The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 16, 1906
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
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
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
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
“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.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 10, 1904
“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.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 21, 1903
A gray haired man over fifty years old was arrested by the police this morning upon information from the sheriff of Pocahontas county, who had warned local officers to be on the lookout for the man whose name was Frank Emmons who had absconded from Fonda, on last Saturday, having in his possession a large quantity of upholstering tools, leather and cloth furniture coverings which he h ad stolen from a furniture dealer of that place, leaving town upon the same day.
The supposition of the Fonda sheriff that Emmons had come to Fort Dodge was correct for three grips, containing the described articles were found at the American Express office this morning, and Emmons was arrested shortly after when he came after the grips. The Fonda officers have been notified and will come to the city tonight to conduct Emmons to that place.
Emmons seems peculiar as if he were not in his right mind. He explains the matter by saying that he is out on the road, got drunk, and just landed in Fort Dodge. The value of the articles stolen would amount to over $25 ($599 today). Emmons has two new suits of clothing and two pair of shoes in his possession but only sixty cents ($14.37) in cash.
Stealing a kit of tools from his employer an hour after he had received employment on the plea that he was hungry is the crime Jack Ryan will be charged with in police court Tuesday morning. Ryan, who is a stranger here got a job cleaning gasoline stoves from M. Rhyne, proprietor of a second hand store on first avenue south this morning, after completing the work and receiving his pay stole the tools, so it is said, that he had used to clean the stoves, Mr. Rhyne being too busy at the time to notice their absence.
Ryan was later in the day arrested for drunkenness and the tools, the missing of which Mr. Ryne had reported to the police, were found in his possession.
Elmer Porter, a teamster, also figured in police court this morning. Porter was charged with disturbing the public quiet and using profane language.
The charges were filed by Mrs. Richadr (Richard) Linthel, who lives hear Porter on the round prairie. Mrs. Linthel also testified that Porter was often guilty of mistreating his horses.
Porter was let off with the costs of the case or $7.25 ($174).
The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 19, 1910
Eleven arrests were made in this city during Saturday and Saturday evening and as a result nearly one dozen of unfortunates faced Mayor S.J. Bennett in police court Sunday morning. All of the unfortunates were charged with over indulgence in the flowing bowl and customary fines were imposed.
This morning one drunk and one vag arraigned, being assess regulation fines for their offenses.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 17, 1906
The same old Bill Jones paid a visit to the city jail last night and remained over in order to interview the mayor this morning. Needless to say he was charged with being drunk, but his Honor was inclined to show leniency and he was discharged. With Jones appeared one Walter Scott, charged likewise with imbibing too freely of the bowling bowl. “Are you related in any way to Sir Walter Scott?” asked the mayor. “I don’t know, your Honor, I may be as I have a lot of relatives I have never seen,” the fellow replied. The mayor being in doubt and not wishing to insult the memory of the chivarous (sic) bard told him to take fifteen minutes and get out of town. He went.
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Bill Jones holds the championship belt in police circles in this city. He is arrested more than any other person. He cannot come to town but what he gets intoxicated and thrown into jail. There are a number of characters about the city who are arrested quite frequently but none of them come up with the same old Bill.
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The police have been requested to look out for a man who goes by the names of Wm. McCann and Ed Day. The fellow is wanted in Monmouth, Illinois for robbery.
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Everything quiet in police court this morning. one lone drunk was all the material to hold court with and the Mayor evidently didn’t think it worth while. The lone drunk is the same old Bill Jones. Despite his promises to shake the dust of Fort Dodge off his feet and give the community a much needed rest he gets full of bad booze and as a consequence has taken up a (t)emporary residence in the City Hotel, presided over by the Mayor.
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Eric Waldberg is taking the place of A.L. Nicholson who resigned last month. The force is short of men at present and no doubt a good man could get on the force at once.
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All was quiet on the streets Saturday night and the police had little trouble in keeping the best of order. But one man was arrested and he was an old timer who was harmlessly drunk. The crowd was one of the largest of the season too.
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Just a year ago this month Fort Dodge was having its epidemic of petty thievery and numerous robberies which broke out a (sic) suddenly and lasted the entire month. It is a period long to be remembered in police circles. But the majority of offenders were caught or chased out of town and finally the best or order restored. The local police wre the means of fattening the criminal docket of the Grand Jury for quite a few terms until the local desperadoes were finally all wiped out.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 16, 1905
The drag net thr0ugh the lower districts of the city last night succeeded in pulling in three transgressors of law and order. Lined up on the prisoner’s bench at nine o’clock this morning, with bloodshot eyes, and disheaveled (sic) hair, as the result of a few hours career of dissipation, and still a few more spent in the city jail, each faced the mayor to answer to his special offense.
The first man called upon proved to be arraigned on the charge of drunkeness, and disorderly conduct. He gave his name as Frank Bennett. “I hope you don’t claim to be any relation to me,” said the Mayor, starting excitedly from his chair. “I don’t know,” answered the other, “If we are related you’re a new member of the family to me.” This interesting discussions as to relationship was cut short by the Mayor, informing his possible relatives that he could accept a position measuring the distance to the city limits.
Charles McCloud plead guilty to drunkeness and was fined five dollars and costs. William Wels (sic), stating that he was Springfield, Ohio, and that he had been working around at Carnivals and fairs, denied the charge of vagrancy and begging. “I guess you have been working the people at these fairs and carnivals,” said the mayor, “that’s the kind of work I would attribute to you, so I’ll give you ten days in jail, varied with a little work on the streets.”
