The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 17, 1906

Police News

The same old Bill Jones paid a visit to the city jail last night and remained over in order to interview the mayor this morning. Needless to say he was charged with being drunk, but his Honor was inclined to show leniency and he was discharged. With Jones appeared one Walter Scott, charged likewise with imbibing too freely of the bowling bowl. “Are you related in any way to Sir Walter Scott?” asked the mayor. “I don’t know, your Honor, I may be as I have a lot of relatives I have never seen,” the fellow replied. The mayor being in doubt and not wishing to insult the memory of the chivarous (sic) bard told him to take fifteen minutes and get out of town. He went.

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Bill Jones holds the championship belt in police circles in this city. He is arrested more than any other person. He cannot come to town but what he gets intoxicated and thrown into jail. There are a number of characters about the city who are arrested quite frequently but none of them come up with the same old Bill.

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The police have been requested to look out for a man who goes by the names of Wm. McCann and Ed Day. The fellow is wanted in Monmouth, Illinois for robbery.

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Everything quiet in police court this morning. one lone drunk was all the material to hold court with and the Mayor evidently didn’t think it worth while. The lone drunk is the same old Bill Jones. Despite his promises to shake the dust of Fort Dodge off his feet and give the community a much needed rest he gets full of bad booze and as a consequence has taken up a (t)emporary residence in the City Hotel, presided over by the Mayor.

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Eric Waldberg is taking the place of A.L. Nicholson who resigned last month. The force is short of men at present and no doubt a good man could get on the force at once.

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All was quiet on the streets Saturday night and the police had little trouble in keeping the best of order. But one man was arrested and he was an old timer who was harmlessly drunk. The crowd was one of the largest of the season too.

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Just a year ago this month Fort Dodge was having its epidemic of petty thievery and numerous robberies which broke out a (sic) suddenly and lasted the entire month. It is a period long to be remembered in police circles. But the majority of offenders were caught or chased out of town and finally the best or order restored. The local police wre the means of fattening the criminal docket of the Grand Jury for quite a few terms until the local desperadoes were finally all wiped out.

Tags: 1906, Day, Jones, McCann, Nicholson, Scott, Waldberg