Iowa Old Press
Emmetsburg Democrat; Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa,
Wednesday, August 5, 1885
We believe it is something over a year since the prohibitory law
went into effect in Iowa, and now the question suggest itself.
"What good has it done for the people of Palo Alto
County?" If it is done any good we would like to have some
of our friends who would advocate prohibition, tell us where and
we have received any benefit from such a law. On the other hand,
we claim it has been a detriment to both our city and county and
should be repealed.
IOWA CONDENSED
-- Fred Reveal, 11 years old, was drowned in White Breast creek
near Osceola a few days ago. The body was recovered.
-- The wife of Rev. John Light, residing near New Boston, Lee
County, was run over and killed on the north road while
attempting to cross the track in front of a freight train.
-- Sylvester Hanna, a prominent farmer and citizen of Danville
township, Des Moines county, was killed a few days ago by the
fall of a timber to which a hay fork rigging was attached while
unloading hay at his barn. He leaves a large family.
-- Otto Todd, aged 18 years, and the son of James Todd, a farmer,
living four miles south east of Mt. Sterling, Iowa, was killed by
a mowing machine, the horses becoming frightened and running
away. It is supposed that Todd was fixing the harness and oiling
the machine at the time.
-- At the Palisades, a summer resort on Cedar River fifteen miles
below Cedar Rapids, two young ladies were drowned on the 29th.
One was Miss Mills, eldest daughter of S. K. Mills, grand
secretary of the Iowa Legion of Honor and the other, Miss Nole.
They were each about 15 years of age.
-- James Smith, of Waverly, employed as brake man on the Illinois
Central railroad, had his leg so badly crashed while engaged in
switching cars at the Waverly road, and amputation was deemed
necessary. The leg was taken off a little below the knee, but the
injuries the patient had suffered were so severe that his system
failed to rally, and he died in 20 minutes after the operation.
-- Word comes from Solon, Johnson county, of a terrible
occurrence, on the premises of Mike Freeman, a farmer living
southwest of that town. An old lady, named Mrs. Champion, had
left her home nearby to call at the Freeman home. On entering the
yard she was attacked by two ferocious bull dogs, who speedily
knocked her down and proceeded to bite her most savagely. A
little girl was the only person about the premises and she
undertook to pull the ugly brutes off of a woman without success.
The girl then ran for the men of the farm who were working in a
field some distance away. It was some time before the men
arrived, and in the meantime the poor old woman was completely at
the mercy of the dogs who bit and gnawed her in a terrific
manner. When the men arrived and clubbed the brutes away they
found a fearful sight. Mrs. Champion had kept her hands clenched
over her face thus protecting that part of her person, but the
dogs had eaten a hole into her side, torn the scalp from her
head, and otherwise mutilated her. At last count she was still
alive, but her death was expected almost momentarily.
-- William Schaefer, a railroad employee at Davenport, lost his
little daughter. The sorrow so preyed upon him that he went to
the cemetery and while at the grave swallowed 2 ounces of arsenic
and a box of rough on rats with fatal effect. He had previously
ordered his coffin but it was understood as a joke.
-- George Rafferty was taken from Berwick, Polk county, to
Davenport, charged with robbing the United States Express Co. to
the amount of $1100 or a means of forged money orders.
-- G. Walters, a farmer in Grundy county, near Ackley, was
prostrated by heat on the 29th while binding on a harvester, and
died in a few hours
-- Jasper Weatherford, who had been married but one month, was
drowned in the Missouri River at Council Bluffs while bathing a
few evenings ago.
-- John Wagner, labor, and Clinton Hansel, painter, died a few
days ago in Iowa City from the effects of sunstroke.
TOWN SAYINGS
-- W. J. Hoffman after spending several days in the city with his
family, left for Minnesota on Wednesday last.
-- A few of our citizens have been charged recently with going
out in the country and shooting prairie chickens. There is a law
prohibiting this kind of work and the parties who violate it
should be informed on and punished. If it is fair for one to
shoot chickens, it is fair for all. Please wait until after
September 1 to do your shooting.
-- Probably at no other time in history of Palo Alto County has
the heat been so intense as that of the past week. Most all
business in Emmetsburg was suspended for a time, and the farmer
working in the harvest field found it almost impossible to endure
the penetrating rays of the sun. A few cases of sunstroke are
reported, but nothing of a serious nature. A number of farmers in
this vicinity are reported to have lost several valuable horses,
they having dropped dead in the harness while at work in the
harvest fields
-- Last Saturday J. E. King, clerk of courts, received a letter
from Judge James H. Macomber, stating that on account of a
dangerous illness of W. P. Young, a brother-in-law who resides in
Augusta, Maine, it would be impossible for him to be present at
Emmetsburg on August 5 to open court. Consequently circuit court
will not convene until October 20, 1885.
-- W. H. Innis is again located in his tonsorial rooms under the
Palo Alto Co. bank.
-- John Godden has been enjoying a visit recently with a brother
from Wisconsin.
-- J. Gunsel accompanied by Will Moore, left Emmetsburg Saturday
morning for Streator, LaSalle County, Illinois, where he will
reengage in the livery business. Mr. Gunsel has been a resident
of Emmetsburg for a number of years and he leaves a host of
friends who desire to see him prosper in his new home.
-- P. Duffy, of Great Oak, has had a large barn erected on his
farm.
-- Charles Nolan lost a valuable horse one day last week, the
result of over working. Five horses have been killed by the heat
this vicinity so far.
-- W. H. Hayes has opened a splendid livery outfit in connection
with his veterinary stable and is prepared to furnish the most
stylish rigs at very reasonable rates. Mr. Hayes has gained a
statewide reputation for being the best veterinary surgeon in
Iowa and we venture to say that a man of that kind will succeed
in the livery business.
-- W. H. Innis has moved back into the basement of Brown's Block
and now has his Bath Rooms in running order. For one month he
will give them a trial on Sunday forenoons with Master Charles
Dorris in charge, and Thursday afternoons from four to six for
ladies, with Mrs. Innis in charge. Mr. Innis now has one of the
best and most complete suite of tonsorial rooms in the state, and
we are pleased to note that he receives the support of a large
number of our best citizens.
BORN
In Emmetsburg, on Saturday, August 1, 1885, to Mr. and Mrs. D.
Rutledge, a son.
WEST BEND
-- F. M. Congdon lost the horse last week from the effect of the
heat.
-- a little girl at our blacksmiths A. Kephearts.
-- Married at the residence of the bride's brother-in-law, Mr. D.
M. Webster, Miss Lib Gard and Mr. George Thomas. Everybody joins
in wishing them well.
-- C. Scipbaugh, who was working for C. Mosher, 4 miles east of
town received a sunstroke last Wednesday from the effects of
which he died in about two hours.
[transcribed by C.J.L., April 2005]
-----
Emmetsburg Democrat; Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa,
Wednesday, August 12, 1885
IOWA CONDENSED
-- Archibald Coffman, the polka ardor, has been placed in the
Council Bluffs jail for safekeeping.
-- Cromwell Wilson, who died a few days ago at Fort Madison, at
the age of 67, has been a constant resident of that town since
January, 1837.
-- W. I Whipple, of Waterloo, was killed by a stroke of lightning
August 1. He had just driven to his residence and put up his team
and stepped into an outhouse, when the lightning struck the
building and killed him instantly, burning the hair from his
chest and also singeing his beard and his head. A singular fact
connected with the accident was that a large tree which stood
beside the outhouse was not struck, although the lightning struck
the building within a few feet of the tree.
-- Mrs. McDonald, wife of A.W. McDonald, of Washington township,
Jasper County, committed suicide by hanging a few days ago. She
had been in poor health for years. She leaves the husband and
three children -- 1 daughter and two sons. Mr. McDonald is a
highly respected citizen who has the sympathy of the entire
community.
-- The third annual camp-meeting of the Mississippi Valley
Spiritualists’ Association opened August 1 at Mt. Pleasant,
near Clinton, and will continue throughout the month. At the
inaugural meeting the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota were represented a large number
of "mediums" are also on the grounds.
-- Several horses fell victims to the heat at LeMars, among the
number a trotter valued at $500, belonging to Deputy Sheriff
Fuller.
BRUTAL WIFE MURDER
A Jones County Fiend Murders His Wife by Mashing Her Skull With a
Hammer
Excitement is high at Anamosa over a terrible tragedy that has
come to light. James Soltz, living will about 1 mile north of
Viroqua, murdered his wife by mashing her skull with a hammer and
also inflicting knife wounds on her body, any one of which was
sufficient to cause her death. Mrs. Soltz was a lady some 60
years old. Mrs. Soltz was at Mr. George Miller's and told them
she was afraid for her life; and that her husband had threatened
to kill her, because she refused to carry a letter he had written
to another woman. A little after seven on the evening of July 31,
she started home. About eight o'clock Mr. Soltz went home from
Mr. Miller's where he was helping making hay. The next day he
reported to work as usual, but said that his wife had not been
home that night. Upon being asked where she was, he replied that
he did not know, and to the question why he had not hunted her,
he made no reply. In the afternoon the neighbors and Soltz went
to look for her and found her body in his pasture in a terrible
condition, the body having been exposed all day to the terrible
heat. Word was sent to sheriff Wilds and Soltz now lies in jail.
Great excitement prevails and it will be a wonder if he is not
lynched.
TOWN SAYINGS
-- Dr. Ellis returned last week from Dakota where he had been for
a short time looking after his farm interests.
-- The new drugstore of James Fitzgerald is being pushed rapidly
to completion and for a wood building, will be a very pretty one
when finished.
-- The boys? in town seem to have a new kind of amusement to pass
away the time. A few days ago they tied an oyster can to the tail
of J.T. Loughlin's dog and another to the tale of John McNally's
dog and turned them loose. It is useless to say how the dogs
performed, as most everyone can imagine. This may be fun for the
boys but not much for the owners of the dogs.
-- James Higgins will soon remove his butcher shop to the
building next south of Matt Joyce’s; it was formerly
occupied by N. Koch.
-- Prohibition is working so successfully in the vicinity of
Emmetsburg that some have gone out in the oat fields and slept
for a few hours to get a clear idea of the term.
-- W. A. Stevens, who has been absent in Minneapolis for some
time, returned to Emmetsburg one day last week. Mr. Stevens
informs us that he will remove to the former city to reside in
the near future.
-- J. F. Neary will open a branch store in Ayrshire about the
17th of this month. We see no reason why he should not exceed in
this undertaking, and hope he may find it remunerative.
-- Frank Wrate received 3255 butter firkins from the state of
Vermont last Saturday -- a whole car load.
-- J. E. Watson is enjoying a visit from her brother and two
nieces from Wisconsin.
-- Truman Wilson reciting 10 miles west of Emmetsburg, is being
visited by a brother from Dakota.
-- Tom Egan thinks that buttermilk puts a man in fighting trim.
Pass it around,Tom, we want to fight.
-- Dr. J. C. Davis reports a newly born baby at the residence of
Amos Letson, of the Blairgowrie farm, on Sunday, August night. It
is a girl.
-- Saturday's word reached us that Louis Hanson and Christian
Jensen had been killed by lightning. It appears that Mr. Hanson
was on a load of hay pitching to Mr. Jensen who was stacking,
when both were struck and instantly killed. The first knowledge
of the sad affair to the parents of Mr. Hanson was, when his team
came walking into the dooryard was a part of a load of hay on
which lay the lifeless body of their son. Mr. Hanson is a Dane
who came to this country at the age of 19 and at the time of his
death was 33 years old, owner of a farm lived with his parents
and manage their property for them. His aged parents, now nearly
80 years old, are greatly affected and it is feared his mother
will not recover from the shock. The deceased was the brother of
Mrs. Paul Jensen, Mrs. Thomas Peterson, Peter and Chris Hanson
and also had a sister living in Utah. He was a man of many noble
traits of character, being kind and indulgent with his aged
parents, a good neighbor and honest in all his dealings. Mr.
Jensen was comparatively a new comer here, owner of a farm and
leaves but one relative in this county, an uncle in Walnut
Township, and one uncle and aunt in Denmark. The funeral took
place on Sunday last. -- Ruthven Free Press
[transcribed by C.J.L., April 2007]
-----
Emmetsburg Democrat; Emmetsburg, Iowa, Wednesday, August 19,
1885
TOWN SAYINGS
-- The infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Grattan of Ellington
Twp. died Wednesday last. The remains were interred in the
Catholic cemetery on Friday.
-- Miss Agnes Elliott, of Stillwater, Minnesota, is visiting with
the family of P. Joyce. Miss Elliott is a cousin of Mrs. Joyce
and will remain in Emmetsburg some four weeks before departing
for her home
-- D. C. Mesic, of Tyndall, Dakota, and formerly of this place,
is here in response to a telegram informing him of the dangerous
condition of his mother who resides in Emmetsburg. Mr. Mesic is
engaged in keeping hotel at Tyndall.
-- The Supreme Court of Iowa has decided that a sick man has a
right to diagnose his own case without the intervention of a
physician, and has the right also to prescribe for himself. And
now whenever an Iowa man is ailing he goes right straight to the
drugstore and hands in a prescription for a demijohn of whiskey.
-- Mrs. Matt Joyce was visited by her mother, Mrs. Healey, of
Fort Dodge, last week.
-- A deformed child was born to Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Rowley, who
resides 6 miles northeast of here, last week. It seems as healthy
and strong as any babe, but it has no hands and only one foot. --
Calliope Independent
-- H. W. Beebe, A. Taub’s efficient clerk, was setting up
the cigars to the boys on Monday morning. It is a girl and looks
just like its pa.
-- Mrs. Mesic, mother of D. C. Mesic Tyndall, Dakota and Mrs. H.
C. Kendall of this place, his lying dangerously ill at the
residence of the latter.
-- John J. Kavanaugh, the efficient clerk in P.J. Nolan &
Cos’ store at Ruthven, departed last week for Ireland where
he will remain during the winter.
-- The Normal Institute now in session in Emmetsburg and which
convened here a week ago last Monday, has been a very successful
one so far. Prof. Dudgeon is in charge this year again, and is
being ably assisted byP.H. Tomlinson and Mrs. Ayers. The
institute is a practical working one, and its influence will be
felt for the good the coming year. The institute will close next
week, and examinations for teacher certificates will be held
Thursday and Friday, August 27 and 28. Following are the names of
the teachers enrolled up to last Monday morning:
Emmetsburg.
Mary E. Treadgold, Ella Kelly, Florilla Webster, Sadie Butler,
Maggie Donovan, Nora Powers, Maggie E. White, Annie Cline, Katie
R. Jackman, Vina Acres, Nellie Carman, Minnie Green, Maggie
Mohan, Grace Cline, Mary J. Patton, Gertie Kelly, Janette Bryce,
Anna Lannen, NellieR. Uriell, Anna Davis, Addie Moffett, Kate
Darrah, Katie B. Jenswold, Allie White, Mrs. Ida Forester, Anna
Mohan, Virginia Duncan, Susie A. Egan, Lettie May Lake, Mary
Kelly, Lizzie A. Jones, Mary Murphy, Mary E. Black, Maria Roche,
Anna E. Riley, Lottie Joyce, Mary A. Roche, M.F. Roberts,
Henrietta Kelly, A. Thompson, Bridget E. Lannen, E.M. Butler,
Bridie A. Walsh, E.M. Beach, Ettie M. Lake, M.A. Conlon, Lulu
Anderson, P.F. Litleton, Olie A. Bostwick, E.M. Beach.
West Bend.
Ella A. Thatcher, Ada Seaver, Orra A. Thatcher, Addie Carter,
Esther H. Underwood.
Ruthven.
Mary Washington, Annie Doyle, Emily Washington, Mrs. B. Young,
Addie McCune.
Curlew.
Lillian J. Curtis, C.F. Curtis
Ayrshire
Mrs. S.J. Hutchinson, Belle Said, Ida Webster, Carrie Lyon,
Jessie Brown.
Whittemore
Bertha L .Keepers, Anna Torney
Rodman
Grace Miller
Algona
Martha McComb
Rolfe.
Julia M. Lamb, Ella Lamb, Helen B. Cooper.
BORN
On Wednesday, August 12th, 1885, to Mr. andMrs. H.M. BAllou, of
this place, a son.
On Sunday, August 16th, 1885, to Mr. and Mrs. Beebe, a daughter.
DIED
On Wednesday, August the 15th,1885, infant
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gratten of Ellington township.
At West Bend, Monday, August 10, 1885, Mrs. J.
Conover, aged 57 years.
[transcribed by C.J.L., April 2005]
-----
Emmetsburg Democrat; Emmetsburg, Iowa, Wednesday, August
26, 1885
IOWA CONDENSED
-- A well-known character of Dubuque, named James Flynn, a
butcher by trade, and formerly well off, shot himself and will
probably die. His brother John, who lived at Fort Dodge,
committed the same act a few years ago.
-- Martin Hull, who recently removed to Dubuque from Chicago to
become superintendent of the Iowa Iron Works, inflicted injuries
upon himself with a pocket knife that will probably prove fatal.
Temporary insanity induced by sunstroke was the cause.
-- Charlie Cunningham, an 18-year-old son of a deputy clerk of
Jasper County, was drowned in Skunk river, 5 miles southwest of
Newton, while out with a picnic. At last accounts they were still
searching for the body.
TOWN SAYINGS
-- H. S. Nissley took his departure from the city last Wednesday
to make his future home in Kansas.
-- Judge Thayer, of the Clinton Age, was elected president of the
democratic editor’s association, held at Cedar Rapids last
week.
-- W. G. Henry and wife are visiting with relatives in
Burlington.
-- Mr. Rice, formerly stationed agent at Livermore, succeeds A.F.
Pilcher as agent at this place.
-- Miss M. A. White is visiting with her sister, Mrs. Edward
Sherman, of Humboldt County. She will be absent several weeks
-- J. D. McCarty, formerly section foreman on the Milwaukee Road,
has leased the Koch building south of J. M. Hefley's livery
stable and has opened a billiard hall therein.
-- Commissioners of insanity, Dr. H. A. Powers, D. E. Kelley, and
J. E. King, were called to West Bend, on Thursday last, to
investigate the case of Mrs. Ella Franklin, wife of Benjamin
Franklin, of that place. For over a year last past, Mrs. Franklin
has been in a bad condition, and was admitted to the hospital, at
Independence, last fall, for about four months and seemed to have
been almost entirely cured. For the past few weeks, however, she
has become very bad again and is now entirely out of her mind.
She will again be committed to the hospital for the insane at
Independence, where it is sincerely hoped by all her friends she
may speedily recover. Mr. Franklin has had a great deal of care
and troubles with his wife during her long insanity and sickness
and has a expended hundreds of dollars to have her cured and has
paid all the expenses himself at the insane hospital during her
stay there. He has the deepest sympathy of the entire community
in his bereavement and all join in wishing his wife a speedy
recovery.
[transcribed by C.J.L., April 2005]