The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 10, 1904

“Nuttie” Willie Gets Promotion

Aspires To Something Higher Than Police Court and is Held to Grand Jury.

Threatened to Burn Property

Willie Got Huffed at Fred Hecht of Moorland and Made Threat to Burn House and Barn – Pleads Guilty to Charge.

“Nuttie” Willie is a bad, bad man, and is now occupying a cell in the county jail under $250 (about $6,000 today) bonds to wait the action of the grand jury.  It all arises form threats made by Willie against Fred Hecht, whose property he said he intended to burn.

The information was sworn out by Hecht on Thursday, and the police had Willie behind the bars in a very short space of time.

“Nutty” Willie, whose real name is Ernest Willie, has been a familiar character in police circles of this city for the past three years, and has turned up for an interview with his honor every two or three weeks with the greatest regularity. He has, however, been generally a very inoffensive person at all times before, and this is the first time he has aspired to anything higher in the line of justice than was obtainable from the city mayor.

The threat to burn the property of Hecht is merely the result of an imaginary wrong.

Tags: 1904, Hecht, Willie

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 10, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: Mack Hurlbut

No more appropriate classification of Mack Hurlbut, who is shown in the above sketch, could be made than to place him among Fort Dodge’s live ones. Mack is a live wire at all times and stands with the men who make Fort Dodge a town that has to be handled with rubber gloves.

Every man has a few characteristics that make him different from his fellows; without them humankind would be as a flock of sheep, “black or white” would be our only distinguishing point. Mack, in the making, was given enough of these points and characteristics to make him a distinctly original and individual person. In short they are, first of all brains, pluck, aggressiveness, true business instinct, executive ability,  unlimited energy and an attractive personality.

The numerous years that Mack has spent in Fort Dodge, during the biggest and best jewelry stores which time he has build up one of the in Iowa, have demonstrated these points to every resident of the city. For the benefit of those who haven’t sized up, through mere observation we will go into detail a little.

One needs only to enter Mack’s store on Central Avenue to see the result of his brains. Its arrangement, perfect to detail, proclaim them on every hand. As to his pluck – it is a byword with all who know him. Ask the burglars who broke his window and rifled it last year, and whom he doggedly pursued with wily schemes and hounded with detectives, about his pluck. His aggressive spirit shows in every business move for continual push is, and always has been, his policy. For true business instinct and executive ability he have only to look back and recall a vision of a long-legged and thin, raw boned boy sitting on a stool learning to repair watches, then note his present condition, to see the exercise of these two abilities. Unlimited energy tells its tale in his own watchword “sleepless and restless.”

(Editor’s note: I type these as they are in the original. The sentence in italics in the third paragraph should read The numerous years that Mack has spent in Fort Dodge, during which time he has build up one of the the biggest and best jewelry stores in Iowa, have demonstrated these points to every resident of the city.)

Tags: 1906, Hurlbut

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 10, 1906

Letters to Santa

Dec. 7, 1906
Moorland, Iowa

Dear Santa Clause:

I want you to bring me a rubber ball, and a slate, a pencil box, a horn and a drum, are you going to in a buggy, or a sled? Where to you live in the summer time.

Please bring me a top. I guess that will be all

Good-bye

Ray Flaherty
Moorland, Iowa
R.F.D.

■ ■ ■

Fort Dodge, Ia.
Dec. 7, 1906

Dear Santa Claus:

as it is getting pretty near Christmas I will write you a little letter I am a little boy 6 years old and live near the Olson Park. I hope you will find my home all right well Dear Santy will you Please Bring me a drum skates and a sled and a train of cars and a sak of nuts and candy and popcorn balls O yes and Blugle horn. well Santy if you have not got what I ask for send what ever you think best.

yours truely,

Glenn Newsum.

Tags: 1906, Christmas

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 9, 1903

Blanden Scores a Success as Hamlet

Fort Dodge Man is Praised for Work Before the Footlights.

He Plays the Title Role

Lon Blanden, Son of Colonel L. Blanden, and a Native of This City.

Every little while, a new Fort Dodge man comes out into the lime light of fame. The latest son of Fort Dodge to attain noticeable mention is Lon Blanden. Mr. Blanden is the nephew of Col. L. Blanden, and the brother of the well known poet, Charles Blanden, who is also a son of Fort Dodge, though for years he has been a successful business man of Chicago.

Lon Blanden was a resident of Fort Dodge in his young manhood. He had a magnificent voice and was prominent in musical circles. His ability as an actor, both on the state and in real life, was often remarked by his friends and when he went on the stage some years ago it was felt that he would surely gain an enviable reputation. The hopes of his friends have been longer delayed than was expected, but the opportune time has come for Mr. Blanden to leave light comedy and melodrama and take upon himself some more notable parts. He is especially suited in his face, manner and gifts for tragedy, and the announcement that he is starring in Hamlet is not a surprise to his acquaintances here. The following is from the Providence Journal:

“It was a distinctly creditable presentation in which the feature was the strong and powerful playing of Mr. Lon Blanden, as the Prince of Denmakr. Mr. Blanden is a player of the legitimate school who follows in his characterization of the great Dane, the advice of Hamlet to the players and who gave a scholarly and remarkably able exposition of this great character study. His playing would attract attention in a more pretentious production; coming as it does in a week’s work of a summer stock company, playing at popular prices, it is the more unusual. His enunciation was clear and usually distinct; he gave the soliloquies with dramatic force and his whole conception of the role was apparent as the result of years of study of the most interesting of Shakespeare’s characters. It was a worthy effort, that stands out from the work of the other members of the company, although his support was uniformly good and in several respects especially so.” – The Providence Journal

Tags: 1903, Blanden

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 8, 1906

Letters to Santa

December 5

Dear Santa Claus:

Pleas I want a barrel of apples and a drum a little shettling poney if it won’t kick your toys to peices to bring it with buggy and harnes. Stilla and Hellen wants dolls and dishes and a little iron and ironing board. Good by Thomas will write to.

Masting Ryan
822 north 9 St.

■ ■ ■

Dear Santa Claus:

I want a drum, a sack of english Walnuts, candy and peanuts, a wooden snake a jumping jack and want a autobil that can run raced with Martins Shittlers poney and beat it. Martin rote for Stella and Hellens things pleas don’t anything good by.

Thomas Ryan
822 6 ave N 9 st.

■ ■ ■

Dear Santa Claus:

Please bring me a train of cars and a toy automobile and a knife nad I guess that all buhan t your loving friend JohnMonk, be sure to come to tobin college at fort dodge, iwoa.

■ ■ ■

Kalo, Ia., Dec. 6, 1906

Dear Santa Claus:

please bring me a little broom and horn and doll bring he a thing like Thelma Smith s, bring Tommie a sled please

good by

Rose Walton
Kalo, Iowa

■ ■ ■

Dear Santa Clause:

Kalo, Ia., Dec. 6, 1906

please bring me a pair of skates and some candy bring little Carrie Bell a rubber doll and a rattle box

good by

Doris Walton,
Kalo.

Tags: 1906, Christmas, Monk, Ryan, Walton

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 7, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: Sidney J. Bennett

As the first of a series of cartoons of “live ones of Fort Dodge,” the Messenger takes pleasure in presenting the well known face of our honored Mayor, Mr. Sidney J. Bennett.

The Mayor’s claims to fame are multitudinous and varied. A self-made man he lacks the usual human weakness of “worshiping (sic) his maker” that detracts from characters such as his.

Three times Mayor of Fort Dodge, and as often a member of the Board of Supervisors for the County, there are really no monuments of the progress and advancement of the City or County that do not bear the impress of his genius. Anybody who doubts the foregoing can easily be set right by a few minutes conversation with the subject of this sketch or any of his hosts of partisan friends and admirers.

Not only has Mr. Bennett achieved fame at home, but his services abroad are no less distinguished. It was he who bored the monster hole through the mountains of the Pacific Coast and gave to the world the “Stampede Tunnel; a work requiring a special knowledge of engineering, unbounded energy and superb leadership in the management of men; these qualities becoming most apparent in Mr. Bennett’s makeup in the fact that he completeed the work ahead of contract time, thus earning a large “Bonus” which laid the foundation of his ample fortune in the full enjoyment of which he is passing the years of his later life.

A soldier in the Civil War, a pioneer in western settlement, a politician  of the best type, and, above all, a truthful citizen in all cases, except where the size of the fish he caught is involved, the Mayor of Fort Dodge takes first rank for the sturdy fiber of manhood that makes for good citizenship.

It is with the sincere wish of many years of happiness and usefulness for our distinguished fellow citizen that this paper presents him to the readers; and when the time comes, as come it must to all, when he must retire to private life, to enjoy the contemplation of days well spent; whatever estimate is put upon his public services by those who may succeed him, all may have the consolation implied in Prince Hal’s comment on Falstaff: “We might have better spared a better man.”

(Editor’s note: As mentioned, this is the first in a series. I don’t currently have them all copied, but I’ll try to get the rest of them. Also, each of these is accompanied by a caricature, which I do not have scanned at this time.)

Tags: 1906, Bennett

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 6, 1905

There Are Fools and Fools Still

Fort Dodge People Taken in By Man With Latest Kind of Graft.

He Got More Than $500

Police Investigate Report as to Operations of Fake Clairivoyant (sic) and Find Them All Too True – Twenty-five Were Stung.

Investigation by the police of the story given them yesterday by an unknown woman to the effect that an alleged clairvoyant had victimized a number of people through the city for considerable sums, has proved the report all too true.

Secured About $500.

Captain Long, who took the matter in hand, reported this morning that he learned that the man gave his name at  T yler and advertized in the local papers that he would discover lost articles, give advice as to the future and tell the past. He was located at 502 Third avenue north and at this place the officer thinks he fleeced Fort Dodge people out of $500.

How He Operated.

One lady visited Tyler to learn how to act in some mysterious matter. He told her to secure two ten dollar bills and a five dollar bill and to bring them to him in a neat silk package. This she did, and he hung the sack about her neck, telling her to return in two weeks. She felt no uneasiness, because she could feel the bills in the sack. Others had the same trick played on them. Tyler would request them to bring two twenty dollar gold pieces or a couple of bills of some denomination. When this was done he would place them in a sack and tie it about the neck of the person, telling them to return in two weeks. On the appointed day about twenty-five persons gathered at Tyler’s place, and he was found to have flown. Examination of the silk sacks disclosed the fact that instead of bills they contained wads of paper and instead of gold pieces two half dollars.

Won’t Give Names.

Those who played the sucker act kept quiet about the matter, but in the manner related in yesterday’s Messenger it came to the notice of the police by a woman calling them over the phone. Some five or six of the parties that were taken in have been visited by Policeman Long and in each case they have begged him to withhold their names. Chief Tullar has a description of Tyler and will forward the same to the city marshals in neighboring towns.

Tags: 1905, Long, Tuller, Tyler

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 5, 1905

Has Work for The Police

Woman Says That Hpynotists (sic) Fleeced Fort Dodge People of Large Sums.

An unknown woman called up police headquarters this morning and stating that she had some work for the police of the city, called for Captain Long.

To this gentleman she divulged the information that a hypotist (sic) with rooms on Third avenue north, had by means of his power fleeced Fort Dodge people out of more than a thousand dollars during the last two weeks. She stated that he had enticed parties in the neighborhood to the place and had persuaded them to return later bringing all their spare cash.

After a week of this kind of transaction she claimed that he left the city. The police think that the entire affair is utterly without foundation, but will nevertheless give the premises where the grafter is said to have been located, a visit.

Tags: 1905, Long

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 5, 1905

The Congregational Bazaar

In Crawford Building on North Sixth – Pretty Booths – Chicken Pie Supper Tonight.

The Crawford Building on North Sixth is the scene of the Congregational bazaar today and Wednesday. Booths of artistic design have been erected and trimmed with many different paper flowers. Yellow, and pink and blue booths, surround the walls, in which an unusually pretty display of Christmas gifts are temptingly arrayed.

The apron booth, which is in charge of Mrs. F.M. Ely, is hung in white curtains and trimmed with yellow chrysanthemums. At this booth fancy aprons and kitchen aprons can be secured. The Sunday School display at the next booth is worthy of comment. The boys have done their share here as well as the girls. An ironing board of beautiful symmetry is is (sic) one of the donations of the boys. Mrs. Charles Kline has a splendid booth of water color paintings which she has placed on sale at the bazaar. She is an adept at the work as her display plainly shows.  The baby booth in charge of Mrs. Eugene Hook, and the doll booth under the management of Mrs. Harry Vincent are artistically arranged along the north side of the room. Baby clothes of dainty texture are sold at the one and dolls of every variety are for sale at the other. Mesdames Charles Fisher and W.G. Jankins have charge of the fancy work booth which is filled with the finest of needlework.

A chicken pie supper will be served this evening at six o’clock to which all of the friends of the church are invited.

Tags: 1905, Ely, Fisher, Hook, Jankins, Kline, Vincent