Posts Tagged ‘1908’

25
Sep

Elopers Narrowly Missed by Officers

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The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 25, 1908

Elopers Narrowly Missed by Officers

Forest City Couple Leave City Short Time Before Officers are Telephoned to Detain Them.

Thursday evening and just a few minutes after the departure of the Illinois Central train for the east, the police department was called up over the long distance telephone from Forest City by William Noonan and the officers were asked to detain a young man named Cole and the daughter of the complainant, who had eloped from Forest City. A hurried investigation was made by the officers and sufficient information secured to result in the belief the couple spent the day in Fort Dodge, coming here on the early morning Minnapolis & St. Louis train, and departing for the east over the Illinois Central.

According to the description received by the officers from the father of the girl, the young man, who answers to the name of Cole, is about twenty-one years of age, five feet ten inches in height, dark complexioned, and wore when last seen a blue suit, low shoes and a black soft hat. The girl is only sixteen years of age, light complexioned, with light, sandy hair, and wore a brown jacket and skirt. The father of the young girl not only opposes a match between the couple, but will also file a more serious charge against the young man if he is apprehended, that of abduction.

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The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 11, 1908

Memories of The Past Are Awakened by Visit to Leipzig

Mrs. John F. Duncombe Writes an Interesting Letter of Her Revisit to the German City She Resided in For Three Years With Her Daughters – Other Matters of Interest.

We are now in good old Leipzig with lovely weather and both of us well, and  having a good time. We have visited the place the girls and I called home for three years and as John and I entered the hall door and walked up the familiar stairs, memories of the past came over me and I could not but feel sad. The friends of long ago, where were they all? Gone, move of them, to that bourne from whence no traveller returns. I remember how pleased your father was with our beautiful little German home, and of his saying, “Well, I heartily approve of this, it if fine,” but that is all in the past.

John and I went all through the great conservatory. All the students have gone for their vacations and the whole place is being renovated and made ready for the fall term. I took John through the Auerbachshof, the wine cellar in which Goethe wrote Faust – made famous by Keller. We enjoyed the collection of renowned Faust pictures, dating back to the year 1525. We also visited the Furinjerhof and the celebrated Thomas Kirche – (church) where we used to go to hear the boys sing on Saturday morning. I called on some of my old German friends and they all knew me at once. We went to find Mrs. Nicholson and Nana, but they are up on the Hartz and will not be back until next week, so we were disappointed and I feel sure they will regret not seeing some one from home. John and I went to view the battle ground of Leipzig, and we saw the fine monument Germany is erecting to the memory of this great victory. They already have a small stone placed where Napoleon stood when commanding his army. It is all very interesting and as the morning was a bright, beautiful one our drive was very enjoyable. We will leave here for Dresden tomorrow, and remain there until we have seen all we care to see;  then on to Berlin and be ready for a plunge into Switzerland.

I hope my cabled greetings tot he old settlers, through Professor Findlay, president of the Historical Society, reached there in time and that the day was fine and all the old settlers living could be present and enjoy it themselves. They certainly deserve it after their long years of privations and hard work.

We h ad a long sea trip of seven  hours crossing over form Queensborough to Flushin, Holland. The sea was very rough and many were very sick. John enjoyed the canals and dykes and and windmills of picturesque Holland. We have been very fortunate as to weather, bright and cool, not one entire disagreeable day since we landed. John often says at eventide, “My, but this has been a grand day to me.” We are book to sail in the Hamburgh (sic) American steamer, The Kaiserine Augusta Victoria, a sister boat to the Amerika, and which sails on Oct. 2nd. When we went up to the steamer offices, we were obliged to answer a number of questions as to occupation, sex, color, etc., etc. When John heard me say white, he remarked: “Put me down green.”

I was very sorry to read of Senator Allison’s death. It seemed very pathetic and too bad that his last days should be embittered by strife in his own state, after so long a service to the public. He died on Tuesday and Thursday morning I was reading about his death in Edinburgh, Scotland. The wireless makes the world seem small.

Mary A. Duncombe

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4
Sep

Another Pioneer is Called by Death

   Posted by: admin    in Death, obituary

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 4, 1908

Another Pioneer is Called by Death

J.W. Roper is Summoned Home to Reward on Thursday Evening.

Was Pioneer Transfer Man of Fort Dodge

Was Nearing the Eighty-Seventh Milestone of His Life When Summoned – Death Due to Old Age.

Thursday evening with the falling shadows, the spirit of Joseph W. Roper, for many years a resident of this city and the pioneer transfer man of Fort Dodge, joined that of his wife and passed into the great beyond, death being due primarily to advanced age, and occurred at the home of his son, William A. Roper, at 622 North Ninth street, where he had made his home for the past several years.

J.W. Roper was born at Rutland, Vermont, November 25, 1821, and was of sturdy revolutionary ancestry. On the green hills of his native state he grew to manhood and on August 26, 1842, was united in marriage to Miss Mary Esther Latham at Camdor, N.Y., the couple journeying together through life, until a few years after the celebration of their golden anniversary when Mrs. Roper was called to her reward. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Roper removed from New York to the west, settling for a time in Wisconsin and in 1869 again taking their journey westward to Fort Dodge. Following their arrival here, Mr. Roper engaged in the transfer business, being the pioneer transfer man in the then struggling village. Within his lifetime the deceased witnessed a remarkable change, Fort Dodge growing by leaps and bounds from a little village to one of the best and most progressive cities of the state. After disposing of his transfer business the deceased was for many years connected with the United States Express Co., retiring a few years ago, owing to advanced age.

To Mr. and Mrs. Roper were born five children, four of whom are living, the oldest son, Edgar, having passed away at Eagle Grove a few years ago. Those living are William A. and Charles E., who are engaged in the cigar business, F.E., a conductor on the Chicago, Great Western Railroad, and Mrs. Mary Young. Three brothers and one sister of the deceased are also living, besides seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. The brothers and sister are Samuel Roper of Watertown, Wis., August of Spokane, Wash., F.H. of Estherville, and Mrs. Louisa Hunt of Mankato, Minnesota.

Mr. Roper was a man of kindly heart and a generous disposition and his passing will be mourned by many not akin to him, but who felt the kindness of his bounty when sore oppressed by sickness, care and trouble during the long and cold winters of pioneer days. He was a man of most rugged constitution and notwithstanding his advanced age was to be noted early every morning in the summer at work in his garden, while in the winter no sidewalks were cleaner than those near his home, and his daily communion with nature and nature’s forces perhaps tended to prolong his life many years more than the allotted span.

The funeral will be held at the home on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, Rev. F.E. Drake, pastor of St. Mark’s Episcopal church, officiating. Mr. Roper was a prominent and life long member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and that society will assist at the services. Interment will be made in Oakland cemetery, by the side of his wife who was called from earth a few short years ago.

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The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle, July 13, 1903

William Carr of Gowrie Kills Town Marshall, Tom Nicholson

Youth Slew City Official Saturday Night with Shot Gun Following Quarrel.

Young Man is Arrested and Put in County Jail

Inquest is Held Sunday Forenoon and Testimony is Incriminating.

Prisoner Waives Preliminary Hearing and Pleads Guilty

Is Held Without Bond to Await the Action of the Grand Jury – Trial Probably in September.

Thomas Nicholson, city marshal of Gowrie, was shot and instantly killed
Saturday evening by William Carr, a young man about twenty-three years of age, who was born and raised in that village. The shooting took place near the Rock Island depot between half past ten and eleven o’clock in the evening and was the result of an attempt to arrest Carr for disorderly conduct.

According to the story which comes from Gowrie Ira Carr, father of the young man who killed the marshal, was arrested on Saturday for intoxication and was sentenced to thirty days in the county jail. This seemed to anger the son and during the afternoon he drank heavily and is said to have made threats. About ten o’clock in the evening he was near the Rock Island depot and being a young man of very violent temper when intoxicated, had a little trouble with a stranger, which ended in the exchange of blows. Marshal Nicholson hearing of the trouble attempted to arrest Carr but he made his escape and went to his home where he secured his gun. Later in the evening Marshal Nicholson was walking along the street in company with two traveling men and when near the telephone station was met by Carr who raised his shot gun to his shoulder with the words: “Now I have got you.” “Don’t shoot,” replied the marshal, at the same time reaching for his revolver for the purpose of defending himself, but the young man pulled the trigger and the entire charge of shot entered the right side of the officer just below the right arm. He sank to the sidewalk exclaiming: “My God he has killed me,” and expired instantly.

There are a great many stories regarding the affair and one is to the effect that after the shooting young Carr stood near the body of the dead officer and cursed him long and loud, inquiring if he was dead and exclaiming “He should be.” Later when the doctor pronounced life extinct, it is said Carr walked to the shadow where he had deposited his gun, picked the same up and said to a man who was standing near: “Well, I got him.”  Then he walked toward home and it was while on the way that a full realization of his terrible deed came to him and he broke into tears. Arriving at the house he informed his sister, a girl of about seventeen, of what he had done and calmly waited for someone to take him in charge.

After his arrest he was confined in the village calaboose under guard for the remainder of the night and on Sunday morning was turned over to Deputy Sheriff Woolsey and brought to Fort Dodge in an automobile. Carr is said to have lived in Gowrie all of his life, being a common laborer, and has never borne a bad reputation, although he is a young man with a very violent temper and is considered aggressive when intoxicated.

Marshal Thomas Nicholson, the man who met death while in the performance of his duty, was a man of about forty-five years of age, and has resided at Gowrie for the past twenty-five years. He was a man well liked by all and was an efficient officer. He was a member of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pithias and Modern Woodmen and his remains were laid to rest this afternoon at two o’clock by the members of these orders. He leaves a wife and five children, four girls and one boy. Three of the children were members of the graduating class at Gowrie this spring.

Prisoner Tells of Shooting.

This morning a representative of The Chronicle called at the county jail for the purpose of interviewing the prisoner and found the young man seated on the cot in his cell crying as if his heart would break. Asked regarding the shooting he at first professed to have little recollection of the same, but later when informed the story would be given to the public exactly as stated by him he answered all questions put to him in a manner which showed he had a fair recollection of all of the incidents of the evening.

“My name is William Carr and I am nearly twenty-three years of age,” was his reply to our question, “and I have resided at Gowrie, Webster county, all my life. Of our family there are living one sister, five brothers and one half-brother, my father and mother. My mother has been adjudged insane and is now an inmate of the state institution. I have always been employed as a common laborer about my home village and of late have worked at tiling. I have a great many friends at Gowrie and have never before been in any serious trouble with any one.”

Asked to tell of the shooting of the marshal, he told the following story in reply to our questions: “I was drinking considerable during the afternoon, drinking both beer and whiskey and it was about ten o’clock in the evening when I passed near the Rock Island depot on my way home. A stranger accosted me and without provocation called me some bad names and struck me. Marshal Nicholson appeared on the scene and attempted to place me under arrest. I stated I had no desire to occupy a cell in the village calaboose and we struggled for a time. Finally I broke away from him and went to my home, about a block and a half distant from the scene of the trouble and secured my gun. The weapon is of “pump” variety and holds six shells. Returning to the depot I met the marshal and fired at him, the charge entering his body, although I cannot say where. After the shooting I walked to my home and told my sister of what I had done and I sat there and waited until I was placed under arrest. I remained in the village jail over night Saturday and on Sunday morning was brought to the county jail by Deputy Sheriff Woolsey. While I was in jail at Gowrie there was no attempt at violence to me and never once after the shooting was I possessed with a desire to make my escape.”

“Never have I held a grudge against Marshal Nicholson and have no reason to assign for the shooting, in fact I can remember little of the affair,” was the answer of the prisoner to a querry (sic) put to him. “I do not know what defense I will have to offer either at the preliminary hearing, or later before the district court, if I am indicted by the grand jury, for the offense. I have not made any arrangements up to the present for counsel and cannot say what will be done.

Coroner’s Inquest.

County Coroner J.D. Lowry accompanied Deputy Sheriff Woolsey to Gowrie Sunday morning and the inquest was held at that time over the body of the marshal. The coroner’s jury consisted of C.H. Woodward, mayor of Gowrie, A.C. Boggs, Jr., of this city and W.J. Moore of Gowrie. The verdict returned by the jury was as follows: “That Thomas Nicholson came to his death on July 11th, 1903, between the hours of 11:45 and 12:00 o’clock P.M. at Gowrie, Iowa, near the Minneapolis & St. Louis crossing of Market street death being due to a gun shot wound, such wound, being inflicted by William Carr, deliberately and premeditatedly.”

Several witnesses were examined at the hearing, the most important testimony being that of the accused man’s sister, Maude Carr and of Ira Gilleland a boy about sixteen years of age. Dr. A.W. Lundvick, the physician who attended the wounded man and was examined as also were several others. The testimony is on the whole a repetition of the story as told above.

His sister stated that she had retired about 10:30 and she heard her bother come home and heard him loading his shot gun. She heard the remark, “I’ll get him,” and when she asked whom he was after Ira Gilleland said that he was after Thomas Nicholson because he had spoiled a brand new suit of clothes. She stated that Will left the house and that she arose and dressed. Shortly afterward she heard a shot and in about fifteen minutes Will came back and put his arms around her and said,” I shot him.” He said that he was sorry and that if he had listened to her he would not have done it.

Young Gilleland told of the altercation between Carr and the stranger and that Nicholson had tried to arrest Carr. He however, broke away taking the marshal’s club. Nicholson is said to have fired a shot into the ground and Carr is said to have gone home and gotten the gun. Gilleland tried to get it away from him and he said, “Let me alone.” Gilleland stated that he then went down to the American House corner and turned east. When near the bill boards he met Albert Rosane and told him that there was going to be trouble. Shortly afterwards, he heard a shot and turning saw a man falling and saw Carr back up and carrying a gun. The boy followed Carr home and the latter when near home met his sister and told her what he had done and said that he had acted in self defense.

Nearly Made Mistake.

According to the story of T.J. Raleigh that person came near to getting what was intended for the marshal. Raleigh states that he got off the Minneapolis and St. Louis train from the south and went west on Market street. When near the bill boards, a man turned the corner from the north and as he came near he raised his gun with the remark, “Where is he?” and went on. Raleigh soon heard a shot and a groan and went back and saw a man standing near some one lying on the ground and a gun was near, having been placed against a building. He heard the man who was standing over the man on the ground and who was the same man who had faced him with the gun, say, “He ought to be dead.”

Dr. A.W. Lundvick testified that he was called to the scene of the shooting shortly before midnight and found Nicholson lying near the railroad tracks with a wound about as large as a half dollar in his right side near the sixth intercostal space. Nicholson lived about five or ten minutes and in the doctor’s opinion death was due to hemmorrhage (sic) produced by shot penetrating the lungs and heart.

John W. Wertz, J.W. Johnson and John Fritz who helped remove the body to the undertaking rooms testified as did also C.W.Safford and C.A. Chalgren who accompanied Carr to the jail. Chalgren said that when he went to Carr’s house and informed him that he would have to go to jail Carr said,” Maybe it is the best after all. If I hadn’t killed him he would have killed me as he had a gun. They are always after a poor boy anyway.” Chalgren testified that Carr was a drinking man.
Andrew Larson, M.A. Guffey and Elmer Martindale were also examined but their testimony developed nothing new.

Men Were Connected.

An interesting fact brought out by investigation is that there is a family connection betwen (sic) the Carr’s and Nicholson, the latter and Ira Carr, Jr. a brother of the prisoner having married sisters.

Prisoner Waived Hearing.

Carr appeared before Justice of the Peace H.E. Busby this forenoon and waived preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty. He will be held without bond to await the action of the grand jury. It is probable that the case will come up in the September term of court.

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