Iowa Old Press

Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler co. Iowa
December 23, 1903

Happenings in Iowa -- Events of a Week Throughout the State

Cashier Kills Himself. Harry W. Mayne, cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Linn Grove, shot himself through the heart last week. It is understood that mayne lost heavily on the board of trade. The bank is a private institution and claims a deposit of $100,000. It is controlled by the First National Bank of Storm Lake, which ordered its doors closed. W.E. Brown, cashier of the First National Bank of Storm Lake, and president of the Farmers' and Mechanics' bank, at Linn Grove which closed its doors after its cashier, Harry W. Mayne, killed himself , says he has no information as to the bank's affairs. The bank at Royal, Ia., of which Everett Mayne, son of the dead man, was cashier, has also closed its doors. it is said the Royal bank was a Mayne institution entirely. There seems little likelihood that the Storm lake interests will take any steps to reopen the Linn Grove bank, or to guarantee depositors payment in full. It is believed the affairs of the Linn Grove bank are in very bad condition.

Bank Robbers Captured. Robbers blew open the safe of the Citizens' Saving bank at Quimby Wednesday and secured $3,000 in cash. Burglars blew the door from the safe of the postoffice at Paulina and secrued $235. While in search of the men who committed the latter robbery Sheriff Price of O'Brien county captured two of the Quimby bank robbers. When cornered by the sheriff and his deputies the men attempted to save their boodle by throwing it on the ground, but it was recovered to the amount of $1,430. The money was wrapped in parcels bearing the name of the bank in printed letters.

Contest for Dead Man's Money. M.L. Pinkley of Des Moines has established almost beyond doubt that he is the sole heir to Jacob M. Funk, an eccentric millionaire, who died at Webster City two weeks ago without leaving any near relatives. the remote heirs in Northern Iowa are preparing to contest Pinkley's claims, but his evidence seems very strong.

Cheated the Gallows. Awaiting trial on a charge of killing his son, Simon Paddock committed suicide in his cell in the county jail at Sioux City by hanging himself with a rope made from his coat. His trail was to have opened thursday, the day he took his life.

Children Burned to Death. Three children of August Batten, a farmer of Alamakee [sic - Allamakee] county, have been burned to death. Batten and his wife had left their five children alone in the house. the residence burned to the ground, and only two of the children escaped.

Heir to Millions. After a lifetime of labor as a humble hostler in a livery stable, Adam Mickle of Spencer is to receive $4,000,000 from the estate of a wealthy relative who died recently in Australia.

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Marriage Licenses:
Edward Lehmon to Ida Loomis
William Imus to Olive Hurd
E.W. Hazene to Mary E. Peaks
J.O. Robers to Lulu M. Barr

Court House News.
The December term of District Court began Dec. 7th and was closed Dec. 17th. The grand jury was impaneled with D.B. Downey as foreman, and had only one case of any importance before it, the case of State vs Walter Codner, John, James and Walter Dixon, in which an indictment was found charging them with assault apon L. Sinkler and Arthur Yetter with intent to commit murder. The indictment was found on Dec. 11, and County Attorney Burling insisted on the trail of the case at this term of court. the trial was set for Wednesday Dec. 16, and G.M. Craig was appointed by the court to defend Codner. When the case came to trail Codner pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit manslaughter and was sentenced to five years at Anamosa at hard labor. The case of the Dixons was continued to the March term, and it is generally supposed they will recieve a much lighter sentence than Codner, on account of this being their first offense.

The only jury trial was that of Minnie Miller of Parkersburg vs C.C. Wolf of that place, in which she asked damage for $5,000 for alleged slander. More than a year ago a brother of Miss Minnie Miller borrowed $1,600 of C.C. Wolf on his unsecured note and Miller, without notifying Wolf, transferred his property by bill to sale to Miss Minnie Miller, his sister, with the evident intention of defrauding his creditors. Wolf went to Miller and his sister and attempted to get the signature of Minnie Miller upon the note also, which she declined to do and then he used language to this effect, that Minnie Miller was a thief and had stolen the property, and htis is the ground on which she brings the action. The jury had the case only a short time and brought in a verdict for Wolf.

[transcribed by S.F.; July 2004]

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