The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 30, 1903

Dog Fight Led to Fist Fight

Con Fogerty (sic) Was Heavily Fined for Striking Mrs. Montgomery

Was a Busy Police Court

Busy Monday Attested the Fact That Spring Has Come Again – Six Drunks Docketed.

A dog fight resulted in a fist fight Sunday afternoon and the fracas culminated in police court this morning when Con Fogarty was fined $25 and costs for striking Mrs. Montgomery a blow on the forehead which to use Mrs. Montgomery’s own words, penetrated “plumb to the bone.”

On Sunday afternoon Con Fogarty’s dog encountered Mrs. Montgomery’s canine pet and proceeded to literally eat up his adversary, being incited in so doing, it is claimed by Fogarty. Mr. Montgomery tried to make peace but Fogarty objected. Then Mrs. Montgomery appeared on the scene and Fogarty struck her with brutal force on the forehead, the wound being plainly visible when the lady appeared against Fogarty in police court this morning. James O’Hare, who was also implicated, was fined $5 and costs. both Fogarty and O’Hare being unable to pay their fines were sent to the city jail.

Besides the dog fight case, six drunks were docketed. David Fuller, who was charged with carrying knuckles besides being drunk, admitted that the knuckles were his possession, but said that he had them by accident. He was fined $7.10 and left his gold watch as security, having no cash. Simon Fodge who resides in the country was charged with being drunk but was dismissed on payment of a dollar and on promise of going home. James West, John Hanson, Sam McElroy and James Hallison were charged with being drunk. All please guilty and were accordingly given the customary $7.10 fine. West left a watch in place of cash. John Hanson was discharged and McElroy, who when asked by His Honor what was his business, replied, “I ain’t got no business,” was committed to jail. Hallison was also sent to jail.

This morning’s docket was the heaviest in some time and those connected with police court are beginning to feel that spring has really come.

Tags: 1903, Fodge, Fogarty, Fuller, Hallison, Hanson, McElroy, Montgomery, O'Hare, West

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 30, 1903

Home and Society

On Tuesday, March 24, a surprise party was successfully carried out at the resident (sic) of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Mavity on Seventh avenue north in honor of Miss Myrtle Donald who soon departs for Havelock, Iowa, to make her future home. The evening was spent in playing stock exchange and other games. The hostess was presented with a gold souveneir (sic) spoon. Light refreshments were serve.

The invited guests were as follows:

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Mrs. E. Olson entertained on Thursday evening for Miss Olga Christopherson of Thor, who has been visiting in this city. A delightful evening was passed, Mr. Klinehaus and Miss Oleson furnishing some well appreciated musical numbers. Those present were Messrs. –

(Editor’s note: I think that Carl Christopherson in the second notice was accidentally put in with the Misses category or the name is wrong. I try to transcribe what I see, only making note of what looks wrong, so I left the name where it was.)

Tags: 1903, Albright, Anderson, Bechtel, Christopherson, Colwell, Cuppett, Donald, Flaherty, Gordon, Halligan, Heilemann, Henry, Klinehaus, Koll, Lemon, Mack, Magennis, Mavity, McGuire, Moeller, Murphy, Oleson, Ottosen, Rank, Schaffer

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1903

Mrs. Bacey Made Sudden Flitting

Left Home on Second Avenue North Between Monday Night and Tuesday Morning

Her Whereabouts Unknown

Took Away Most of Furniture and Carrie Nationized the Rest

Mrs. Bacey has gone. The house on Second avenue north, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, which has been her home for the past few months, turns a vacant and unseeing gaze on the street, and can throw no light on the mystery of the hasty flitting of its former occupant.

Mrs. Bacey has not only gone, but she went between two days. On Monday evening, she was there; on Tuesday morning she had disappeared. With her had gone most of the furniture. The remainder had been so broken up and dismantled as to be without value. Mrs. Bacey and a hatchet had apparently held high revelry before the time came for moving. Her aim appeared to have been to leave nothing behind her which it would be of any value to any one to appropriate.

Rumor has it that Mrs. Bacey was in arrears some three months on her rent, which is believed to account for her sudden action.

The Bacey family, consisting of the mother and two children, has made its home on Second avenue north for some two or three years, but Mrs. Bacey had few friends in the neighborhood, and no one is able to give any particulars about the moving. That she has moved, and moved unexpectedly, is a fact which cannot be denied.

(Editor’s note: Carrie Nation was a member of the temperance movement. She was known for entering an establishment that served alcohol and applying her hatchet to the premises.)

Tags: 1903, Bacey

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 26, 1903

H.A. Sampson is threatened with typhoid fever.

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Lester Heywood was in Fort Dodge over Sunday. -Manson Democrat

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The office of the Prusia Hardware company is being thoroughly cleaned and repainted.

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Marriage licenses were issued at the county clerks office Wednesday to the following persons: Frank Mars and Anna Jacobson of Boxholm, also to Fred B. Lynde of Stratford and Stella E. Eslick of Warner, Iowa.

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Charles Bobziene, a teamster, while standing on load of coal Wednesday, slipped and lost his balance from a sudden jerk of the horses. He fell to the pavement and sustained a severe sprain of his ankle.

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At a recent meeting of the base ball enthusiasts of Tobin college, Terry Doyle was elected captain and Alpha Butts manager. Captain Doyle hopes to have his line-up ready at an early date, so a schedule of games may be arranged.

Tags: 1903, Bobziene, Butts, Doyle, Eslick, Heywood, Jacobson, Lynde, Mars, Prusia Hardware, Sampson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 26, 1903

Will Open a Broom Factory

Fort Dodge Commercial Club Completes Arrangements With a Promising New Industry

Will Open Here on April 1

Factory is to be Operated by Brennan Bros., One of Whom Comes From Waterloo

Fort Dodge is to have a new factory by April 1. A Waterloo man haas decided that Fort Dodge is a better place to live, and as a result Brennan Brothers propose to come to this city to establish a broom factory.

One of the brothers makes his home in Waterloo. The other lives at some place near that city. The factory which they propose to put in will employ four or five men from the start, and it is expected that it will be gradually increased, as the out put for Fort Dodge brooms expands.

Brennan Brothers will probably secure one of the Laufersweiler buildings on First Avenue south, across from Sherman’s laundry, as the point in which they will begin their business operations.

The Commercial club, as a meeting held on Wednesday evening, talked over the broom factory proposition, and decided that it was a worthy enterprise, and should be extended the hand of fellowship by Fort Dodge industries.

The factory comes to Fort Dodge without a bonus of any kind. Its projectors are simply content to get into a bustling town and take their chances of the success which they are sure will come their way.

(Editor’s note: It’s interesting to see an article about a new business, and that the Commercial Club encouraged new businesses, much like the Fort Dodge Area Chamber of Commerce and the Development Corporation of Fort Dodge and Webster County do today. It’s also interesting that the newspaper noted that there were no financial incentives offered by the city, but the company just wanted to locate the broom factory here.)

Tags: 1903, Brennan, broom factory

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 24, 1903

Police Interrupted His Circus Performance

Badly Intoxicated Character Raised a Disturbance on a Fort Dodge Front Porch

At about nine o’clock Monday evening the police were called to a residence on South Seventh street, about Fourth avenue, where it was reported a crazy man was disporting himself.

The man created a sensation by his actions. he went up on the porch and danced a regular clog dance, after which he laid upon his back and kicked the side of the house. The lady who was alone in the house with her little boy, was very much alarmed.

When the police arrived they found it to be a bad case of intoxication. The man was lodged in the city jail, and this morning in police court gave his name as Joe Woods and his residence at Irwin, Iowa. He said he was on his way to Algona, and after paying the usual fine and his city hotel bill, he was advised by the court to shake the dust of Fort Dodge from his feet and take the first train to his destination.

The other business of the court was two drunks who gave their names as O’Connell and Seabald. Seabald had just come from Minnesota to visit his folks here and thought he would celebrate and thereby have something to remember Fort Dodge by. After paying their fines the men were allowed to go.

Tags: 1903, alcohol, Woods

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 24, 1903

$15,000 Fire at Gilmore City

Four Business Houses are Burned to the Ground on Monday Night

Volunteers Put Out Flames

Fire Was Fanned by High Winds and Was Controlled Only After Prolonged Fight

Gilmore City, March 24 – Four business buildings were destroyed and loss aggregating $15,000 was caused by fire at his place on Monday evening. In the face of a blinding snow storm, the volunteer fire department of the city pluckily fought the flames, which at first leaped with resistless force from one building to another, and finally, after an all night’s battle, brought the fire under control.

Following are the buildings destroyed, with losses:

Cobb, general store, loss $7,000, partly covered by insurance.

C.M. Warn, hardware and general merchandise, loss between $5,000 and $6,000, insured.

George Burns, grocery store, stock saved but badly damaged, building partly burned, loss about $1,000.

Emery Ebersole, Independent Telephone Exchange, loss about $700, no insurance.

The fire started in the rear of the Warn store building at about 8:15. By the time the alarm could be given and the department summoned, the building was in a blaze and beyond saving. The flames sped quickly to the other doomed structures.

It is suspected that the fire was set by careless boys, who were seen in the rear of the Warn building a few moments before the flames started. Who the boys were, has not yet been learned.

Telephone service with Gilmore was for a time cut off this morning, on account of the burning of the excahnge but the line was repaire by 11 o’clock this morning.

Tags: 1903, Burns, Ebersole, Warn

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 24, 1903

West Bend is Badly Scorched

Saloon and Billiard Hall are Burned in Fierce Early Morning Blaze

One Family’s Narrow Escape

Aroused From sleep to Flee for Their Lives. They Saved Nothing.

West Bend, March 24 – The Link saloon and the Delano billiard hall in this place were burned to the ground early this morning. The fire started in the saloon at 2:30 o’clock from some unknown cause, and the flames, fanned by the strong wind which was blowing spread to the billiard hall which stood next door.

The West Bend fire department by hard work succeeded in saving the real estate office of J.J. Watson which however was badly damaged, as was an elevator which stood close by.

A family named Douglas, who lived over the saloon, were roused from their sleep by the cry of fire, and were forced to flee into the stormy night. They were able to save nothing of their personal effects, but are being kindly looked after by the neighbors.

The loss on the  buildings destroyed is not definitely known. Mr. Delano was carrying $200 insurance.

Tags: 1903

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.

Tags: 1903, Bowles, Cunningham, Funk, Griswold, Henderson, Pearson