of much of which she had been charged and asserts there is nothing in the stories of her runaway with Pettibone. She acknowledges, however, that she she (sic) has been guilty of certain indiscretions in her associations with the man, and says she is anxious to live in the city and prove that she is capable of living a perfectly chaste and good life, and her greatest desire is to live down the scandal created by her folly and regain the respect of the citizens of the town where all of the trouble occurred.

The Argus Article.

The article from the Lehigh Argus follows:

Mrs. A.E. Whitney, the woman that has had much notoriety thru the daily papers in connection with R.A. Pettibone of this place, has returned to Lehigh and will again make her abode her (sic). She arrived from Des Moines Saturday in which city she has been it is supposed since July 1st. She had had her little daughter Hopie with her during that time but left her at Des Moines with friends while she made a trip to this place.

Mrs. Whitney returned to Des Moines Wednesday and got the child and both returned to this place yesterday morning. Mrs. Whitney claims she is innocent of any serious sin and can vindicate her character which she claims has been wrongfully traduced. She admits however of talking “over the fence” with Mr. Pettibone and similar little tete-a-tetes which she had with him but stoutly denies having anything to do with him that was not perfectly proper and in accordance with the established rules of society.

Mr. Pettibone also says emphatically that his relation toward Mrs. Whitney was that of a gentleman and for the sensational stories that have been universally told by the newspapers he proposed to get even by big libel suits.

It yet remains to be seen in the eyes of the Lehigh people at large whether they are entirely innocent or not of many things for which they have been charged and it is hoped if they can prove their innocence and put a stop to all the stories that have been said concerning them.

Children Gathered Up.

Mrs. Whitney’s two boys have been in Lehigh since the first of July and the boys have not seen their mother since they left deep River at that time. The youngest has been cared for by the K.P. lodge at this place since the boys came here but will now be taken care of by Mrs. Whitney, who desires to keep the children together. The lodge was making arrangements for a home for the youngest boy but on the arrival of Mrs. Whitney and knowing of her desire to keep the children this will not be done. Mrs. Whitney claims she did not know of the death of her husband (who was killed in a mine in Colorado July 1st)  until July 20th and she had a letter from Colorado stating he expected to return to Lehigh. When she sent the boys to this place she supposed Mr. Whitney was h ere.

When Mr. Pettibone and Mrs. Whitney prove clearly their innocence to the charges which have been made against them, then they will be taken by the hand and helped to live an honorable life by every citizen of Lehigh, but this must be proven and until it is proven they must suffer for the follies of their own transgressions.

Tags: 1905, Pettibone, Whitney

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 5, 1905

The Mumps Make Trouble For Girls

Shoe Factory Girls Are Having an Epidemic of the Disease

Started About a Week Ago

One Girl Gets Sick and Oothers (sic) Follow – Were Unable to Think for a Time What Was Causing Trouble – Laid it to Toothache.

Few people believe that the disease called the mumps could interfere with the shoe industry, but such has come to be the case.

About a week ago a girl at the local shoe factory was interested in the peculiar appearance of a fellow worker. “Why Lizzie,” she said, “what is the matter with you today? You look so cross your cheeks hang down a foot.”

“They are swollen, you goose,” answered her friend with the abnormal features. I think I must have the toothache, though not a tooth seems to feel bad. I guess it is down in the roots of the tooth and that is what makes the swelling.”

“But what makes both sides of your face swell that way, you look like a pocket gopher?”

“It’s sympathy,” answered another girl, who had stepped up at this moment. “One side hurts and the other side swells for sympathy.”

The talk ceased for a time and nothing was thought about the affair until the girl with the swollen features did not come down to work the next morning and a couple of the others, the ones who had talked with her the day before found themselves with jaws of unusual proportions.

“Now that can’t be sympathy for Lizzie that makes us get that kind of a swelling,” said they. “We must have caught it from her and we had better see a doctor.” A doctor told them that they were suffering from mumps and then everything was clear.

Since that time several more girls have been taken sick and there bids fair to be a temporary shortage of employes (sic) unless the ravages of the disease are stopped.

(Editor’s note: The first conversation quoted was all in one paragraph with quote marks scattered liberally throughout, but not all in the right places. I attempted to make sense of the conversation by splitting it up into separate paragraphs and placing quote marks where they seemed to make sense. Spelling is as it was in the original article.)

Tags: 1905, mumps

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 5, 1905

Tells the Mayor What to Do

Mayor Bennett Receives Communication With Instructions

Regulate Speed of Autos

No Name is Signed But Writer Says Autos Are Running About City Like Wild – Letter is An Insult – Will Be Disregarded.

The above communication was received by Mayor Bennett this morning, scrawled on the back of a postal card. No name was signed to it and nothing to indicate the person who wrote it was evident about it.

The communication is an insult in every way. The person whoever he is did not dare sign his name or come out in an honest and honorable manner and ask or even demand that the speed of autos in this city be regulated, but instead took for his means of bringing the matter to the attention of the mayor the low, underhanded method of writing an insulting anonymous letter, demanding with unparalleled arrogance that the mayor and policement (sic) act, and at once.

Mayor Bennett stated to a Messenger reporter this morning that he intended to pay no attention whatever to the demand. He said he had no knowledge of autos being run in a careless manner and until a complaint was filed in an honest and honorable manner by some person who takes exception to their operation, would take no action regarding them.

Tags: 1905, Bennett

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 4, 1905

How to Keep the House Cool

Suggestions on How to Be Comfortable During the Summer Heat.

Close Doors in the Day Time

What to Do With The Children – Allow Them to Play in the Water Says President of New York Board of Health.

With the advent of hot weather the problem in every home is how to keep cool and comfortable as possible. Heat is always trying, energy and spirits flag, children may grow cross, while older people develop bad cases of “nerves.”

With care and judgment the house can be kept comparatively cool by throwing open every door and window after sunset leaving as many as possible open all night, then closing them again as the air grows hot and stifling in the morning. If this is systematically attended to the burden of the midsummer heat can be perceptibly lessened. The cellar particularly should be subjected to this daily treatment but when left open at night protest with coarse wire gratings the windows as a matter of safety.

Dabble in Water.

The latest suggestion for keeping the children cool and healthy is to let them dabble in water just as much as they please. “Almost everybody can place a big washtub full of cool water in the middle of the room and there let the children splash to their hearts’ content during the heat of the say,” says the president of the New York board of health. “Let the girls wash their dolls and the boys sail their boats and nobody should scold them. They should be stripped to their abdominal flannel bandages and the parents need have no fear of their youngsters catching cold.”

A further suggestion from a mother who has tried this plan for her little man last summer, during which time he never ate or slept better and never had a fretful moment, is to dissolve a cupful of sea salt in the tub of bath water. This has a distinct tonic effect while a layer of white sea sand on the bottom of the tub prevents slipping and feels comfortable to the little toes. This ocean tub may be set under the shade of a tree or in the house, first spreading a square of oilcloth if there be any danger of injuring the carpet.

For both children and adults a frequent sponging of the body with cool water is advocated together with absolute rest in the hottest part of the day and the avoidance of stimulating edibles and liquids.

Tags: 1905

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 2, 1905

Fifty Years Since They Saw Ft. Dodge

Tuesday Aug. 1 Marked The Half Ceutury (sic) Post For Family’s Record Here.

Vincent Family Are Pioneers

They Came Here in a Covered Wagon From Dubuque Over a Trail Thru Soughs and Rough Roads – City Was Pretty Young Then.

August 1, 1905, marked a milestone in the history of the Vincent family of this city. Fifty years ago on that day they came o (sic) the town of Fort Dodge. Mrs. George B. Sherman, Mr. Webb Vincent and Mr. (sic) Beth Vincent are the surviving members of the family of six and they tell interesting tales of the state and town as they then appeared.

They left the railroad at Dubuque, making the remainder of the journey in a covered wagon which, with a good span of horses they bought in Dubuque for just five hundred dollars in gold. ($11,554 today)

The road across the prairies and through many sloughs was hardly more than a trail so little was it traveled. They came by way of Webster City, then called Newcastle, and made the journey in about a week.

At Webster City they had the pleasure of spending the night in a hotel and sleeping on real beds. Their rest was broken by their first experience of a genuine thunderstorm. A building across the street from the hotel was struck by lightning and the more timid members of the family doubtless wished that they had not “left their happy homes.”

Factory chimneys and church spires being conspicuous by their absence, the site of the Fort Dodge was proclaimed to the travellers by a flag floating from a flagstaff on the height of the hill now occupied by the S.T. Meservey residence.

A bachelor uncle of the party not knowing what fate might have in store for him, made his toilet before entering the town. He shaved himself, using a pail of water as a mirror. If he did it today he would have to use a safety razor.

The inhabitants of the little town all crowded to doors and windows as the party made its way down the street, the addition of two comely women to society’s ranks being especially a subject of interest.

Among the families then living here whose names are still familiar were Mr. and Mrs. Albee, Dr. and Mrs. Olney, Mr. and Mrs. Plum. Mr. Dawley had brought his bride but a few months earlier. Mr. J.F. Duncombe, Mr. Beecher, Mr. Geo. B. Sherman, Mr. C.C. Carpenter were among the young men of whom the greater part of the population was then made up. Young ladies were at a premium.

The inhabitants of the town were settled in the old fort buildings and the Vincent family took up their abode in the theatre building, a relic of the soldier days. They lived in the dressing rooms and on the stage, stored their grain in the “pit” (the only wheat pit the city has ever boasted) and quartered their horses in the refreshment room. The children recall many pranks in this old theatre but the serious work of building a home (the first residence in Fort Dodge) was soon begun. The lumber was hauled from near Dubuque. The house was on the site of the present library building, but not to be confused with the brick house put up later by the family and only recently torn down. Webb Vincent, in a spirit of boyishness, turned the first shovel of earth in excavating for their dwelling so he can now say he did the first stroke of work on a residence building in Fort Dodge.

Tags: 1905, Albee, Beecher, Carpenter, Dawley, Duncombe, Meservey, Olney, Plum, Sherman, Vincent