The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 25, 1904

Merry Quartette of Drunks

Appear in Police Court This August Morning

All are Relegated to the Pen for Punishment and Meditation Fancy Free

A quartet of drunks and vagrants graced the mercy seat in police court this morning. All plead guilty to their respective charges, as a result the city jail now houses four new ocupants (sic). The first man up was James King who appeared Wednesday morning and was allowed to leave upon promise to get out of town at once. He was given a strong dose this morning in the shape of a $9.35 sentence (about $235 today).

William Carroll of Minnesota was quickly disposed of at $5.85 ($147). William Davis from the Windy City took his $1 ($25 today) and costs and was lead to the bastile without a murmur. John Wilborn was the last man up and he made a strenuous plea for fresh air, saying that he had an appointment at Oelwein. He too was relegated to the city pen.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 14, 1905

Mayor Has Hoboe (sic) Cleaned Up

Man Found Begging With Over One Hundred Dollars on His Person

Unable to Speak English

Mayor Has Him Fixed Out at Barber Shop, Buys New Suit of Clothes for Him Out of His Money and Sends Him Out of Town

Residents of the east part of the city telephoned in Saturday afternoon to police headquarters stating that a hoboe (sic) was begging at the residences of that part of the city.

The patrol was sent out in response to the call and a stout looking young foreigner with one arm in a sling found in the act of asking assistance from the back door of a dwelling. He made a race for cover as soon as he sighted the officers but was captured and placed in the wagon.

Later, while on the way down town he leaped from the vehicle and started out on the dead run. The officers with the aid of bystanders succeeded in capturing him again, though only after a hard fight and this time he was held in the back of the patrol until the jail was reached.

On searching him Chief Tullar was surprised to find that almost every pocket in his clothes contained a bag of money. Six separate sacks and purses each containing bills or silver were taken from him.

A count of the money brought to light that he had a total of $132.06 (about $3,323 today) in the following denominations: bills, $45; gold, $5, dollars, halves and quarters, $27.50; nickels, $4; loose change, $3.21; pocketbook, $6.75.

Mayor Bennett found in police court this morning that he was unable to speak a word of English. An onlooker stated that his talk sounded like Polish and Tom Robinson was summoned. Robinson stated that he spoke Bohemian and a person of that nationality who happened to be in the room volunteered to talk to him. Little was learned other than that the fellow readily admitted having begged the money that he carried, Smiling when telling about it and evidently thinking that it was an exploit to his credit.

Under instructions from Mayor Bennett he was told that he was fined $15 for begging and that the marshal would be instructed to take him to a barber shop, give him a bath, shave, hair cut and shampoo, buy him a suit of clothes out of his money and send him out of town.

He objected strenuously to parting with his money, begging to be let go without being fined, or having to pay for a new suit of clothes and for getting cleaned up out of his hoard, but the mayor was obdurate and still protesting he was led to a tonsorial parlor. After his bath, shave, etc., he emerged a changed man. He really semed (sic) to enjoy getting cleaned up after being forced to do so and grinned with delight when he surveyed himself in the mirror.

He was taken to a down town clothing store by Chief Tullar and fitted out with a neat well fitting suit of clothes and with his hoard of money lightened considerably, instructed to get out of town and go to work.

Joe Kelley of Council Bluffs was found asleep in an alley in a badly intoxicated state yesterday. He was allowed to leave town.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 7, 1903

Policeman and Prisoner Mix

Officer Andrews Has Strenuous Time Thursday Night

Only Subdues His Prisoner by Sitting Upon Him Until Patrol Wagon Arrives

Policeman Gust Andrews, who enjoys the privilege of maintaining the dignity of the law in West Fort Dodge, is in poor shape for a foot race, as a result of an encounter on Thursday night with one Peter Swanson. Swanson, who was drunk, was kicking up the dust in great shape and didn’t give a rap for the dignity of the law, nor was he a bit sensitive about puncturing the officer’s feelings when the custodian of the peace placed him under arrest. Marquis of Queensbury rules were disregarded when the officer and his unwilling prisoner started to mix. In police court this morning, Andrews testified that Swanson had him down at least fifteen times, and it was not until he pinned his prisoner to the earth and sat upon him that he was finally subdued. When the patrol wagon arrived, the policeman arose from his seat, and even then Swanson was reluctant about taking a ride, but with the assistance of Officer Weiss was persuaded to go.

This morning he was fined $10 and costs, and went back to jail in default of paying his fine.

Police Andrews told the court this morning that Swanson is peaceful enough when sober, but a bad man when under the influence of liquor. Thursday night he was drunk and a complaint was lodged against him by a woman who said he had frightened her.

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Automobile Driver is Assessed Second Fine

I.R. Campbell, Fined for Exceeding Speed Limit, Will Carry Case to District Court

I.R. Campbell, of the Campbell Automobile Co., was fined $25 (about $577 today) this morning by Mayor Duncombe on charges of exceeding the city speed limit on Saturday and Sunday evenings. He was also unfortunate enough to run over another dog, as on the former time he was fined for driving his puff wagon too fast.

Mr. Campbell refused to plead to the charge and the fine was assessed upon the complaint of the officers and without the taking of further evidence, although Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fisher were present in the court room to testify against him. He maintained he was not running at 25 to 30 miles an hour as reported by the officers, and not even going faster than the city ordinance allows, and for this reason will carry the case to the district court.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 16, 1906

A False Arrest Made

So Says “Nutty Willie” who is Charged With Trying to Get a Free Meal

One L. Willie who goes by the well known appellation of “Nutty” in the absence of a know given name was arrested by one of the night patrolmen last night ont he charge of trying to beat a restaurant keeper out of a meal. Willie entered an eating house near the Central depot and ordered a good feed. When he had finished he turned about, said to the man behind the counter “Let’s see who can walk the fasted” and made for the door. He was captured by an officer before he had gone a block and placed in jail. This morning he claimed that a false arrest had been made for he had merely strolled out for a little air and had forgotten to pay his bill.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 4, 1906

Begging on the Streets

Will Harris Arrested on Charge Yesterday – Fined in the Mayor’s Court.

Will Harris, whose home is where-ever he hangs up his hat, was arrested by police captain Grant yesterday on the charge of begging. Harris was found to be able bodied and husky enough to make a good farm hand, yet he solicited everybody he met for a few cents. He was fined a dollar and costs in the mayor’s court in lieu of which he was put on the streets.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 21, 1907

Police Court Grind

Nine Offenders Cower Before Mayor. Cripple Lucky – Vags Will Labor on Streets.

Nine men picked up by the officers Saturday night and Sunday filled the jail to overflowing and made a big line up for police court this morning. Drunks and vags proved to be the roles of the offenders.

Martin Anderson and Nels Johnson, two graders on the new electric line, were charged five eighty five for their jags.

Frank Miles, Frank Davis and J. Boland were given sentences of ten days at hard labor on the city streets, the first two for vagrancy and the last for drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

“Let’s see there, you. You’re a cripple, I believe,” said the mayor, pointing out a man in the crowd who was charged with vagrancy and who gave his name as John Giles. The man significantly held up a stump of arm from which hung an empty sleeve. “Your misfortune saves you,” said the mayor. “I’ll let you go.”

Two man named Knudson and Earley were fined the regulation dollar and costs. Another, named Moran, was let go.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 8, 1903

Family Trouble Up in Court

Herman Schmidt Blames His Father-in-Law

Mayor Sides With Herman

Curtain Falls upon a Watery scene. Human Baracade (sic) at Wolf’s Barber Shop.

Herman Schmidt, with tears in his eyes, declared to Mayor Bennett this this (sic) morning, that he is a barber by trade and that he had never been in jail before. He laid the blame for his being in jail at all upon his father-in-law, who, he said, had stirred up discord between himself and wife. Schmidt was arrested on Wednesday night for being drunk and disorderly, the more specific charge being that he was abusing his family. His Honor was impressed with the apparent honesty of his story and discharged him, at the same time warning his father-in-law to let Schmidt and his wife alone.

A little tailor whose name did not appear on the police docket, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, while forming a human barriacde (sic) at the front door of Fred Wolf’s barber shop. He had fallen across the door in such a manner that those inside could not open it, and he himself was quite beyond moving. Marshal Larson picked him up and cared for him till he was able to navigate, and then set him at liberty, retaining, however, a large fat bottle of good old forty-rod whisky (sic), which he found on his person.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 30, 1905

Not Drunk But Lightheaded

Andrew Overby Has Peculiar Plea to Make in the Mayor’s Court This Morning.

“Andrew were you drunk?” said Mayor Bennett this morning on discerning the familiar face of Andrew Overby, an old timer, among the prisoners brought before him at the opening of police court.

“Well! No! I wasn’t drunk, but I was pretty light headed,” came the answer. The question was not argued further, but the mayor feeling that light headedness and intoxication were so nearly allied with Andrew fined him a dollar and costs.

Bill Jones, another old timer, who has been on one continuous spree for the past week, was sentenced to ten days labor on the streets.