The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 23, 1903

A Fancy Graft From Old Madrid

Historic City of Old Spain Produces Scheme to Get Other People’s Dollars

Dons After Sioux City Man

Make Bungling Attempt to Interest Victim in Alleged Secret Drawer of Money

Sioux City April 22 – The green goods, the gold brick and the fake mining stock games are not to be compared with the graft which has been sprung in old Madrid – not Madrid, Iowa, but Madrid, Spain.

William Merrill, of the office of Smiley, McCormick & Co., real estate and loan brokers in the Bolton block, has been picked out for a sucker, but the selection may cost the grafters dearly. Mr. Merrill will turn over the correspondence in the case to the postal authorities, and it is not unlikely that the matter may be taken up by the state department at Washington.

The head grafter represents himself as being Luis Bodriguer Merrill, formerly clerk to the Interoceanic Canal of Panama company. He says he has £ 98,600 of securities in a secret drawer in Paris, the contents of which he desires to divide with Mr. Merrill of Sioux City.

He also declares that he desires to send his beautiful daughter aged 14, to Sioux City, to live wiht Mr. Merrill until he may be released from prison.

Like the green goods and gold brick letters, the one to Mr. Merrill is printed, his name being written in at the top and at various places in the letter. The name “Merrill” also is attached in ink to the name “Luis Bodriguer” in the signature. The attempt to deceive is bungling.

“The dagoes must have thought we people over in America were all dummies,” Mr. Merrill said, with some heat. “Well I will just see if it won’t be possible to show them a thing or two.”

The letter is dated at Madrid, Spain, March 25, and the substance is as follows:

“Being placed into a very hard trouble without being by myself able to come out of it by the great conflict made by my situation and knowing your generosity and noble feelings, I write to you, hoping you will accept the proposals I am going to make to you, although we are foreigners to each other. Only by telling you that my mother was a near relative to your family and that by her name, Mrs. Anna Merrill (here the name Merrill is written in just as Johnson or Jones might have been used), you shall understand our blood relationship.

The principal reason of my addressing you after never having entertained any relations with you is that my dear and deceased mother, in spite of the difference that compelled her not to entertain any of her paternal relatives but always spoke to me very highly of your talents and honesty, and consequently, I am wholly sure that you shall keep a great discretion of the contents of this letter and accept of what I am going to tell you. I also write to you, because you are in a free country which you shall be able to accede to the plans I have thought of. Is it dear to me that my young daughter, only 14 years old may find at your side and under your protection the future that I has assured her out of the troubles she should find here.

The writer goes on at length to explain his relationship with the canal company and how he managed to get away with the money to Gibraltar. The money was placed safety in a secret drawer, but he was arrested. The letter at this point breaths (sic) blood. It says:

“I was surprised by two police coming brutally to arrest me. I wa provoked and my indignation and despair almost made me mad. I made so great a resistance against them that at last I was beaten and wounded so badly that at the first moments all believed me dead.

“I have been one month without feeling my situation, but I am not well at all and under the fear of a near death by the shock that I received. I am a prisoner of these authorities as having made strength against the officers.

The writer continues in this strain, and finally comes down to his proposition, which he puts in the following language:

“My desires are as follows: It is very easy to get the drawer because the precautions I have been compelled to keep are precisely what assures them until you may be able to come to an arrangement in the matter. you can perfectly see that the assistance that I beg of you can by no means bring any trouble on you when you follow my my (sic) instructions, which you shall know much better when you answer me. You can perfectly know that having not the surety of my letter reaching you, I can not tell you more than what I have told you. I only must pray you to tell me if under the proposition I now have I can trust you to be a second good father to my dear, beautiful daughter, and that I am ready to reward your services by one-fourth part of all the property and the yearly interst that the whole stock may earn when it may be placed by you during my daughter’s minority or until the day she may marry.”

Don Luis “Merrill” attaches his name and then that it must be understood in Sioux City that he is closely watched and that his mail must be sent in care of a priest, D. Manuel Beller, Colla de la Paloma, No. 3, Argamada del Bey, Province of Madrid.

The writer adds:

“The great rectitude of this good priest makes it necessary that he remain unknown at all of this existence of my property, because if he would be informed of it he could perhaps believe me guilty and retire his protection to me and my daughter.”

(Editor’s note: This is quite similar to what is commonly called the Nigerian scam, because many letters or emails like this come from Nigeria.” Also, I debated about using the term “dagoes” which was in the original quote. I am trying to keep this blog historically accurate, but also don’t want to offend people. So I’m hoping that readers will accept it in the spirit of historical accuracy and not be offended.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 22, 1904

Youthful Traveler in Court

Roy Langlius, Aged 16, Up For Vagrancy.

He Leaves Home in Illinois Because He Cannot Agree With His Step-Mother.

Roy Langlius, a youth of 16, was arraigned in police court this morning on the charge of being a vagrant. The boy was picked up by the police Thursday night and given lodging in the jail. This morning he was brought before the mayor and asked for an explanation. He said he left his home in Hoopton, Ill., last January, because he was unable to agree with his stepmother. He told his father he was going to leave home, and his father consented. Since leaving home the boy had traveled in Nebraska, Kansas, Indian Territory, Oklahoma, and in fact thruout the entire southwest.

“There was nothin’ doin’ in Kansas City or Omaha,” he explained, “and I came up this way.” He did not know where he was going, but seemed confident that he could look out for himself.

He was discharged after telling the mayor he was going to leave town.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 21, 1905

Prisoners Clean City’s Streets

Police Guard Them While They Beautify Fort Dodge

They are Better When Busy

Idleness has a Tendency to Get Them Into Mischief – The New Method of Cleaning This City Will be continued by the Present Administration.

This was the sort of a hand out Major S.J. Bennett gave to three tramps this morning in police court, and there was consternation in their faces when they realized the horrible truth that they were up against a proposition where they would either have to work or they could not eat.

To take care of them a special police officer was sworn in and he has instructions to see that they fulfill the conditions in the way of a decent amount of labor, or they will be held to the slender fare prescribed for them by his honor.

This morning they were taken out by the officer and put at work picking up the papers and trash off the streets. In this role they attracted much attention and there was a great amount of favorable comment as the people passing along the street caught at the idea.

When the papers are all picked up, they will be put at work with a shovel, and it is the intention of his honor to add to the force. The police are instructed to take precautions to capture every tramp that steps inside the city limits and there is a prospect that the special offer will have a considerable gang under his care in a short time.

One of the vags who is on the streets is the same fellow captured Thursday. He was turned loose on account of the fact that it was too rainy for him to work and ordered out of town. He was given a good meal just befoer he startd at ten o’clock, but he had the “habit” and before noon, he wa begging a “hand out” over in West Fort Dodge, ont he grounds that he had been “starving for three days.”

A telephone message to police headquarters brought out the patrol, and he was hustled into the reflectatory, where he was kept till this morning when he went to work with two other vags. The men are Luke O’Brien, Frank Jones and Martin Scott.

Frank Jones is a resident of Fort Dodge and has been a sort of outcast from society for some time. He was arrested a day or two ago and was at that time given a chance to get out of town, which opportunity he failed to avail himself of. Thursday he spent the day begging funds and drinking and was picked up by police. In court this morning when he was told it was either work or bread and water, he was highly incensed that he should be asked to work and stated he would take the bread and water.

He, however, went out on the street with the rest of the gentlemen of leisure, but at the first opportunity, made a run for it and made goo his escape. The police hope that he has made a good job of his getaway, so that he will not be seen back in Fort Dodge again. The last seen of him he was making the most undignified haste in the direction of the Illinois Central depot, where he hoped to catch a freight train out of town.

There were also two drunks up this morning, Frank Kopaski and Fern (?) Willard. Both of these men liquidated and went their ways rejoicing.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 21, 1905

Boy is Hurt by a Slingshot

Result of a Dispute Between Youngsters.

Reckless Younster (sic) Shoots Another in The Head Causing Painful Wound.

A telephone message from 1436 Fifth avenue north this afternoon announced that a boy named Burdick had shot a six-year-old youngster in the head with a sling shot. The message asked that the police take some action in the case.

The youngster, who was hit, while not seriously injured by the shot, was painfully hurt. The missile cut the scalp badly and the bleeding was profuse. The smaller boy was riding home from school in a wagon when an altercation arose and the other youngster shot at him with the sling shot, hitting him as described.

The police have not as yet taken any action in the matter, but it is sure that they will do something to suppress such outbreaks on the part of reckless urchins and it is probable that they will put a stop to the use of the slingshot inside the city limits altogether.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 20, 1905

Promiscuous Bunch in Police Court

Youth and Old Age, Drinks and Tramps Come Up to Get Justice.

The Mayor as a Minister

Mayor Bennett Does Not Belong to the Preacher’s Union But Can Deliver a Sermon – Talks on Reform are Interesting.

There was certainly something doing in police court this morning when the gong rang for the pentitents to appear before his honor, and it was a mixed procession that filed in and took the bench of mourning before him.

There were two tramps, a drunk and one juvenile offender to be disposed of. All of their cases were adjusted in a very short time, however, and in a most satisfactory manner.

While Mayor Bennett is not ordained and does not hold a card in the ministerial union, he can on occasion preach with the best of them and this morning he delivered several sermons that affected his sinful audience probably as much as any they will ever hear.

The tramps, especially, were warned of the wrath to come if they continue to hang about Fort Dodge. They were likened by his honor to a parasite on the laboring classes of the universe, and a wart on the fair face of mother nature.

It was the intention of the Mayor to put them out on the streets with a ball and chain attached to their preambulators and with the instruction that unless they were diligent in their labors, they would find no dinner when the noon hour happened along. They were put in jail however, till after the rain was over, and it is probable that they will be chased out of the city.

The case of the juvenile offender was the hardest nut to crack, Mayor Bennett had originally intended to send the youngster to reform school, but later decided to give him another chance.

The boy in question is a resident of Bobtown, and attends the Wahkonsah school. Wednesday afternoon, he became involved in a fight with another youngster and drawing an ugly pair of iron “knucks” from his pocket delivered a blow on the head of his opponent that made an ugly cut.

Both the boys were picked up by the police, and lodged in the city bastile. The injured scraper, however was let out a little later and only the boy from Bobtown held over night. It seems that he has a record as a hunter of trouble and in the examination of his case this went against him. But after considering the thing over night it was decided to give the boy a chance to redeem himself. He will be kept under the eye of his honor, however, from this time on, and the first time he is caught in crooked paths, he will be turned over to the county attorney.

The drunk was Frank Easley. He, also, was made the subject of a sermon, and at the end was warned that unless he braced up and keeps himself off the streets, he will be sent out of town to the inebriate asylum. with this warning he was turned loose.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 19, 1905

Mayor Conducts Matrimonial Bureau

Works It in Conjunction With Police Court and May Make It a Success.

Johnson Was a Little Shy

One of the Candidates Having Been Married Did Not Take Kindly to the Mayor’s Proposition – The Other Thought It a Good Thing.

Major S.J. Bennett is conducting a matrimonial bureau as a side issue along with his police court. He opened up business this morning in the new department for the first time with two candidates. One of these was a little shy when the question of matrimony was broached, and a few questions developed the fact that he had been there and had had experience.

The other candidate, when asked if he was enjoying the bliss of a home and wife made the statement that he had never married, but that he really thought it would be a good thing for him if he were joined up with some good woman. He intimated that a wife might act as ballast for his wandering craft, and hold him truer to his course. Both of the men were strongly advised to tie up as soon as possible by his honor.

Both of them were up as plain drunks and were given the usual $1 and costs, but as it was the first time for them under the present administration, they were let off. Albert Johnson, who a few months ago was one of the faithful ones, and made his appearance regularly from once to three times a week, was one of the offenders, and Frank Carter, a farmer, was the other. Carter is the man who looked with favor on the mayor’s matrimonial proposition, and it is probable that he will become a benedict in the very near future.

(Editor’s note: I can’t help but wonder how the women of the town would feel upon reading this. “Oh, joy. A couple of drunks are going to be looking for wives. And one of them has already failed at marriage.” Who wouldn’t jump at that chance?)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 18, 1903

Forced to Choose Between Rain Water and Work

Awful Predicament of Three Hoboes in This Morning’s Police Court – Chose the Water.

Police court was rather busy this morning. Mayor Northrup having seven cases up before him. Of these three were tramps and they were given the choice of getting out of town in half an hour or going to work. The three of them chose to get out of town and the last seen of them they were “hiking” down the Central tracks towards Tara in the rain. This was not very comfortable but they preferred it to work. They gave their names as Frank Williams, Frank Hoyt and John Silley, but very probably forgot them as soon as they got out of court.

The other four cases were just plain drunks and none of them had any excuse for their condition, but were all eager in their promises to do better if they were let go. Mayor Northup is getting tired of promises of this kind and assessed them all fines and costs. All of them were “broke” so they went to jail. Frank Lynch, John Nuugent (sic), John Griffin and John Fitz were the four drunks. From the list of names it would seem the criminality was predominant among Franks and Johns with the Johns slightly in the lead.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 17, 1905

Refrigerators are Rifled Saturday

William Matt and Ryan Residences Were Visited in Early Morning.

Somebody Had a Good Dinner

Thieves Helped Themselves to Chickens, Pies, Radishes, Onions and Numerous Other Tempting Dishes That They Found Under Cover.

If your refrigerators are outside, bring them in. If the back door is unlocked proceed to lock it at nights, because it is no longer the bitter winter time, when you are not supposed to have anything in them, nor it is likely that the Hungry Henry’s (sic) can have their brains clouded with delicious visions of spring chicken, fresh vegetables such as radishes and onions, and pass by untempted. See to your refrigerators.

Saturday night several homes in the the (sic) vicinity of third avenue north, and Eighth street were visited by thieves, and as a result several families awoke to greet a provisionless Sunday.

The William Matt residence seemed to have suffered the most daring burgulary (sic), as the thieves entered the back hall, where the refrigerator stood and having hauled it to the light which was beginning to dawn, rifled it of everything it contained. There was chicken, two of them and many other delectable dishes for use the next day.

The occurrence was not discovered until the next morning when Mrs. Matt opened the ice box to get some meat for breakfast and soon afterwards when they inquired about the neighborhood it was found that a less successful attempt was made at the Ryan home on Eighth street.

Mrs. Ryan stated that about three o’clock in the morning she had heard the noise on the porch and began moving about in the house so that they would hear her. They did and she saw them run in the direction of the Matt home. They had only been at her home a short time, as they carried away only radishes and onions and there were many other things which might have tempted them had they had time to find them.

Another refrigerator in the neighborhood was opened but nothing taken, the burgulars (sic) evidently lacking one bad trait, that of exceeding hoggishness, but whatever they did not take did not prevent them from having a feast worthy of a bountifully spread board, all day Sunday.

No doubt a carnival of the Knights of Tie Passes was held in the woods near town Sunday and was void of the formalities of civilization, while it revelled (sic) in its conveniences, and the toast proposed by the manly knights was probably a unanimous echo of “the jug of wine, a loaf of bread and wilderness” theory.

(Editor’s note: “Knights of Tie Passes” must be a colloquialism for hoboes, although my Google search turned up nothing. A refrigerator in 1905 would have been a true “ice box” – a cabinet in which ice kept food cool. There would be no need to keep it in the kitchen, necessarily, and if kept on a porch it would be easy prey for outsiders.)

From the 1908 and 1909 Fort Dodge city directories:

William and Lydia Matt lived at 14 N. 15th St. in 1908 and 525 1/2 Central Ave. in 1909. He was an engineer for Fort Dodge Auto Co. While his employment didn’t change during those two years, they moved, which leads me to think they had moved between this incident in 1905 and 1908. The Webster County Genealogical Society has the 1889-1890, 1898, 1908 and 1909 directories, but nothing between 1898 and 1908.

Mrs. Stella M Ryan and two men, probably her grown sons, lived at 135 N. Eighth St. In 1908, Frank P. Ryan was a clerk and in 1909 he was a checker for the Illinois Central Railroad. In 1908, George J. Ryan was a clerk for the ICRR and in 1909, he was a student at Tobin College.

More ice box thefts occurred in different neighborhoods in this time period. You can search for refrigerator in the search box at upper right.

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.