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.
Tags: 1903, Bennett, Larson, Schmidt, wolf
Posted by: admin in theft
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 2, 1903
Andrew Coin Charged With Minor Theft
Alleged That He Took Part in Stealing Salvation Army Bank From the Duncombe House.
Charged with participation in the theft of a Salvation Army bank, containing about $4, from the Duncombe house, some three or four months ago, Andrew Coin was taken into custody by the police Thursday morning, but the hearing was postponed till three o’clock this afternoon.
Coin has been out of the city since the time when, it is alleged, he took part in the theft of the money box, which was one of the little tin banks which are placed at vari0us points around the city to gather funds for the use of the Salvation Army in its work.
Herb Conlee was arrested, charged with participating with the theft, soon after it occurred. He was later discharged by the grand jury.
Tags: 1903, Coin, Conlee
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 1, 1903
Des Moines Bowlers Meet Crushing Defeat
Fort Dodge Representatives Carry Off Victory by 82 Pins – Make a Remarkable Score.
Fort Dodge bowlers walked all over the Hawkeye club of Des Moines, in the five game match which was rolled in Des Moines on Wednesday evening. The Fort Dodge representatives made a total score of 2767, to 2685 made by the Des Moines bowlers, winning by 82 pins. The score for the first game was 1001 for Fort Dodge, to 870 for the Hawkeyes. The score made by the Fort Dodge men is a very high one and it is unusual that such a total is reached in competition.
The team went to Boone today, and is expected to roll there this afternoon and evening.
It includes the following members:
Tiffany.
Scott.
Ruge.
Brown.
Wigton.
(Editor’s note: with 5 members, the score averages to 200 per game, or 553 for the series.)
Tags: 1903, Brown, Ruge, Scott, Tiffany, Wigton
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 1, 1903
Old Year Ended in a Pandemonium
Ringing of Bells and Blowing of Whistles Marked the Entrance of 1903
A Beautiful New Years Day
Holiday Was Quietly Observed in Fort Dodge. Many Skating Parties This Afternoon.
Every whistle and every bell in Fort Dodge tooted or rang a welcome to the Glad New Year exactly on the stroke of twelve on Wednesday night. Pandemonium resulted and the discharge of numerous shot guns, six shooters and other weapons of warfare added to the general jubilee untill (sic) it was better than the Fourth of July.
People who, contrary to tradition had gone to sleep without watching the old year out, were aroused from their slumbers in a hurry and were made to realize that an important event was happening.
Fort Dodge was favored with a beautiful New Years day. The sun greeted 1903 with a broad smile of approval, and the weather was ideal in every respect. Many merry parties took advantage of the holiday to try the ice, which was alive with skaters all the afternoon, and the good old custom of making New Years calls was indulged in by many.
Business houses were closed quite generally for at least a part of the day and the services at the Catholic church were largely attended.
Tags: 1903, New Year's Day
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 29, 1903
Kidney Removed by Operation
Remarkable Surgery Performed in Fort Dodge Short Time Ago.
Patient is Past All Danger
Operation was by Fort Dodge Surgeon – Health is Returning.
These apparently are the days of difficult surgery and delicate operations and the newspapers of the country are full of news dispatches telling of some very difficult feats of surgery that have been successful and those who have undergone the operation are alive and enjoying as good health as though they had never been under the doctor’s knife.
An operation was performed in Fort Dodge a short time ago that takes its place with the foremost. By it one kidney was removed from the body of Mrs. Wm. Fickas and today, about three weeks after the operation, she is able to be up and about and is rapidly gaining health.
The operation was performed by Dr. Farrell and is the only one ever performed in the city, by which such a delicate organism as the kidney is removed and left the patient in as good condition as she was previous to the time the part was afflicted. Mrs. Fickas is the wife of a conductor running out of Fort Dodge.
Tags: 1903, Farrell, Fickas
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 29, 1903
Iowa is 57 Years Old Now
On December 28, 1846, The State Was Taken Into The Union.
No Festivities Mark Date
Formerly Each Anniversary Was Celebrated in Fitting Way.
There were no festivities either in Fort Dodge or in any part of Iowa yesterday celebrating the fifty-seventh anniversary of the birth of our state, Iowa. Perhaps it was that everyone had forgotten such a trivial thing as the birthday of the state, coming to nearly upon the Christmas day.
On December 28, 1846, the state of Iowa was ushered into the world and given a name of its own. True, it had existed for some time preceding that date, but not as a state, merely as a part of that territorial strip owned by the United States and known as the Louisiana purchase. Then in December, 1846 it was honored with a name and was recognized as a state with its own government.
Not many years ago it was popular to celebrate the birthday of our state and in nearly all of the cities and villages of the great state of Iowa, some demonstration was made celebrating the event, but this has fallen into disuse and now that event is not of enough importance to even be remembered even by those who have had much to do with caring for its affairs since it was given the name of state. Perhaps there are a few who were in this section of the country when the name Iowa was added to the states of the union who remembered it and who felt a thrill at the dawn of its fifty-seventh birthday, but the pioneers who have done so much towards making Iowa the power that it is in the nation are very few and are becoming fewer and fewer with each anniversary of its birth.
Aside form being the date of the birth of Iowa, the year 1846 is a memorable one in other respects. In that year was elected the first democratic governor of the state, Ansel Briggs. Mr. Briggs’ opponent in the race for governor was Thomas McKnight, who polled 7,349 votes against the 7.626 votes polled for Briggs. At that time the republican party had not yet put in an appearance and the first representative of that party that has ever since held the control of the state with the exception of Governor Boles, was Ralph Lowe, who was elected in 1857 by a large majority. On the abolition ticket seven years before William Penn Clarke received 575 votes.
Tags: 1903
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 24, 1903
Nore (sic) Tham (sic) Their Share of Misfortune
Home of W.H. Newsum, on Twelfth Avenue South, is the Scene of Many Troubles.
Misfortune seems to shadow the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Newsum, at 622 Twelfth avenue south. Some time ago their little daughter was taken ill with scarlet fever. But a few days after the quarantine was raised, the same child was again quarantined, this time for diphtheria. A few days ago their little son met with a serious accident by falling from a horse, the most severe of his injuries being a fractured skull. Meanwhile the quarantine was lifted from the home. Wednesday quarantine was again established, another child being ill with diphtheria.
Tags: 1903, Newsum
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 16, 1903
Fire at Corpus Christi Academy
Early This Morning For Time Threatens Destruction of Building
Starts in the Furnace Room
Blaze Discovered by Sisters at 3 A.M. – First Floor is Badly Damaged.
Spontaneous combustion in the coal room of the Corpus Christi academy, situation at the north end of Eighth street, was the cause of a run by the fire department at an early hour this morning to extinguish a blaze which for a time threatened the destruction of the building. The fire was extinguished only thru the utmost efforts of the firemen and that the damage was not greater is due to its early discovery and the prompt arrival of the department.
The loss could not be estimated today, although it is probable that much of the first floor of the building will have to be replaced. The remainder of damage is due to smoke, which for a time filled the entire structure.
The blaze was discovered at 3 o’clock this morning by members of the order of Sisters of Charity, who have charge of the school and live in the building. The firemen found the blaze to be confined to the northwest corner of the basement where is situated the coal and furnace room. Before the department could control the flames the latter had burned thru the floor of the room above and promised to envelope the entire building. The blaze was finally controlled and extinguished.
To spontaneous combusion (sic) can be assigned the only cause whereby the fire could have found its origin. An early discovery undoubtedly prevented a bad fire.
Corpus Christi academy is a new building, dedicated a year ago last October and its loss would means no little to the congregation of the Corpus Christi church.
Tags: 1903
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 9, 1903
Blanden Scores a Success as Hamlet
Fort Dodge Man is Praised for Work Before the Footlights.
He Plays the Title Role
Lon Blanden, Son of Colonel L. Blanden, and a Native of This City.
Every little while, a new Fort Dodge man comes out into the lime light of fame. The latest son of Fort Dodge to attain noticeable mention is Lon Blanden. Mr. Blanden is the nephew of Col. L. Blanden, and the brother of the well known poet, Charles Blanden, who is also a son of Fort Dodge, though for years he has been a successful business man of Chicago.
Lon Blanden was a resident of Fort Dodge in his young manhood. He had a magnificent voice and was prominent in musical circles. His ability as an actor, both on the state and in real life, was often remarked by his friends and when he went on the stage some years ago it was felt that he would surely gain an enviable reputation. The hopes of his friends have been longer delayed than was expected, but the opportune time has come for Mr. Blanden to leave light comedy and melodrama and take upon himself some more notable parts. He is especially suited in his face, manner and gifts for tragedy, and the announcement that he is starring in Hamlet is not a surprise to his acquaintances here. The following is from the Providence Journal:
“It was a distinctly creditable presentation in which the feature was the strong and powerful playing of Mr. Lon Blanden, as the Prince of Denmakr. Mr. Blanden is a player of the legitimate school who follows in his characterization of the great Dane, the advice of Hamlet to the players and who gave a scholarly and remarkably able exposition of this great character study. His playing would attract attention in a more pretentious production; coming as it does in a week’s work of a summer stock company, playing at popular prices, it is the more unusual. His enunciation was clear and usually distinct; he gave the soliloquies with dramatic force and his whole conception of the role was apparent as the result of years of study of the most interesting of Shakespeare’s characters. It was a worthy effort, that stands out from the work of the other members of the company, although his support was uniformly good and in several respects especially so.” – The Providence Journal
Tags: 1903, Blanden
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 5, 1903
Seven Hundred Children in Scramble For Sweets
Sturges Company Gives Away Candy – Many Children to Take Advantage of Gifts.
This afternoon at two o’clock Central avenue between Eighth and Ninth streets was a scene of tumult and confusion, and it looked as though all of the children in Fort Dodge had gathered there, and lined up in front of the Sturges store building. The Sturges company had anounced (sic) that it would give away candy at that time today, and several hundred children were present to take advantage of the offer. There was much strife and confusion among the children, as not all of them were successful in getting their share of the treats.
(Editor’s note: It sounds like a current Black Friday rush. This year’s Black Friday included a woman who allegedly sprayed pepper spray on fellow shoppers, a man who died in a Target store while shoppers and Target employees ignored him, and a shooting incident where shoppers refused to give up their purchases to robbers in the parking lot and a man was shot. Merry Christmas, indeed.)
Tags: 1903, Christmas
