The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 11, 1905

Mayor Draws a Full House

Is Confronted by Three of a Kind and a Pair in Police Court This Morning.

Was Liberal With Justice

Fines Were The Largest That Have Been Assessed in Police Court For Many Months. – Will Have a Most Discouraging Effect on Graft.

Mayor Bennett drew a full house in police court this morning. When the moment arrived for the doling out of justice, there were three of a kind and a pair ranged on the penitential bench before him. It was with no miserly hand he ladled out the big bunches of fines and costs. The freedom with which he piled it on them was certainly discouraging to the bum, the vag, the thief.

Peter Coyne and John Lowery, both of whom were caught while in the act of stealing overalls from in front of one of the local stores, were given a fine of $100 and costs each or thirty days in the county jail. Neither of them having a cent of money they were sent to jail where they will have a chance to dwell on the evils of their ways for a month.

The three remaining in the line were given fifty dollars and costs each and allowed a chance to sweat it out in the county jail, a job that will occupy their vagabond minds for a period of fifteen days. The three vags were Frank Jones, Charles Wright and Luke O’Brien.

The theft of the overalls took place on Monday afternoon. Peter Coyne took the garments from a box in front of one of the stores on South Sixth street and ran with them to a nearby corner where he secreted them in a buggy and made his get-away. It was then Lowery’s turn to play his part in the deal, so getting the bundle from the buggy he made his way through an alley to the rear of one of the lunch counters of the city where his brother is employed, and there hid them in a box.

He was seen to do this by one of the high school boys who reported it to the police and the two arrests followed with the resulting convictions.

Both of the parties to the game plead guilty to the charge entered against them and there was no delay in meting out their punishment. Coyne has been implicated in other petty thieveries about the city, and was arrested a few months ago as one of the parties engaged in the burglary of the Cochran saloon. At that time, however, the evidence against him was not sufficient to hold him to the grand jury and he was released.

Tags: 1905, Lowery, O'Brien, Wright

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 10, 1905

Disorderly House Raided by Police

Was Closed Saturday Night and Inmates Given Hearing Today.

Fined $50.00 and Costs

Later It Was Decided to Let her Get Out of The City Which She is Glad to Do, Taking Her Daughter With Her.

On Saturday night the supposed fruit stand located on North Eighth street, was closed on the grounds that it was a disorderly house, and the proprietress, Mrs. Lizzie Wilson, along with her alleged daughter, Laura Beech Russell, ordered to apepar (sic) in police court at ten o’clock this morning to answer to the charge.

At the hearing of the woman which was held today, she was held guilty by his honor, and fined $50 and costs, the young girl, fifteen years of age, being of too tender an age to be sent to jail was ordered turned over the the (sic) district court.

The woman, however, plead (sic) that she was penniless, and that if given an opportunity she would leave the city. Seeing nothing to be gained for the good of the town by keeping her here in jail, she was finally released, and will be under police escort until she leaves at four o’clock in the morning for Sibley where she claims to have friends.

Made Bluff of Business.

The woman and her daughter arrived in Fort Dodge on election day and securing the building they have since occupied for the alleged purpose of running a candy kitchen, moved into it at once. In the front part of the building, which is partitioned off from the rear they put in a little fruit, some cigars, soft drinks and a little candy as alleged to keep up appearance, and under the cover of this operated a disorderly house.

It is alleged by the neighbors, two families of whom have moved away from the vicinity on account of the ill fame of the place, that there was always a crowd of young men and boys gathered about the place, that the piano was heard as late as three o’clock in the morning and that there was every evidence that the busines (sic) of the two women of the place was anything but legitimate.

A number of witnesses appeared in the case and testified to the above facts. Testimony was bought out which proved that the woman had been driven out of Spencer, where she had conducted the same sort of business.

The story of Mrs. Wilson herself developed the fact that she had been almost continually on the move, and while she claimed that both she and her daughter were respectable and of the best character, her appearance and especially the appearance and testimony of the girl failed to bear her out in her claim.

The place ahs been under surveillance for some time.

Tags: 1905, Russell, Wilson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 10, 1905

A Real Live Sensation On

Police Alarm Sounded Saturday Night and Immense Crowd Assembled.

Blocked Street For An House

Waited Sixty Long and Awful Minutes While a Policeman Closed a Contract for a Room in a Business Block.

Saturday night after supper at the time the streets were crowded with people, the police alarm at the corner of Seventh street and Central avenue began sounding wildly, and was not long in calling a large crowd to the point to see what was the matter.

It was but a few moments until one of the policemen ran up the stairway into a nearby business block, and this clinched the surmise that there was something sensational doing in that neighborhood. The crowd surged up the street to the entrance, and there all progress was blocked so far as the sidewalk and half of the street were concerned. It was only a few minutes until there were all sorts of stories going the rounds each one more livid than the proceeding one, till the crowd had an idea that there were at least a half dozen people weltering in gore up in the block somewhere. Some of them had it that a man had been found dead in the building, others that a fellow had his throat cut, adn so the rumors were hatched till there was enough excitement there to furnish a good sized hanging.

for more than an hour the crowd of horror-filled people hung about the entrance, and even this morning not more than a few had found out that the cause of the whole excitement was the desire of one of the policemen to rent a room from the owner of the block.

He had seen about it a day or two before, but was not assured he could have it at the time. Later the proprietor found he could accommodate him, called up the police headquarters to tell him of the face. At the same instant he called up the city hall, central started the police call, and this was the cause of the startling occurrence which would have been in better season on April 1st.

Tags: 1905

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 5, 1905

Mayor Bennett’s First Court

His Honor Balances Scales of Justice.

First Drunk of Administration Gets Let Off Easy and Goes Away Rejoicing.

Major S.J. Bennett held his first police court this morning when he handed out a bunch of justice to a new offender, giving him the usual $1 and costs. Later, however, when the man made the statement that he was in a hurry to catch a train out of the city, his honor relented and let him off with a lecture.

The first plain one of the present administration, Thomas Oleson, of Vincent, was in the city making preparations for the removal of his family from there here. He forgot his mission, however, and surrounded a most mighty jag which landed him in jail, as jags have a tendency to do in this city.

That was yesterday afternoon and this morning in police court Oleson was extremely repentant and made the statement that he had never been arrested before and that this would be the last time he would let it occur. He had no money, but if his honor would let him off, he would get it and come in with it as soon as he got back with his family.

Mayor Bennett made the remark that if Oleson followed up his habit of drinking he would not be a very valuable acquisition to the town, and with that let him go. He was thankful to make his escape and made a run for the train that would take him to Vincent.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 6, 1905

Oleson Missed His Train

Thomas Oleson, of Vincent, Was Up Wednesday Morning in Court Again.

He Missed His Train Out

Tried to Dissolve That Dark Brown Taste and Falls in the Pit – Brass Buttons Have an Affinity for Him and He Leaves His Watch.

Thomas Oleson, of Vincent, the man who was up on police court Wednesday morning for the first time in his life and who only waited an opportunity to get out of town so that he could move his family to Fort Dodge, evidently missed his train, for he was up on court again this morning, and this time, instead of being let off with the mayor’s blessing, he was compelled to leave his watch, which he valued at $25 with the city as security for his fine of $5.00 and costs, amounting to $9.85.

It appears that after leaving the presence of the mayor on Wednesday morning, he had gone directly to the nearest jag plant where he  hoped to be able to wash the discolored taste from his mouth and reduce the size of his head. This he succeeded in doing with the first good “straight.” Seeing the excellent effect one drink had on his general good feeling, he immediately came to the conclusion that if a small dose was good a large one would be still better, and hit himself below the belt with a few more.

It was only a few minutes till he forgot there ever was a train to Vincent and went in for one of the best times the town had in stock. He got it all right, but one of the brass buttons came along and took his measure for a place in the city jail, where he was landed to sober up.

This morning he was as repentant as before, but his honor was not to be influenced and took his watch for security.

“What was your business in Vincent?” asked Mayor Bennett.

“I kept a saloon, your honor,” was the answer.

“I don’t doubt it in the least,” was the rejoiner (sic) of his honor. “You have been doing your best to keep the saloons of Fort Dodge since you came here.”

Tags: 1905

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1905

Come Back to Iowa

Frank Gotch Will Live Simple Life at Humboldt.

Humboldt, April 1 – Frank Gotch, the Iowa wrestler, who held the title of champion of the country until he was finally defeated a few days ago by Tom Jenkins, of Cleveland, will come back to his hold home here and undertake to restore his old form by a course of simple training.

Gotch and his chief patron, “Farmer” Burns, also an Iowan and a former champion wrestler, believes at thoroughly as ever that Gotch is still the champion wrestler. But he has lost the title to Jenkins, and must win it back.

Gotch is the victim of the desire to make money. Like Burns, he is a man of model habits in the main; not quite as abstemious as Burns, who never knew in his life the taste of liquor or tobacco, but a man who never gets out of training. Gotch was discovered, trained and brought out by Burns, and Burns was the most wonderful wrestler for his size and weight that ever went on a mat.

Jenkins wrested the championship from Burns, and Burns raised up Gotch to wrest it from Jenkins. Now Jenkins has taken it back again, and Gotch proposes to go back to the farm and the soil and the simple life to recover his weight and form and defeat Jenkins again.

There is little doubt that Gotch will succeed, for he has repeatedly proved himself superior to Jenkins. But the past winter he has been touring the country doing one-night stands agreeing to throw local champions at the rate of one to every five minutes as fast as they’ll bring ’em on, and such stunts, which are the very worst things possible fora man’s training, when taken with irregular hours and hard traveling. As a result Gotch went to the platform for his last match with Jenkins at fifteen pounds under his best weight.

Tags: 1905, Gotch, Jenkins

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 31, 1905

Moving Time in Frogland

Thousands Swarm Streets

Resident of West Fort Dodge Tells a Story of Their Trip Up The Hill and Across The Tracks – Move Means Fishing is Good at This Time.

For the past few nights the migration of the frogs from the river to the higher grounds on the tops of the hills has been taking place, and it is one of the most peculiar sights that has been seen in Fort Dodge for a long time. The frogs seem to do all of their moving in the night, and after nine o’clock the streets down toward the river have been swarming with the hop toads on the move.

A resident of West Fort Dodge who has witnessed the sight on two or three nights, states that there were hundreds of the little fellows, and that they fairly swarmed over the sidewalks, so that it was hard to walk without stepping on them at times. On his way toward the bridge he notices the first one at the top of the hill just above the tracks. This one hopped off the walk in front of him, and taking a few steps more there were several others jumping past him. As he got down to the tracks, they were swarming on every side, and hundreds of them were encountered from there on down to the river.

There was no mistaking the way they were traveling, as they were all headed toward the top of the hill and were going right along as though they had a definite idea as to their destination.

Other people report that while the emigration of frogs was gong on here, the same thing was happening farther  up the river and that they were swarming up the hill toward Round Prairie in the same manner. It is probably that the movement was general and that they were making for the ponds, sloughs and creeks farther back on the hills.

While this movement has never been remarked in Fort Dodge, it is said to be no very uncommon thing, and that when the frogs leave the river in this manner, they are fleeing for their lives from the fish, which denotes that the fishing is good. However, owing to strict enforcement of the game laws, the fact that the fishing is good will not do much toward making local fishermen happy.

Tags: 1905, frogs, Round Prairie

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 29, 1905

An Old Coin is Found Here

Mrs. Henry Preston While Raking up in the Yard Makes the Discovery.

Lost a Quarter of Century

Bit of Money Bears Date of 1808 and Shows Head of George III, on One Side With Irish Emblem on Other Side – Is Well preserved.

While clearing up in the yard Mrs. Henry Preston of this city, found an old English copper cent that had in all probability been lost there for more than a quarter of a century. The date of the coin was a little indistinct, but could be easily made out and showed that it come from the die of 1808. It bore on one side the head of George III and the date and on the other the Irish emblem.

The Prestons have been on the place where the coin was found for more than fourteen years and it is certain that it was not lost by them. the place was purchased by Mr. Preston from Mrs. McNeilly, who was a resident of Fort Dodge thirty-five years ago and who owned the place up to the time that it was sold to the Prestons. It is the supposition that the coin was lost by her.

While the piece is an old one, this is not the remarkable feature of the story. The fact that it has lain so long on the surface of the ground undiscovered to turn up after a quarter of a century or more is the strange circumstance.

When found the bit of money was so dirty and filled that it could scarcely be recognized as such, but was easily cleaned and is in a fair state of preservation. The head of King George III is especially clear and plain.

Tags: 1905, coin found, McNeilly, Preston

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 28, 1905

Small Blaze Another Sermon

This Morning Brings Out Need of New Wagon

The Loss by Water Was Heavy

Chemicals Would Have Put out All Fires in Months With Exception of Two, and Would Have Prevented a Great Deal of Loss in all of Them.

Fire was discovered in the Peter Reilly house on North Seventh street this morning at seven o’clock, and the fire department made one of the best runs that has been made in a long time. it was not more than five minutes after the alarm was turned in till the team was on the ground and the hose stretched. The damage to the house was comparatively slight, amounting to in the neighborhood of $100. On the furniture, however, on account of the water, it amounted to between $300 and $400. The house was occupied by the George Gilman family. The losses were fully covered by insurance.

The fire started from sparks that fell on the roof next to the kitchen chimney, and nothing was known of it by the family until the alarm had been turned in. The roomers, Frank Boyle and J.H. McDermott, heard the crackling on the roof as the shingles were burning, but thought it was hail and paid no further attention to it.

This fire is another argument that is in favor of the chemical wagon that is so badly needed by the local fire department. Had they been equipped with chemicals this morning, there would have been no need of turning on the water at all, and there would have been none of the loss that resulted to the furnishings.

With regard to the matter, one of the members of the fire department said to a Messenger representative this morning. “It certainly is a shame that the department has no chemical wagon. It is a fact that with the exception of just two fires, every blaze that we have had the past several months could have been controlled in less time and with not more than one tenth the damage to the furnishings by use of chemicals. The chemicals properly used on a small fire do the work quickly and completely and with absolutely no damage to other parts of the house, while it takes but a few seconds for a two and a half inch stream of water to get into all parts of a residence and damage everything.”

Tags: 1905, Boyle, Gilman, McDermott, Reilly

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1905

A New Church Built at Clare

Plans For Structure are Completed and Call for a Fine Building.

Will Cost About $12,000

It Will Be Constructed of Omaha Pressed Brick With Stone Trimmings and Foundation – J.H. Albright of This City Architect.

Clare is to have a very fine new Catholic church this spring that will more than take the place of the one burned last winter. The plans, which are already out, call for the expenditure of $12,000, and work will be begun on the structure as soon as the contracts can be let, and the material got out of the ground.

For three months now, the parish has been without a church, and the members are very anxious that the new edifice shall be completed. According to the plans the new building will be considerably larger than the old one. It is to be 52×98 feet and will be built after the usual style of architecture used in Catholic churches, with the tall spire in front.

Inside the finishings will be of the most modern. In addition to the sanctuaries, confessional, etc., there will be a choir loft and all of the usual features that are to be found in the better class of churches of the country.

The building itself will be constructed of Omaha pressed brick with cut stone foundation and trimmings, and will make a most imposing appearance when completed. The general style of the church will be a great deal like that of Corpus Christi and will be an ornament and a credit to the town of Clare.

The church that was burned was worth in the neighborhood of $7,000 and while the loss of the old building was felt by the parish, the new one will go a long way toward atoning, in that it is to be so much finer than the former one.

The plans for it were gotten out by J.H. Albright, of this city, and when the contract is let it will probably be from his office here. The church at Clare when finished will undoubtedly be the finest in the country outside of Fort Dodge.

(Editor’s note: I’m pretty sure in the last paragraph they meant to say county instead of country. St. Matthew’s Church in Clare is one of the Catholic churches in Webster County that will be closed by 2019 in an effort to consolidate operations to Fort Dodge. Messenger article.)

Tags: 1905