Clinton Turners

MAXHEIM, FICKE

Posted By: Michael Kearney (email)
Date: 3/30/2003 at 13:25:18

The Clinton Daily Herald Monday August 25, 1902 p. 3 Many of the Clinton Turners were in Davenport Sunday, going down by boat and rail, to participate in the big Turner picnic held there. John Maxheim, the crack athlete of the Clinton society, took part in the contests at the park, and won first place over all the contestants of other cities, carrying off the honors of the day for Clinton. The celebration was held in observation of the fiftieth anniversary of the Davenport society. Sunday morning's parade was the longest in the history of the city, society a laurel wreath on behalf of societies from Clinton, Keystone, Durant, Cedar Rapids, Rock Island and Moline, Ill., and delegations from Chicago and Des Moines, with dozens of other German-American societies of Davenport and vicinity. The other event of the day was the grand picnic and athletic contest at Scheutzen park, which assembled 13,000 people. Jubilee exercises were held there, ex-Mayor C.A. Ficke delivering the fest address. The seats of honor on the platform, in advance of those accorded to turners of over twenty-five years' standing, were occupied by Louis Hannsen, Sr., of Davenport, and Matthias Staack of Winona, Minn., the two survivors of the society organized in Davenport in 1852. A chorus of 150 singers from Peoria took part in the exercises. A Bockstoever of Chicago presented the society with a laurel wreath on behalf of Carl Richter of Chicago and the officers of the Northwestern Saengerbund. The celebration will conclude with a grand concert this evening. Sunday's athletic contest was won by John Maxheim of the Clinton Turner society. Sixteen-pound shot put - John Maxheim, Clinton - 35 feet 3 inches. Broad jump - John Maxheim, Clinton 8 feet 8 inches. Pole vault - Phil Sontag, Carl Deters (Davenport) John Maxheim (Clinton), tied - 9 feet 4 inches. Eight-pound spear throw - John Maxheim, Clinton - 70 feet.