Posts Tagged ‘Johns’

4
Feb

This is Not a Pat Crow Letter

   Posted by: admin    in Business

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 4, 1903

This is Not a Pat Crow Letter

But is Apparently From a Reformed Kleptomaniac Desiring to Make Restitution

An Anonymous Communication

Manager P.D. Johns, of Johns Dry Goods Co., Receives $2 in a Strange Way

Manager P.D. Johns, of the Johns Dry Goods company, hardly knows what to make of an anonymous letter which he received a few days ago, containing two bills, of $1 each. After mature deliberation, Mr. Johns h as about decided that he is in receipt of an epistle from a reformed kleptomaniac of the fair sex, who has repented of her misdeeds and has taken this way of atonement.

The letter is written in a small, well formed hand, on good stationery. The words are well chosen, the spelling good, and the grammar almost correca (sic). Apparently the unknown person who wrote the letter is a lady of some education.

The envelope, which Mr. Johns unsuspectingly opened in his morning’s mail a few days ago, is postmarked La Crosse, and was mailed on January 29. The letter itself is undated. All Mr. Johns’ detective ability has been brought to bear on the solution of the problem, but he is now almost constrained to give up the puzzle as one which is beyond solution, and to rest content with the $2 which dropped down on him so unexpectedly.

The letter as received by Mr. Johns, reads as follows:

Johns Dry oods (sic) Co., Fort Dodge, Iowa. – Inclosed please find $2 for indebtedness which I owe your firm for some time past. This is no mistake, so please enter it as cash, as there is no charge made of it.

(Editor’s note: I believe “Pat Crow letter” refers to a ransom note. Pat Crowe was involved in a kidnapping for ransom in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1900 – according to Wikipedia, it was the first successful kidnapping for ransom in the United States. More on the kidnapping here.)

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8
Aug

The Police Court Draws Full House

   Posted by: admin    in Police court

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.

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