The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 23, 1904

He Runs on Schedule Time

Residentes (sic) of Prospect Hill Terrorized by “Wild Man.”

Strange Individual Making His Appearance Every Afternoon and Leaves in Evening.

The residents of Prospect Hill are being terrorized every afternoon by the apeparance (sic) of a “wild man,” as he is termed. The wild man is evidently a person of very regular habits. He runs on schedule time. Each day for the past wek (sic) he has arrived in the same neighborhood on Prospect Hill at the same hour of the day, about 3:30 p.m., and departs at a given time later in the evening, after frightening the women and children of the neighborhood helf out of their wits by his freakish actions.

The man always appears from the direction of the woods near Oleson park, and and after his usual stay in the neighborhood he has haunted, departs for the unknown whence he came. All attempts on the part of the male residents of Prospect Hill to engage him in conversation and find out the reason for his strange behavior, and why he should haunt this particular neighborhood at a certain time each day, have thus far proven fruitless.

The women and children of the neighborhood have been worked up to a high state of nervous excitement by this man of regular habits, and it is understood some action is to be taken in the near future to capture him and find out the wherefore of his maneuvers.

(Editor’s note: There’s a follow-up article here.)

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 16, 1904

The Jolly Peanut Club

A New Fun Finding Organization is Organized.

Eight Young Ladies Band Together As Eight Kernels in a Peanut Shell.

Seven members of the Jolly Peanut club, accompanied by Mrs. Harry Vincent as chaperon and Bruno Schroeder as coachman, left the city this morning in a large carryall for Humboldt, where they will spend the day in the various manners of enjoyment best known to young girls. The club was organized some time ago, but this is the first expedition into other lands as an organized band of funfinders.

The young ladies, eight in number, spent the night at the Schroeder residence, sleeping all in one bed, arranged by laying two big mattresses on the floor side by side. This was done in an attempt to live up to their name, it is supposed, like eight little kernels in a peanut shell. The girls were up at 4 o’clock this morning to be ready for their lark, and all in their big carryall passed thru the streets at 6 a.m. , rousing the town from its slumbers with the  hubbub of tin horns secured by them the night before the occasion.

The Peanut club was organized by the  young ladies for a good time organization, and they plan to follow as closely as possible the life and doings of “Eight Girls and a Dog.” The dog is not as yet forthcoming, but the club is otherwise complete with eight as lively girls as are often seen in a bunch.

The members of the club are as follows: Doris Olney, Hazel Schroeder, Olive Maher, Lulu Kepner, Talma Kitchen, Jean Marquette, Beth Wright, Hazel Clark.

Tags: 1904, Clark, Kepner, Kitchen, Maher, Marquette, Olney, Schroeder, Vincent, Wright

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 14, 1904

Pin Lodges in Her Throat

X-Ray Examination Reveals Pin in the Throat of Six Year Old Girl.

The six-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Behrens, living on Eleventh avenue south, swallowed a pin Monday afternoon, the pointed instrument lodging in her throat. Physicians were called and the child was given an X-ray examination at the office of Dr. Saunders. The ray revealed the pin, but it was decided by the doctors to await further developments. It is thought no serious results will follow.

Tags: 1904, Behrens, Saunders

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 14, 1904

Strong Line in Police Court

Mayor Northrup Has a Busy Session This Morning – Hines Heaves a Brick.

Fellow Boarders in a Fight

Otis Felky Refuses to Help Officer Make Arest (sic) and is Himself Arrested.

Mayor Northup had a good sized line-up to go through when he convened court this morning. Eight defendants were arraigned and a total of $78.65 assessed in fines. Of this amount, however, by no means all of it was collected.

John Hines was arrested for heaving a brick at Harry Wilson, a young man who makes his home at the Tremont House. Hines lives at that same place and it was there that the trouble started that ended in his arrest. The complainant testified that defendant had started a war of words when he entered the hotel and finally dared Wilson to follow him into the street. The young man refused to take the dare but he forgot to dodge a brick which Hines hurled at him. The missile bounded off his head and drew first blood.

Officer Pete Ditmer was called to the rescue and Hines was conveyed to the “jug.” The prisoner claimed that the young man was bothering him and other testimony showed that the defendant was not all to blame. He was fined $1 and costs, but afterwards discharged on his promise to keep out of trouble.

Otis Felky was fined $5 and costs and sent back to jail because he refused to assist an officer in arresting Ed Gannon and Pete Coyne Monday night. Gannon, Coyle and Felky were in the John Koll saloon. They started a fight and were ejected from the place. Gannon and Coyne were “mixing it” when a policeman came along and attempted to arrest them. He called on Felky to help him, but Felky merely advised him to journey to a warmer climate. A bystander assisted the officer and after the arrest was made Felky was hunted up and given a berth with his companions. Gannon and Coyne were each fined $10 and costs.

John Strand imbibed a quantity of Milwaukee buttermilk Monday night and went to his home in West Fort Dodge where he was later arrested for disturbing the quiet. He explained that when he arrived home his wife accused him of stealing a bottle of medicine and he became indignant at the accusation and found it impossible to keep his indignation to himself.

John Pool, a cripple, was arrested for being drunk. Pool said his home is in Rapid City, S.D., and that he was only passing through Fort Dodge when arrested. He was fined $1 and costs. Michael Carroll, another cripple, giving Omaha as his residence, blew in from Waterloo and took an overdose of Fort Dodge liquid barb wire. He was given the minimum.

J.A. Hay was arrested Monday for dumping rubbish on North Sixteenth street. He was fined $1 and costs.

Tags: 1904, Carroll, Coyne, Ditmer, Felky, Gannon, Hay, Hines, Northrup, Pool, Strand, Wilson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 14, 1904

Close Pool Halls at Eleven O’Clock

Pool and Billiard Halls, Now Closing at all Hours, Must Close on Time.

Ordinance to be Adopted

Other Business Transacted by the City Council Monday Night.

A uniform closing hour for pool and billiard halls is to be established in Fort Dodge. The question of taking this step was a subject of discussion at the council meeting Monday night and resulted in the council’s deciding to take such action. The city solicitor was instructed to draw up an ordinannce (sic) to this effect. It will probably be presented to the council at its next meeting. At present there is no closing hour for pool and billiard halls and although no attempt has been made to open them on Sunday it is a question if  under existing conditions their closing on that day could be enforced. Complaints, the police say have been made from several sources that warrant their closing at a stated hour. At present they close at various times from 10 o’clock on.

The following petitions were presented to the council Monday night:

To have First avenue north from Ninth street to Tenth street paved full width. Granted, and Barber Asphalt company notified to make the change at the same price specified in the contract for a thirty-foot street.

From L.E. Chapin and others objecting against manner of replacing paving in the alley between Fifth and Sixth street and Central and First Avenue north taken up by the Fort Dodge Light and Power company in laying gas mains. Referred to the street and alley committee.

Contract for the construction of a sanitary sewer on Second avenue north was awarded to J.W. Mooney at the following figures:

Per lineal foot: 29 1/2 c
House connection: 25 c
Lamp holes: $7 each
Fllush tank: $27 each
Moving siphon: $3

Contract for the construction of sanitary sewer on Fifth street was awarded to C.A. Kling. The following was his bid:

15-inch pipe: 75 c
Catch basins: $26

The sewer committee reported on a proposed sewer in West Fort Dodge, recommending the sewer in question be built as follows: Commencing at the southwest corner of block 1, West Fort Dodge, thence east on Fourth avenue south to Second street, thence south on Second street to Fifth avenue south; thence east on Fifth avenue south to Third street, thence south on Third street to Seventh avenue south; thence east on Seventh avenue south to Fourth street.

The report was approved and placed on file. A resolution of necessity for the same sewer was passed.

On motion the street commissioner was instructed to bring to grade the sidewalk adjoining the N. Fleet property.

The water committee reported in regard to petition for extension of water mains on Second avenue south from Sixteenth to Eighteenth street. The report which recommended that the petition be granted, was accepted.

The Salvation Army petitions the council to be granted the right to erect a temporary building on the southeast corner of Eighth street and Central avenue for the purpose of holding summer meetings. The matter has been referred to the fire committee.

Tags: 1904, Chapin, Fleet, Kling, Mooney

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 10, 1904

Recovers a Horse Lost a Year Ago

Disappearance and Unusual Recovery of Broncho (sic) Belonging to Mr. Tuller.

Webster City Man Must Explain

Horse Leaves This City and is Later Traded at Webster City and Come Here.

One evening just a year ago a bronco belonging to Marion Tuller, becoming restless in the confines of the barn escaped from its stall and sought the freedom of the fields east of the city. its owner followed it, but night fell before he was successful in capturing hte runaway and he returned to town empty handed. The lost horse was advertised in the newspapers, but nothing came of the efforts to locate it.

This morning a horse trading outfit drove into town, coming from the east. Behind one of the two wagons composing the outfit was a broncho (sic) with a horseshoe brand on his shoulder. The outfit drove down town and tied up in the alley between Central avenue and First avenue south and Seventh and Eighth street.

Mr. Tuller happened to pass the place where the outfit was stationed. There was little in the outfit to attract his attention until his eyes rested on the bronco with the horsehoe brands on his shoulder. Tuller sees more in a horse than the usual run of men and a single glance only was necessary for him to recognize his horse. The bronco, which had taken French leave from his barn a year before, was there in the alley tied behind the dingy wagon that was the horse trader’s home.

Tuller visited the outfit in a short time accompanied by Deputy Sheriff Clark Woolsey who was armed with a writ of replevin. W.A. Jackson the man in charge of the outfit, made no attempt to hold the horse when the circumstances were explained to him. He had secured the horse, he said, a short time ago from one Bill Greenwood, a well known horse trader living in Webster City. Greenwood was communicated with, but could only say that he bought the horse from (a) herd.

Jackson left for Webster City this afternoon and will demand a settlement of Greenwood.

Tags: 1904, Greenwood, horse, Jackson, Tuller, Woolsey

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 7, 1904

Fell From Bridge Into Des Moines

Unexpected Accident that Befel (sic) an Ardent Sunday Night Swain.

Fell From Railing Into Water

Young Lady Pushed Him Over Although Not Intending To.

Chivalry is not dead in Fort Dodge. At the behest of a young lady Sunday night a west side swain leaped backward from the lower river bridge and unharmed swam the raging torrents to the shore, where he was met by the young lady with open arms.

The couple in question had spent the afternoon together and as a fitting climax were standing on the bridge which spans the river between the main part of the city and West Fort Dodge. They had reached the most dramatic part of the situation, when the young man sitting on the railing was telling in soul stirring tones how he could “die” for his lady fair, when the young lady in question, overcome by his agitation, it is supposed, made a sudden move which caused her swain to lose his balance and with a graceful back somersault he dropped thru space into the river below.

The young woman was frantic at so sudden a parting and her terrific and disappointed screams rent the atmosphere for a few minutes, but on seeing her companion come to the top, sputter a moment and strike for shore she calmed herself and met him at the bank when he came out. The young lady’s dress became very wet in the interview which followed and it is to be inferred that while the young gentleman had changed his mind about dying for her, he has decided to live for her, and it is hoped they will be happy ever after.

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 6, 1904

Briney Tears and a 30 Cent Diamond

The Bait Bitten by Worldly Wise Hotel Clerk and Bit Cost Him $10.

Woman’s Tears His Failing

Unable to Withstand Female Anguish He Proves an Easy Victim.

A certain hotel clerk in this city is mourning the loss of a “tenner” as the result of a soft heart and too much “confidence.” Now this young man is not one who will bite readily at any ordinary gold brick scheme. He is considered very capable of taking care of his own interests when dealing with men, but when a woman, a young and lovely lady approaches him in dire distress with great tears stealing from under long lashes slowly down thru a pink and cream complexion over a delicately rounded cheek, it is then his heart breaks in sympathy and he is sadly in need of a guardian. Under such circumstances he is as gullible as “the boy from Podunk.” and the merest novice could beat the poor fellow out of his eyes and convince him his grandfather’s goat was a bird of paradise. This tenderness for the fair sex is a natural failing with the young man, and he is deserving of real sympathy.

But the story:

It happened a month or more ago, and has only recently come to light and becomes public property now for the first time.

The clerk on this particular morning was voiciferating (sic) his “all  out for the north,” when the office door opened and a young lady stepped in. She was exceptionally pretty, she ordered her room and registered with such sweet grace and womanly modesty that the young man was at once very much struck with her appearance, and during the few days of her stay she was showered with all sorts of small favors. A dreamy look entered the eyes of the clerk. He forgot to call trains at the proper time and was missed from the bowling alley by his friends for two nights at a stretch. “Say,” said he to a companion,” Know how she looks to me? Well, you’ve seen a peck of green apples. You put a pretty, big ripe, rosy-cheeked one right in the center of that peck of green ones. She looks like that to me.”

On the morning of the third day of her stay she called him to her room and with a look of terrible anguish and a throb of pain in her voice told him her tale of woe that would melt the heart of a Klondike snow man.

She had stopped in the city with the expectation of receiving a check from home. The check for some unexplainable reason, failed to arrive for another reason, also inexplainable (sic), she could stay in the city no longer. Then with two great tears coursing down her rounded cheeks she told the now thoroughly distressed young man she had spent almost her last cent.

However, she had a diamond broach, an heirloom in the family placed in her hands a few months previously by a dying mother. This priceless piece of jewelry she would leave with him, knowing him to be an honorable young man, as security if he would stand good for her accommodations at the hotel and lend her the price of a ticket to Sioux City. Oh, the embarrassment and shame she felt at being thus forced to call upon an almost total stranger was terrible to bear. But his face looked so good and kind, she felt as though she could put the same trust in him she would in a brother, had she been fortunate to have had one.

With trembling fingers and a fresh shower of tears which dropped with pathetic little spats on the carpet, she unfastened the pin from her fair throat and thrust it in the hands of the clerk. The seance lasted for some minutes and at its close, the young man, himself almost dissolved in a flood of briny eyewater, shelled out the shekels asked for. He also dropped several plunks into the money drawer and put a “Pd.” after her name in the daybook. In an hour the fair Princess Distress had departed, showering blessings on his head. She would be back thru the city in two weeks and would see him again, but would return the borrowed money by mail the next day. The brooch rested in safety on the lef tinside lining of the clerk’s vest.

It was the start for as pretty a romance as ever adorned the pages of a novel, bu cruel fate! The days passed bringing no tidings of the borrowed shekels. The dreamy light gradually faded from the innocent eyes of the clerk and an expression of pained distrust o’erspread his features.

Finally the young man extracted the brooch from its hiding place next his heart and took it to a jeweler to learn its real value. “Well,” said the man, squinting at it thru a guttapercha tube. “The setting is a pretty fair quality of brass, but the stones themselves are a might poor imitation. I should think when new the thing ought to have retailed for at least 30 cents.”

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 1, 1904

Pirates May Show Elsewhere

Mason City and Humboldt Want Play.

Local Production Will go to One of the Two Places – Would Run Excursion.

Arrangements are being completed by which the home talent production, “The Pirates of Penzance,” so successfully given here Monday and Tuesday evenings, will be produced at either Mason City or Humboldt. Dates are wanted by both towns, and it is possible that the opera will be sung in both Mason City and Humboldt, but its production at one of the two places is assured. This speaks favorably for those taking part in the opera, and for Mr. and Mrs. Joe Brown under whose direction it was given, and besides ample proof that Fort Dodge’s local talent is appreciated elsewhere than here although the hearty appreciation shown during the two productions was most gratifying.

In any case, whether it be Mason City or Humboldt that secures the “Pirates of Penzance,” nothing will be spared to make it as complete a production as given here. The Fifty-sixth regimental band will accompany the singers, and all the specially prepared costumes and scenery will be again used.

Should Mason City secure the opera a special train will be made up here and an excursion run to that place with a rate of one dollar for the round trip. Coaches will be reserved for the members of the band and opera company, and rates will be made for all the towns between hre (sic) and Mason City. In case the opera is given at Humboldt an excursion will likewise be run to that point, with a  small rate, and an excursion run from Albert Lea to Humboldt.

Tags: 1904, Brown, Pirates of Penzance