Iowa
Old Press
Maquoketa Excelsior
Maquoketa, Jackson County, Iowa
October 18, 1912
A. W. Sokol, the Republican candidate for county attorney, is
making up for lost time, and is rapidly making friends in all
parts of the county. He has a never failing fund of energy,
coupled with plenty of common sense, and, if elected, will take
good care of the legal affairs of the county.
Reformed Church At Buckhorn Burns - Arson Suspected
Word was brought to town late last Friday that the Reformed
Church at Buckhorn had been struck with lightning during the
shower that afternoon and burned to the ground. But inasmuch as
most of the residents of the Buckhorn neighborhood were in town
at the time conferring with the county attorney concerning the
loot which had been found in the church attic on Wednesday by men
who were repairing the building, there is a strong suspicion that
the thieves who had gathered the plunder may have fired the
church to hide as much of the evidence against them as possible.
People of that vicinity had been missing things for almost a year
and the variety of the articles found and the presence of an
improvised mattress and bedding, a gasoline stove and other
necessary utensils, shows that the vandals had been making a home
as well as a rendezvous of the place. Sheriff Howard collected as
much of the loot as possessed any value and brought it to town
where much of it has been identified by the owners. There are a
number of clues and it is quite probable that the officers will
be able to find and arrest the offenders.
[transcribed by K.W., December 2009]
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Excelsior Record
Maquoketa, Jackson co., Iowa
October 28, 1912
At one thirty in the early hours of the morning, Ralph Belden
Trout, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Trout, passed into that far
county where free and unhampered, he can go on living and
working. In California where he had acheived much business
sucess, his keen and practiced mind, his humor and cheerfulness,
his high moral standards inspired repect and love in all who knew
him...The last words spoken but a moment before his going were 'I
live and breath and have my being in God.' And so he left those
who loved him sorrowing and alone, but comforted in the thought
that his strong brave life goes on".
[Transcriber notes: Ralph Belden Trout 1890-1912. I am a
descendant of Thomas Trout, George and Grace are my ggg aunt and
uncle. Transcribed by M.J.M., December 2007]