The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 8, 1904

The Police Court Draws Full House

Eight Up For Drunkenness and Disorderly Conduct Today.

Majority Will Leave Town

Mrs. Cora Williams Appears on a More Serious Charge – She is Given $25.45 in Fines and Costs – Other News.

Police court drew a full house this morning, there being eight present to answer the charge of drunkenness and vagrancy, besides two upon a more serious charge. Alleged by William Johns as being a prostitute, Mrs. Cora Williams, an old time offender, plead not guilty and in turn heaped an avalanche of maledictions upon Johns, claiming that he had tried to take her life with a butcher knife. In spite of her warnings and forbodings (sic) as to the price which his honor would have to pay if he did not do justice to her wrongs, Mrs. Williams was given a sum total of $25.45 ($609 today) in fines and costs. Johns was let off with $5.85 ($140) for disorderly conduct. Both stand committed to jail.

Eight Drunks Form in Line.

Mayor Northrup had no sooner disposed of this case than his eyes met a motley procession led in by Peter Ditmer. Eight strong, they took the mercy seat by storm and now began an hour’s excuse making and pleading upon the part of the defendants of the city.

James Lither said his home was in New York and that the only reason he had allowed himself to be publicly disgraced by being even charged with the crime of drunkenness, was that he was not well dressed and needed a little stimulant. He went the way of the $1 and costs.

With his head hanging for shame, Frank McGuire, who was released last Saturday upon agreeing to leave town at once, faced his honor. He was given the sentence he had forfeited when he agreed to leave town – $14.85 ($356) worth of hard labor on the streets.

George Linster of Cincinnati was found guilty of vagrancy, but had his fine remitted upon his promise to leave the city in half an hour.

John Lynch was dealt out a package marked $5.85, but will bide his time in jail.

With his limbs crippled so that he could hardly walk, Harry Williams, who said he was just out of the hospital at St. Paul, appeared to answer the charge of vagrancy. H was allowed to depart in peace. Thomas Gilley was given $9.85 for re-appearing in court after he promises to leave the city Saturday.

James Martin of Ohio was found guilty of vagrancy but his fine was suspended upon his promise to depart and never return.

Albert McBride ended the procession. He plead guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct and was allowed to wend his way out of the city.

Tags: 1904, Ditmer, Gilley, Johns, Linster, Lither, Lynch, Martin, McBride, McGuire, Northrup, Williams

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 6, 1904

Police Court a Busy Session

Heaviest Grist in Some Time Reaped at This Morning’s Harvest.

Six Offenders Are Arraigned

Something Like the Good Old Great Western Days, Says Peter Ditmer – Four Drunks and Oe (sic) Vagrat (sic) Are Before the Mayor.

Police Court held a heavy session this morning. The mercy seat was lined up knee deep with the alleged offenders against the law. “This begins to look like the good old western days” remarked Peter Ditmer as he surveyed the motley throng. By the “Great Western” days he referred to the time when the Great Western built their line to Omaha. Rough laborers by the hundred then crowded the city whenever they were given the opportunity to come off the line. The influx often caused the wildest kind of a run on the police court. The completion of this work has made a corresponding depression in the police court docket.

Clarance Chevalier was the first of this morning’s prisoners to answer the charge of drunkeness. He pleaded guilty and was given the usual $5.85 ($140 today).

James Mahoney came next. His case was disposed of precisely as that of Chevalier.

The charge against Thomas Conners was a more serious one than that against his predecessors. His fine for being drunk and insulting ladies totaled $9.85 ($236).

Simon Fodge, an old standby who resides at Tara, but who has been a frequent customer at the fountain of justice in Fort Dodge plead guilty. The old familer was fined accordingly.

George O’Brien paid his fine of $5.85 for being drunk.

Charged with vagrancy, Frank McGuire answered by stating that he was merely out of a job. His honor took upon himself to give McGuire a few kind words of advice and gave him the alternative of leaving town at once and forsaking his old associates or working $10 ($239) fine on the street. McGuire decided to leave town.

Tags: 1904, Chevalier, Conners, Ditmer, Fodge, Mahoney, McGuire, O'Brien

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: April 7, 1903

New Police Begin Duties

Marshal Ed Welch and His Men Sworn in Monday Night

Enter on Their New Duties

Marshal Welch already has some of the Beats Assigned and is Organizing the Force.

Police Marshal Ed Welch, Deputy Marshal Frank Connelly and the new police officers of the city of Fort Dodge took their oath of office and entered upon the performance of their duties on Monday night.

Marshal Welch this morning announced the beats for the new officers, so far as they have as yet been arranged. Marshal Welch and Deputy Marshal Frank Connelly will be on duty in the day time, as is customary, and Patrolman Merton Jordan has also been assigned for day duty. The day men will be on duty from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Officer J.M. Mericle will take the beat at the Illinois Central depot which was held by Myron Tuller on the old force. Peter Ditmer will have his old beat, covering the Great Western depot and yards and the eastern business district. Adolph Rossing will succeed Peter Steiner of the old force. His duty will be to look after the gas lights, and to cover the business district in the neighborhood of the square. All the night men will go on duty at 6 o’clock in the evening and off at 6 in the morning.

This leave two beats to be arranged. August Andrews is as yet not assigned any regular run, and the man whom Mayor Northrup will appoint to succeed William McNally, whose appointment was not approved by the city council on Monday evening, must also be provided for. Marshal Welch expects to have his force organized in a short time.

The vigilance of the new police resulted in the apprehension of two culprits on Monday night. Dan Daly was picked up paralyzed drunk, and was given a secure lodgement in the city jail. He was released this morning on his promise to get out of town. He gave his home as Ackley. John Doe, from Clare, this time, paid $7.10 in expiation of his offense in getting drunk and was discharged.

Tags: 1903, Andrews, Connelly, Daly, Ditmer, Jordan, McNally, Mericle, Rossing