The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 13, 1904

Attempt to Rob Bank Frustrated

Four Men Make Daring Effort to Rob Duncombe Bank at Early Hour Today.

Discovered by Night Watchman

Robbers Take to Their Heels and a Running Revolver Fight Ensues.

The timely appearance of Night Watchman Frank Lutz frustrated an attempt to rob the Duncombe Bank at Duncombe at an early hour this morning. About 2 a.m. the night watchman saw a light in the bank and an investigation led to the discovery that an attempt was being made by four men to force an entrance into the vault. The watchman opened fire on the men in the bank and succeeded in putting them to flight. A running fight following in which shots were exchanged, but so far as known no damage was done. Watchman Lutz escaped injury and as the quartette of would be robbers made its escape it is thought none of them were hit.

Entrance into the bank was made by picking the lock of the street door and using the same means to open the door of the room in which is the vault. The latter is built of brick and steel. The robber had stolen a pick and crow bar from the tool box of the Illinois Central section gang and with them had begun tearing away the brick section of the vault when discovered by the night watchman. The latter had been working at the water station about a block from the bank and had suspected something wrong wehn he heard the noise caused by the men using the pick to tear out the bricks of the vault. For the distance of a block the watchman crawled on his hands and knees and aroused J. Latta, proprietor of the bank, and several other men, with whom he intended to surprise the robbers, when discovered by the latter.

The men in the bank lost no time in dropping their tools and taking to flight. As they ran out of the bank the watchman counted four men, their only distinguishing feature being that one was unusually tall, while the other three were men of ordinary size. In the street the men started toward the railroad yards and while running in that direction returned the fire of the watchman.

Evidently plans had been made as, the robbers had a hand car in readiness when they reached the railroad yards. They boarded this and succeeded in making their escape.

The hand car was found this morning lying hear the railroad track a half mile east of Carbon Junction. No trace of the robbers has been found.

The damage to the bank is confined to a hole in the vault large enough to allow the body of a man to pass thru. It can be repaired, however, at a small cost.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 13, 1903

A Little Chicken Corner

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 11, 1905

Mayor Draws a Full House

Is Confronted by Three of a Kind and a Pair in Police Court This Morning.

Was Liberal With Justice

Fines Were The Largest That Have Been Assessed in Police Court For Many Months. – Will Have a Most Discouraging Effect on Graft.

Mayor Bennett drew a full house in police court this morning. When the moment arrived for the doling out of justice, there were three of a kind and a pair ranged on the penitential bench before him. It was with no miserly hand he ladled out the big bunches of fines and costs. The freedom with which he piled it on them was certainly discouraging to the bum, the vag, the thief.

Peter Coyne and John Lowery, both of whom were caught while in the act of stealing overalls from in front of one of the local stores, were given a fine of $100 and costs each or thirty days in the county jail. Neither of them having a cent of money they were sent to jail where they will have a chance to dwell on the evils of their ways for a month.

The three remaining in the line were given fifty dollars and costs each and allowed a chance to sweat it out in the county jail, a job that will occupy their vagabond minds for a period of fifteen days. The three vags were Frank Jones, Charles Wright and Luke O’Brien.

The theft of the overalls took place on Monday afternoon. Peter Coyne took the garments from a box in front of one of the stores on South Sixth street and ran with them to a nearby corner where he secreted them in a buggy and made his get-away. It was then Lowery’s turn to play his part in the deal, so getting the bundle from the buggy he made his way through an alley to the rear of one of the lunch counters of the city where his brother is employed, and there hid them in a box.

He was seen to do this by one of the high school boys who reported it to the police and the two arrests followed with the resulting convictions.

Both of the parties to the game plead guilty to the charge entered against them and there was no delay in meting out their punishment. Coyne has been implicated in other petty thieveries about the city, and was arrested a few months ago as one of the parties engaged in the burglary of the Cochran saloon. At that time, however, the evidence against him was not sufficient to hold him to the grand jury and he was released.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 8, 1906

Horse Stolen on Central Avenue

Charles Woodbury, Living Near Cemetery, Loses a Valuable Animal Today

Taken by Unknown Parties

Horse Had Been Left Tied Just West of Right Place Store. Police at Work

A horse and buggy belonging to Charles Woodbury, living near the cemetery, unexpectedly disappeared at about noon today. the horse had been hitched on Sixth street, just east of the right place store, and was taken from that place by some unknown person, and has not been seen since.

Mr. Woodbury’s son saw the horse being driven around, but thought that his father had given some one permission to use it. He saw the buggy stop at the curbing and take in another man, after which it was driven away and he has not seen it since.

The horse was a dark brown animal, fastened to a well worn buggy without a top. The matter was reported to the police and Marshal Ed Welch spent considerable time this afternoon looking for the missing property, but up to the time of going to press had found no trace of it.

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.”

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 23, 1903

Geo. A. Griswold of Manson Murdered by Highwaymen

Was a Passenger on Electric Car Between Los Angeles and Santa Monica California – Shot While Concealing His Watch and Died in His Mother’s Arms

George A. Griswold, son of the late H.J. Griswold of Manson, heir to the large Griswold estate, and a young man well and favorably known to many Fort Dodge people, was shot down by hold-up men in a street car in Los Angeles on Saturday night. His mother and his aunt, Miss Anna Funk of Manson, with whom he was riding, were spattered with his blood.

The body will be brought to Manson for burial, but the time of the funeral has not yet been decided upon.

H.J. Griswold, father of the murdered man, was one of the most prominent citizens of Manson. George was an only son. His death leaves his mother alone in the world.

Mrs. Griswold, and her son, and Miss Funk were spending the winter in California, in accordance with their regular custom. They were expected to return to Manson in a short time.

George A. Griswold was prominent in Manson and was very popular. Mr. Griswold was a member of the Fort Dodge Chapter and Commandery of Masons. If his body is buried in Los Angeles, the rooms of the order will be draped in mourning. If the funeral occurs in Manson, it is probable the Fort Dodge Masons will have charge of the exercises.

Los Angeles, Cal. March 23 – Three masked robbers attempted to hold up a car on the Los Angeles-Pacific electric line, running between Los Angeles and Santa Monica, about a mile west of the city limits, and after a pistol duel between C.W. Henderson, one of the passengers, and one of the robbers, the other two highwaymen began shooting right and left through the crowded car. One passenger was killed and three wounded.

The dead: G.A. Griswold, Manson, Ia.

The wounded: J.C. Cunningham of Los Angeles shot through the left thigh, serious; Ellis Pearson, shot through the left leg; Dr. C.H. Bowles, shot through the left hand.

It is believed that one of the robbers was badly wounded. Mr. Griswold was a wealthy citizen of Manson, Ia. He came here several months ago for the  benefit of his mother’s health.

The hold-up occurred at the head of a deep cut. The robbers had placed a steel rail, a large bench and a cement barrel on the track. The motorman saw the obstruction when the car was several hundred yards from it and at once turned off the current and ran slowly to the place. The moment the car struck three men, wearing masks over their faces, sprang from the weeds alongside the track. One boarded the front end of the car and the other two the rear end. The first man commanded the passengers occupying the open seats to put up their hands, and when one of them did not comply, he fired a shot. Henderson then opened fire on the robber, shooting as fast as he could pull the trigger. The robber turned his gun upon Henderson, but as he did so he was seen to bend over and cry out as if in pain. Then straightening up, he began shooting at the passengers huddled int he front seats. One of his bullets struck Ellis Pearson in the left leg. Henderson continued firing and the robber was seen to fall.

While this was going on on the outside of the car a tragedy was being enacted inside. The two robbers who had entered the rear door commanded the passengers to raise their hands, and most of them did so. Before any attempt could be made by the robbers to search teh passengers for their valuables, the shooting began on the outside of the car. Then the other two robbers began shooting right and left into the crowd of passengers. At the command, “hands up,” he tried to secrete his watch under his legs, and one of the robbers, thinking he was about to draw a gun, fired point blank at him. The bullet struck him in the back of the neck, and he fell over into the lap of his aged mother, who was seated at his side.

Dr. C.H. Bowles was near the front door and at the command of the robbers he raised his hands. When he had them in the air one of the bullets from a robber’s revolver struck his left hand and shattered the bones. After emptying their revolvers the robber backed out of the door and sprang off the car and disappeared.

That many more were not killed or wounded is little short of miraculous. Inside the car was thirty or more passengers and there were more than ten shots fired. Bullets were found imbedded (sic) in the woodwork in many places when the car reached this city.

Griswold expired before the car had gone a mile. He never spoke after he was shot and when his body was lifted from the car at Santa Monica his watch was found under him on the seat. His mother was covered with his blood and was almost insane from fright and grief. The bullet which killed him grazed the cheek of Miss Anna Funk, who was traveling with him. The highwaymen secured nothing whatever from the passengers.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1904

He Forgot to Stay Away

Nutty Willey Returns and Gets into Trouble.

Steals a Coat and is Bound Over to the Grand Jury on the Charge of Larceny.

Ernest Willey, the “Nutty” Willey of police court fame, will probably give the city authorities little trouble for some time to come. Willey was ordered out of the city Friday morning and promised to do so and never return. He left town, but forgot to stay away. worse than that when he did return Saturday night he went into the Haire clothing store and when he left forgot to pay for a coat which he had carelessly picked up.

When arrested he was given no further chances to depart from the city, but was taken before a justice of the peace and bound over to the grand jury charged with larceny. It is probable that the jury will report on Willey’s case tomorrow, and a disposal made of the charge against him at the present term of court.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 18, 1904

Chicken Thieves Make Raid

C.L. Peterson Suffers the Loss of Many Fowls

Resident in Southeastern Part of the City Loses Large Number of Chickens and Geese.

Chicken thieves made a raid on the chicken coop of C.L. Peterson, living near the Plymouth gypsum mill, on Thursday night, and today Mr. Peterson is mourning the loss of nearly three dozen choice fowls. chickens to the number of thirty or more were taken, while the thieves helped themselves to three fat geese in addition to the big Plymouth Rocks.

The theft was discovered at an early hour this morning, when Mr. Peterson found a glove in the yard near his chicken coop. Blood found near the building in which the fowls were housed led to an investigation and the discovery of the fact that he had been relieved of the greater part of his feathery wealth. The glove is the only clue to the identity of the thief, or thieves. No disturbance was heard Thursday night, although it is evident from the generous spilling of blood about the premises, that at least one chicken was killed.

Mr. Peterson is a foreman employed by the Plymouth Gypsum company, and lives near the mill in the southeastern part of the city.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 12, 1907

Police News

One lone unfortuunate (sic) who gave his name as Orin Carter was before the mayor this morning in police court.

Drunk and disorderly was the charge hurled against him. he entered a plea of guilty ard (sic) was given three days at hard labor.

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The officers have received word to be on the lookout for a consignment of stolen furs. On the night of February 28th the warehouse of C.A. Lind of Marathon (sic), Iowa, was broken into and $600 worth of valuable skunk, mink and weasel furs were stolen. A reward of $100 is offered for the capture of the thief and the return of the proparty (sic).

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Former Police Officer Peter Dittmer was a caller at the station renewing old acquaintances and chatting with the men one day last week. Peter, the veteran member of the force for six years, retired because of a desire to take some ease during the remaining years of his life. He cheerfully says he is doing nothing except to take a life of ease and finds the occupation a pleasant one at that.