Iowa Old Press
Sutherland Courier
Sutherland, O’Brien co. Iowa
December 5, 1884
The German dance at the hall last Friday night was a complete
success, financially and otherwise. Many Americans took
part and report a very enjoyable time. The best of order
was maintained throughout the entire
event. The dance did not break up until daylight Saturday
morning.
J.E. BURRIS has sold his farm, northeast quarter of section 36,
Highland township, to D.C. FIELDS, an old (unable to read) of
Liberty township, and gives possession in February. Mr.
BURRIS will remain in this vicinity
providing he can rent a good stock farm, as he wishes to turn his
attention to the raising of stock.
C.W. INMAN went before Justice (unable to read), of Highland
township last Thursday afternoon and swore out an (unable to
read) charging J.F. SHEPARD of Sutherland, of being guilty of
selling intoxicating liquors contrary to law. Mr. SHEPARD
was arrested Friday and taken before Squire GATES, who bound him
over in the sum of $500 to appear before him Tuesday, December
9th, at which time the case will be tried. Mr. SHEPARD has
employed Attorneys BAILEY and COLCORD to defend him, and J.B.
DUNN and J.L.E. PECK will prosecute for the State. Fifteen
separate counts are alleged against the defendant and a judgment
must be entered on each count for which a verdict of guilty is
tendered. The fine in each case must be not less than $50
nor more than $100. It will be seen by this that defendant
is able to be fined $750 at the least and $1,500 at the most,
provided each of the 15 counts are sustained. SHEPARD will
make a hard fight, though the odds are decidedly against
him. His attorneys realize this, and will go into the fight
prepared to take advantage of any technicality in order to win
the case.
M.E. HILL, the station agent, is buying up a fine lot of young
hogs which he will feed until spring.
We have heard several people remark within a few days past that
Sutherland was a terrible “dry” town.
J.H. MURPHY has been attending court at Primghar this week,
trying to settle up the Sanborn skating rink business.
There is some talk of reviving the Aldine Dramatic Club and
putting a play on the boards some time during the winter.
J.Y. CARTANO has a business card in another column. He runs
a first-class barber shop and sells a fine line of cigars.
Give him a call.
Sioux City has been infected with a bold gang of burglars of
late. Two members of the gang were arrested Monday night
and lodged in jail.
A valuable bird dog belonging to Orin GOWAN died in town
Monday. It is thought the dog was poisoned. Mr. GOWAN
valued the animal at $50.
Parties indebted to us will please call and settle as soon as
possible. We wish to start out on the new year with
collections all made and debts all paid.
ABIFF Lodge A.F. & A. M. No. 347, will give a grand festival
and ball Friday evening December 26th. Members and their
friends are cordially invited to attend.
E.E. PETERSON has been changing his feed mill and power around in
a more convenient position, and is now better prepared than ever
to do work for the farmers on short notice.
Thanksgiving was not very generally observed in Sutherland.
There were no services at the church, and the stores were open
all day, business going on a little livelier than usual.
E.C. CUMMINGS had his fine span of creams hitched to his nobby
new buggy Tuesday afternoon and treated several of his friends to
a spin around town. The writer was one of the number.
It is said that the first three days in December indicate what
the weather will be for the winter. If we were sure the old
saying would prove true we would close out our last winters
overcoat at cost.
The engine drawing the west-bound passenger train became disabled
at Peterson Monday evening and a freight engine was sent back
after the train. The mail was about an hour late in consequence.
C.S. KELSEY is now milking 14 cows and supplying the people of
Sutherland with fresh milk each day. He also has a full
creamery outfit and is making some excellent butter and shipping
it to eastern markets.
[transcribed by C.B., May 2005]
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Sutherland Courier
Sutherland, O’Brien co. Iowa
December 12, 1884
That Whisky Trial.
The attorneys, witnesses and nearly everyone in the town and
county interested in this suit gathered at the residence of
Justice GATES, in Highland township Tuesday afternoon ready for
business. The defendant demanded a change of venue, and the
papers were turned over to Justice DOYLE, who set the hour for
trial at 10 o’clock Wednesday morning. Defendant (sic)
stated in his affidavit demanding a change of venue that the
other two Justices of Highland township – LOUTHAN and DOYLE
– were material witnesses for the defense, and therefore
were not competent to try the case and asked that he be granted a
change to the next nearest Justice in the county, barring DOYLE
and LOUTHAN. A late decision of the Supreme Court was
produced and read by Messrs. DUNN and PECK, council for the
prosecution, which was to the effect that the defendant could not
take the case out of the township in which the information was
filed only on certain conditions; and as it could not be shown
that any of the objections enumerated by the higher court, in
which a change from the township could be allowed, existed, the
papers were over to G.W. DOYLE, the next nearest justice, who set
the time for trial at 10 o’clock the next morning.
The school directors in the district north of Mr. DOYLE’S
kindly consented to close school for the time being and allowed
the school house to be used as a court room. The first
ruction (sic) occurred early in the day when Messrs. BAILY and
COLCORD endeavored to oust C.W. INMAN from being officer of the
court, on the ground that he was a party to the action. The
point was hotly contested, but was finally decided in Mr.
INMAN’S favor. The council for the defense then
announced that they were ready for trial and requested the
council for the State to produce their evidence. Thirteen
witnesses were examined and the matter was submitted to the court
with but little argument. The court was of the opinion that
the evidence introduced was sufficiently clear to convict
defendant on nine of the thirteen courts (s9c), and the verdict
was that he be fined $0 for each count on which convicted, and
stand committed until fine and costs were paid. BAILEY then
jumped to his feet and read a decision to the court which held
that he could not render judgment in a case wherein a man was on
trial accused of having committed a criminal offense, but that
criminals must be tried by a jury. It was taken for granted
by nearly all present that any judgment from the justice would
not be worth the paper it was written on, and the
defendant’s friends manifested their pleasure by giving a
hearty cheer, and congratulating him on his narrow escape from
conviction. The prosecuting attorneys claim the judgment is
all right and the prisoner will be placed in jail as ordered by
the justice. BAILEY and COLCORD claim he will be released
at once, and here the matter rests. How it will end remains
to be seen.
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KIRCHHOF & JENS and FARNSWORTH & SHEPARD are buying large
quantities of poultry and shipping to eastern markets.
Farmers generally find poultry raising quite profitable.
Sutherland should be better supplied with wells. Water is a
mighty handy thing to have around, especially when a fire breaks
out in a business block. The council would act wisely in
ordering a few wells and cisterns dug on Main and Second street,
and it has been suggested that a petition be gotten up asking
that body to do something of the kind. This is a dull
season of the year and men can be employed now much cheaper than
in the spring and busy seasons. Besides, there is great
danger from fire during the windy winter months, and the present
supply of water would not be a “drop in the bucket”
toward putting out a fire if one should get a good start on the
north side of Second street. We hope and believe the
council will take this matter into consideration.
B. THOMPSON transacted business at Toledo this week.
Mr. and Mrs. D.C. O’BRIEN and E.J. LEWIS visited with
friends in Sheldon over Sunday.
H.A. PECK made a trip to Orange City Monday to close up a land
sale. He returned the same day.
Mrs. E.P. MESSER and her daughter, Mrs. J.H. MURPHY, left for
Chicago Monday morning, to visit friends and relatives.
W.S. WILSON made a trip to Peterson last Monday to get the money
he won on the horse race there several months ago.
“Big A Little a r-o-n” BROWN, special agent for the
State Insurance Company, came into town Tuesday to help adjust
TOWBERMAN & Son’s loss.
J.B. EMINGER, special agent and assistant adjuster of the Council
Bluffs Insurance company came to town Monday evening to adjust A.
TOWBERMAN & son’s loss.
W.S. FULLER, of Hartley, was in town Tuesday. The balmy
atmosphere of O’Brien county apparently agrees with him,
for, as the boys remark, “he is as thick as he is
through,”
C.H. KINDIG left Monday evening for Missouri, where he expects to
attend college, and, we understand, prepare himself for the
ministry. His wife has been there several weeks.
J.R. CARROLL, who has been working in J.C. BRIGGS’ harness
shop for several months past, started Sunday for Grand County,
Wisconsin, to visit friends. He will be back after the
holidays.
The Insurance adjusters were in town to settle A. TOWBERMAN &
Son’s loss, but we understand no settlement was effected.
J.Q. ADAMS, of Stephenson county, Illinois, and his son Oscar C.
ADAMS, of Morrison, Grundy county, Iowa, came to this place last
Friday to look for bargains in land. H.A. PECK, land agent,
took them in tow and shoed them several fine tracts which he had
for sale, and finally they decided to purchase two quarter
sections, one the southwest of section 5, and the other the
southeast of section 6, Waterman township. No better land
than this half-section can be found in O’Brien county, or
northwestern Iowa for that matter. The younger ADAMS will
move out here next spring and improve his farm. His father
expects to send out a younger son from Illinois to live on and
improve the other. Both gentlemen left for home yesterday
morning, well satisfied with their bargains.
The libel suite between PIPER, of the Sheldon Mail, and
the Sutherland grain buyers, came up for trial last Friday.
Attorneys DUNN and BAILEY appeared for the plaintiffs and MORTON
and NASH for the defendant. PIPER did not introduce
evidence, but made a complete denial of all charges preferred
against him. The case was submitted to the jury and after
staying out all night a verdict was brought in for the plaintiff
and damages assessed at one cent. This throws the costs of
the suit, amounting to about $125.00, on to PIPER, and the
Sutherland grain buyers are well satisfied with the result.
PIPER has filed a motion to arrest the judgment, and the grain
buyers ask for a new trial. What the outcome will be
remains to be seen. PIPER is badly worked up, and ought to
be convinced that the people of the county do not uphold him in
his fight against the business interests of this town. It
was certainly a fair trial, and a jury composed largely of
farmers returned a verdict in favor of the grain buyers the very
men PIPER claimed were swindling the farmers. Really, it
would seem that the farmers don’t swallow everything PIPER
says, after all.
[transcribed by C.B., June 2005]
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Sutherland Courier
Sutherland, O’Brien co. Iowa
December 19, 1884
HORSTMAN Bros. have a large new advertisement in this week’s
Courier. They expect to go out of the mercantile
business at this place, and in order to dispense of their goods
are offering some rare bargains. Call and see them.
J.H. REAGER, the accommodating proprietor of the Reager House,
will soon fix up the building just north of the Courier
office for a sample room. Increasing patronage has long demanded
some such place in connection with the popular hotel.
Only a few days ago we heard a man in town remark that he had not
seen a man drunk in Sutherland since the probitionary law went
into force, the 4th of last July. This man is either blind, or
else he does not think it possible for a man to become
intoxicated.
At the council meeting Tuesday evening it was decided to settle
with H.A. WORDEN by remitting the fine, provided he would pay the
costs, and a committee was appointed to effect the settlement.
The council concluded to stand BAILEY a fight, and instructed the
Mayor to appear and defend, and also made provisions for
employing council for the town.
A.TOWBERMAN made a trip east the first of the week to purchase a
new line of furniture, which he proposes to open up in the old
restaurant building, on the south side of Second street, in a few
days. He will put in a nice line of goods and will offer them for
sale at the lowest living prices. Call and see him when in need
of anything in the furniture line.
Several persons from the east have been in town during the past
week looking for land. They, as well as others who view our fine
prairies were well pleased with the country. We believe they have
not purchased any property yet.
Sleigh Bells jingled merrily Sunday afternoon. Every cutter,
jumper, “grass-hopper” and other vehicles on runners in
town was hitched to some sort of a nag, and the boys who were
fortunate enough to secure a conveyance took their ‘best
girls’ out riding.
The case of the State of Iowa vs. SHEPARD has been appealed and
Justice DOYLE fixed the bond at $50. At the time of going to
press Mr. SHEPARD was skirmishing around looking for a bondsmen.
We hope he will secure bail, close up his whiskey-shop and sin no
more.
The Hook and Ladder boys propose to get up another dance for New
Year’s night. Arrangements for a grand good time will soon
be effected. Remember the date and turn out in full force. The
company is in need of funds with which to finish equipping the
trucks, and providing them with shelter.
The teachers’ association in town last Saturday afternoon
and evening was quite well attended. The programme, as published
several weeks ago, was carried out, and the meeting was
considered quite a success. Superintendent ALGYER drove down from
Primghar to attend and take part in the meeting. The
teachers around here seem much interested and attend these
meetings for the purpose of learning how to do more effective
work in their schools. As long as the interest is kept up the
meetings of the teachers will be successful and beneficial. The
next meeting will be held in the school house in Paullina five
weeks from tomorrow.
[transcribed by C.B., June 2005]