Iowa Old Press
Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler co., Iowa
August 5, 1903
What Causes Inebriacy?
The Board of Control Gives Some Facts.
In the last quarterly report of the board of control is a paper
on the care of inebriates by Dr. Charles Applegate,
superintendent of the Mt. Pleasant hospital for insane. Some very
interesting and surprising facts are set out herein. As
Independence has contributed several members to the population of
the inebriate ward there are a few of the more salient points may
not be out of place.
Dr. Applegate takes 150 cases and traces out their history. Of
these 144 were men and only six women. The average age of
admission was 40 years, showing that most people are able to
control their appetites long after the drink habit becomes
seated. But it is shown that the habit is nearly always formed
between 15 and 25, and that period is given as the most likely to
fix the future character of the person.
It is customary to consider the American as temperate and the
foreigner as a hardy drinker. Yet of these 150 patients 137 are
Americans and only thirteen foreigners. The German is brought up
to drink beer from childhood, yet there are two Germans in this
number. The joker points his with with illusion to the Irishman's
love for whisky, but only one Irish man is on the list.
An occupation is considered a great help to temperance, but there
are only twenty-three unskilled laborers. The rest are mechanics,
farmers, etc., with one clergyman.
Eighty-eight have a common school education, twenty-seven have
been through high school, while twenty-one have graduated from
colleges. Four can read and write only. Thus it will be seen that
it is not illiterates who do all the drinking, for not one of the
150 would be placed in that class.
All of the 150 but eleven are believers in some religious
doctrine, although forty-four are listed as backsliders. The
Methodists lead with twenty-four; the Lutherans have fifteen; the
"Christians" fifteen; the Catholics ten. Of the
"backsliders" the Methodists lost eighteen; the
"Christians" ten; the Lutherans seven and the Catholics
six.
It does not seem to have been family troubles that drove these
people to drink. Forty-four have good homes, fifty-five reported
as "fair," while but sixteen are given as
"bad."
Forty-two are addicted to the use of narcotics, besides liquor.
Eighty-five used whisky mostly, thirty-one alcohol, and
twenty-nine beer. Three used whisky only and two beer.
Eighty-two divided their patronage between the drug store and
saloon; forty-two bought at drug stores only and but nineteen at
saloons only. Seven depended on budge shipped in by express.
Thirty-seven had been given previous treatment for inebriety, and
twenty-one had tried the Keeley cure.-- Independence
Bulletin-Journal.
[submitted by C.J.L., October 2003]
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Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler, Iowa
August 26, 1903
HAPPENINGS IN IOWA
Mrs. John Hilsrow of Bennett Escapes from August Leuth, Who
Held Her for a Ransom of Fifty Thousand Dollars
Mrs. John Hilsrow, wife of a wealthy farmer of Bennett, was
kidnapped in an attempt to extort $50,000 from her husband. Mr.
and Mrs. Hilsrow were decoyed from their home by a man who said
their son was ill in a nearby town. While they were driving along
a lonely road, with the strange man, it is said, Hilsrow, who is
aged and feeble, was thrown from the buggy and was told that he
wife would be held until he bought the money to a certain
secluded spot. Mrs. Hilsrow was imprisoned in the cellar of a
deserted farmhouse. At night, while her captor was away from the
house, she made her escape, running to a farmhouse in the
neighborhood. In the meantime her husband had communicated with
the county authorities but no trace of the kidnapper could be
found. Mrs. Hilsrow is in a critical condition from exposure.
Auguest Lueth, a farmhand, who confessed that he kidnapped Mrs.
John Hilsrow of Bennett, and held her in the cellar of a deserted
house while awaiting a ransom of $50,000 from her husband, was
captured Tuesday and taken to jail at once to prevent violence.
Iowa Men in Accidents.
Three Des Moines men were fatally injured in accidents last
Saturday. Frank Kinney fell from the roof of the Des Moines
college fifty feet to the ground, breaking his back. He was
repairing the roof. He cannot recover. B.L. Morris, aged
seventy-two, was struck by a Rock Island freight train east of
Des Moines and both legs were broken at the knee and skull
fractured. Morris died at Mercy hospital later. William E. Burch,
a plumber residing in Des Moines, was struck by the Rock Island
flyer at Atlantic and instantly killed. F.A. Houk, a farmer
residing near Ottumwa, was struck by a Wabash passenger train and
the head severed from the body.
School Teacher's Luck.
H.J. Thompson, reputed to be a millionaire mine operator of
Colorado Springs, has gone to his reward and left as his sole
beneficiary Miss Eldora Sinks of Marengo, Ia., according to a
letter received by Miss Sinks. Miss Sinks explains that she met
Thompson while with a tourist party a few months ago and was
associated with him mor or less for a month. She was aware that
he greatly admired her, but was totally unprepared for the
surprise that she experienced at having great wealth suddenly
thrust upon her. She has been teaching school and was in only
moderate circumstances.
Two Saved from Suicide.
At Marshalltown, Daniel J. Landon, an old soldier, who has been a
hard drinker, attempted to commit suicide by taking an ounce of
laudanum. The prompt aid of a physician saved him. Earl J. Pettit
also attempted to kill himself with poison while intoxicated.
Mrs. Ann Wyckoff, a waitress in a restaurant, took an overdose of
morphine to alleviate pain and came near dying.
Peculiar Cause of Death.
The seven-year-old daughter of John Ponte, a Burlington
conductor, was taken sick ten days ago at Creston with what
physicians pronounced dysentery. In spite of their best efforts
the child grew worse until she died Sunday. An autopsy revealed
the fact that the child had swallowed peas whole, that they had
sprouted and were growing in her stomach.
Centenarian Stricken.
Isaac Jones, aged 106, claimed to be the oldest man in the state
of Iowa, died at Des Moines Friday night. Jones was born in
England and came to America with his parents in 1800. Fifty-eight
years ago he moved to Iowa and has since resided on farms in
Story and Poulk counties [sic - Polk]. His second wife and a
large family survive him.
Newton Hellyer Murdered.
According to a message from the chief of police at Winona, Newton
Hellyer of Clinton was murdered near that city. The body was
indentified by letters in the pockets. The murdered man resided
with his family at Clinton and had a wife and four children. His
father died a few weeks ago, leaving some property.
Died in the Philippines.
News has been received of the death of Glen A. Mark, a Cherokee
boy, while in the army in the Philippines. He was the son of Mr.
and Mrs. F.O. Mark, who recently located at Bruck, S.D.
[transcribed by C.J.L., Sept. 2004]