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
