Iowa Old Press

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
December 16, 1895

WANTS HER HUSBAND BACK.

A new and interesting feature has now arisen in the insanity case of Mr. and
Mrs. C. H. Anderson, of Liberty township. It will be remembered that the
farmer tried to have his wife sent to the insane hospital but that on the
testimony of witnesses it was found that Anderson himself was the insane
member of the family and he was sent to Independence. It now turns out that
Mrs. Anderson is very lonely by herself on the farm and is anxious to have
her husband released from the insane hospital and returned to her. She is
suffering from rheumatism and needs him to look after things. Their
property is mortgaged and the home affairs are not in a very favorable
condition, the corn being yet in the field and other work being behind and
he is needed about the place to look after matters. An effort will be made
to have him released from the asylum.

LeMars Sentinel, LeMars, (Plymouth), Iowa, Thursday, December 19,
1895, Page 3, Column 3:

THE KOHL CASE
Conrad Kohl to be Tried This Week for Killing his Hired Man, Wm. Dockey.

From Monday's daily:

It was expected that the Kohl murder case would come on this morning
before Judge Gaynor, but owing to other cases that were not finished, it was
deferred for a short time.

Mr. Kohl has been out on bail since May. He shot and killed his hired
man on the 17th of May under circumstances that indicate the killing was
done in self-defense. Mr. Kohl and his son who was present and saw the
affair both assert that the shooting was done in self defense.

The hired man had been discharged for drunkenness. He went off on a
drunk for several days and then was found on Friday night May 17, on Mr.
Kohl's premises. Before going over to Mr. Kohl's farm he had told his
companions that he was hungry and that he knew where there was some sausage
and dried beef over at Kohl's and that he would go over and get some.

When Mrs. Kohl and her daughter returned from church they found Dockey
in the yard. Mr. Kohl took his revolver and, accompanied by his son, went
out to see Dockey. The wife and daughter objected to his taking his
revolver. He saw nothing of Dockey for some time, but finally noticed him
at the granary door. He immediately said "What in h--- are you doing,
Bill?" and the latter replied "None of your d----- business," whereupon Kohl
rushed up and grabbed him by one arm, telling him to put up his hands. With
his disengaged arm Dockey struck him on the head with a monkey wrench he had
in his grasp, and Kohl immediately fired, the ball taking effect just over
Dockey's right eye, killing him instantly. The revolver was a small 22
calibre weapon.

Mr. Kohl at once proceeded to Warner's store and told Warner the
particulars. A jury consisting of W. L. Warner, Sam Harvey and George
Farrell was empanelled and a verdict found that the deceased was brought to
his death by a bullet from a revolver in Conrad Kohl's hand.

The preliminary hearing did not bring out any special evidence and Mr.
Kohl was again released on bail to await the action of the grand jury. He
was edicted (sic--indicted) and now the case comes up for trial. Ira T.
Martin will assist the county attorney in trying the case for the state
while Zink & Roseberry defend the prisoner.

Dockey had a wife and children near Ellendale, S. D., but appeared to
have abandoned them.

The Kohl case will be called as soon as the case of Jandt vs. Dunbar
goes to the jury, probably tomorrow noon.

LeMars Sentinel
December 23, 1895

SENEY TEACHER'S MEETING

A meeting of the Elgin Township Teacher's Association was held in Seney
Friday. The program announced in the Sentinel was carried out. The
combined program of the schools was excellent. The papers were as good, if
not better, than the preceding meetings. In the evening Prof. Shoup
delivered a lecture entitled "The Old Schoolmaster." People who have lived
in Seney ever since there has been a Seney say that it was the most
interesting, instructive, and pleasing discourse ever delivered here. The
professor spoke for one hour and fifteen minutes and had the very best
attention during the entire time. The music for the occasion was furnished
by the pupils of the Seney school and was excellent.

KOHL CASE ON TRIAL
The Jury Chosen and Several Witnesses for the State Examined

The trial of Conrad Kohl for manslaughter was commenced Wednesday afternoon.
The selecting of a jury occupied the greater portion of the first session.
The regular panel was exhausted and a number of talesmen were drawn before a
jury was found that satisfied the attorneys on both sides. The ones from
the regular panel chosen were Matthew Janse, of Remsen township, Edward C.
Hoffmann, of Johnson, Wm. Conley, of Washington, Will Kenaston, of
Westfield, Geo. Koenig, of Plymouth, and T. D. Graham, of Liberty. From
among the talesmen drawn the following six were selected to sit on the jury:
Jacob Eberle, Barney Roddy, Wm. Peacock, J. D. Laudi, N. P. Fisch and Geo.
Brunskill. The talesmen who were drawn, but rejected were Nick Wilmes, Nic
Schaul, J. N. Farlow, N. C. Evans, John Linden, C.Hausman, James Blackburn
and J. C. Jones. Among the jurymen that were rejected it seemed that a
majority were somewhat familiar with the case and had formed some opinion in
regard to it. Nick Wilmes was objected to because he could not read or
write English. This disqualifies him under the new jury law.

In opening the case John Adams, for the state, and T. M. Zink, for the
defendant, each spoke for about three-quarters of an hour and the evidence
to be introduced by each side was very closely gone over. Mr. Adams stated
that he would show that on the fatal night, when Wm. Dockey was discovered
by Mr. Kohl in the shed where the meat was and that he started to go away
and off the grounds when ordered to, but that Kohl followed him and grabbed
him, when he struck Kohl in his endeavor to get away and that Kohl promptly
fired; that the blow struck Kohl by Dockey was not of a sufficiently
dangerous nature to lave a mark visible a few hours afterwards. Mr. Zink
stated that the plea of the defense would be one of self defense; that when
Dockey was ordered off the premises he refused to go and that when Kohl went
up to him and ordered him to throw up his hands that Dockey struck Kohl on
the head with a monkey wrench and that the latter fired to protect himself
from further assault.

The first witness called for the prosecution was Nelson H. Bruce, a farm
laborer, who did not know much about the case beyond having seen Dockey in
O'Leary on the evening of the killing and that he was somewhat under the
influence of liquor. Deputy Sheriff Lewis, Thos. Kohl, the young son of
Conrad Kohl who was the only witness present at the time of the act, and
Henry Nugent, the O'Leary blacksmith, were put on the stand this morning but
their testimony was only in line with the facts that are already known to
the public.

From Friday's Daily.

Nothing new or startling was developed in the Kohl trial Thursday. The sate
rested its case at 3 o'clock and the witnesses for the defense went on the
stand and were got through with this morning. The only attempt to spring
any new sensation was on the part of the attorneys for the defense who
attempted to prove that Dockey attempted to poison Kohl or some members of
his family.

Some time previous to the killing Kohl had bought a bottle of strychnine to
kill squirrels with and had kept it in the cellarway. Several weeks after
the fatal day, the bottle was found in the wheat bin, it having been missed
from where it had been kept. Connection was made between the bottle
disappearance and the subsequent recovery based on the fact that Dockey was
supposed to have been in the cellarway the day he was discharged from Kohl's
employ. Attorney Martin made the first address to the jury in behalf of the
state.

DREW A GUN ON HIS WIFE

Sam Moist was called from bed late Wednesday night to go to Hinton in answer
to a telegram sent him by a friend stating that his sister, Mrs. B. F.
Bogenrief, was having trouble with her husband, who it was alleged had
chased her away from her home with a gun. When Mr. Moist arrived at Hinton,
Bogenrief was not to be found and he returned home the next morning. The
trouble between husband and wife will be settled quietly. It seems that
Bogenrief wanted a separation but had not legal ground for action and that
he finally induced his wife to bring suit again him for divorce on the
charge of adultery. The case was to have been tired at this term of court,
but Mrs. Bogenrief withdrew the case and returned to Hinton to live with her
husband. Her course, it is presumed, is what caused the trouble the other
night.

MANAHAN RETURNS
His Escape, Flight, and Return Raises a Fine Point on Election Contests

Once more the people of Plymouth county can breathe easily. They will not
be represented in DesMoines this winter by a vacant chair. Hon. Frank
Manahan has returned in good health and with good healthy appetite. He had
not been knocked on the head in Sioux City. He left LeMars as the Sentinel
surmised in search of a comfortable place where he could quietly enjoy
himself until the time of service for an election contest should pass by.
Of course, Plymouth county people were worried about him when they heard
that he had been registered at Sioux City and had not returned. They did
not know but he had taken up quarters at the morgue where so many Sioux City
guests have gone in the past year. The suspense was all broken when Manahan
returned last night.

He thinks that he prefers a seat over on the Cherokee strip with the other
twenty Democrats who will form a colony in one corner of the hall of the
house of representatives this winter rather than with the greater body of
Republican elect.

He did not positively say that he had been in DesMoines all of the past week
practicing his maiden speech in the vacant hall which must tremble with his
eloquence this winter, but then it is not to be expected that an orator
would tell about practicing his impromptu remarks.

Robert Crouch was in LeMars yesterday and he laughed at the idea of
contesting Manahan's seat. The fact is that the final result of the contest
as it now stands shows a majority for Manahan anyway. Of course Frank did
not know that such would be the result when he was suddenly "called away" or
he would not have been obliged to go away to "avoid the draft." Mr. Crouch
and the rest of the Republicans did not want to chase after him and tell him
of the result when he was having such a good time visiting all by himself.
No one ought to mar another's enjoyment when it can be helped, particularly
if it is innocent mirth that hurts no living being.

Now that the jokes are over about this and no one has been hurt on either
side, Manahan's escapade raises a very interesting and important question.
If the recount had turned out differently and it had been ascertained that
Crouch really did have a good majority over Manahan, would Manahan's
precautionary flight to escaped service have prevented Crouch's taking the
seat that would in that case have rightfully belonged to him? Manahan's
move appears to be a new one in election contests and to the casual reader
of law, it looks like a pretty sharp one, although in this case, it did not
really turn out to be necessary.

REFUSED A NEW TRIAL
From Thursday's daily.

Attorney Boland argued the motion for a new trial yesterday in the case of
the State vs Thos. Keefe, who was convicted at the last term of court of
stealing shoes from the shoe factory and sentenced to fourteen months in the
penitentiary at Anamosa. The court overruled the motion and gave the
defense ninety days in which to file a bill of exception, the bond being
placed at $1,500.

ENTERTAINED IN THE COUNTRY

A number of the young people of the German M.E. church drove out to the home
of Fred Remer, three miles east of town, Tuesday evening in a bus and
enjoyed a very jolly evening with amusing pastimes. All sorts of jolly
games were indulged in and the time passed so quickly that the hours of dawn
was fast approaching when the members of the party arrived back at their
respective homes.

MOVED INTO NEW QUARTERS

The wholesale liquors of Prust & Ellenbecker have been moved from the place
of business on Sixth street which has been the home of the firm for several
years past into the Pew building on Main street. The ground floor and
basement of the building have been suitably fitted for the business and in
its new quarters the firm will continue to enjoy the large wholesale trade
it has had in the past.

AS CONGENIALWITHOUT IT

Cherokee Democrat: I have noticed a good many LeMars people in the city the
past week or so. I think somebody must have started the report down there
that the crazy house was completed and they rushed up here to get into it.

HARRISON'S SHOP

Increasing business has made it necessary for R. W. Harrison to enlarge his
shop for bicycle repair work, locksmithing, and gun work. The room has been
enlarged to twice the former size by moving the partition back.

DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT CASTANA.
George Wolfe Takes Unerring Aim at His Wife and Sister-in-Law

CASTANA, Ia., Dec. 18.—Early last evening George Wolfe shot his wife and her
sister, Mrs. William Rutledge and then surrendered. The women are mortally
wounded. Wolfe and his wife had been parted several months, she living in
Mr. Rutledge’s family. Jealousy is the supposed cause of the tragedy, but
Wolfe refuses to talk.

LeMars Post
December 24, 1895

CONRAD KOHL ACQUITTED
The Neptune Farmer Is Found “Not Guilty” of Manslaughter.

The jury in the Kohl case brought in a verdict of acquittal at a late hour
last Saturday evening. At noon, the same day it was reported that the jury
stood 10 to 2 for “not guilty” and Kohl’s friends were already confident of
securing a favorable verdict.

The decision accords with a very general public sentiment in favor of Kohl.
While popular opinion as near as can be gained from interviews with many of
our prominent citizens, is inclined to condemn Kohl for his hasty action,
nevertheless the shooting of such a man as Dockery of drunken disposition
and a quarrelsome nature, under such circumstances is generally looked upon
as a very justifiable act of self defense.

LeMars Sentinel
December 26, 1895

CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY

Christmas Day passed off very quietly in LeMars. Skating was the chief
amusement of the day and the weather being perfect with enough sharpness in
the air to make rapid exercise agreeable, it was enjoyed afternoon and
evening by large crowds of old and young at the rink and on the river. The
hard winds of Tuesday had given promise of a change in the weather and snow,
but though a heavy fall of the beautiful was reported in the central portion
of the state none fell in the northwest. The temperature, however, fell
over twenty degrees and the weather was pleasantly cold even though an old
fashioned white Christmas could not be enjoyed.

Services were held in several of the churches in the morning. Early mass
was celebrated at St. Joseph's and St. James' churches and high mass at
10:30. At St. Joseph's church particularly beautiful music had been
prepared for the services. A service was held at St. George's church at 10
o'clock for which elaborate music was prepared. One of the old hymns sung
to beautiful new music composed by Prof. Oldham was one of the features.

In every home in the city the usual festivities were indulged in. The
business houses have enjoyed unprecedently large business for the past few
days and it would seem from the crowds that have been shopping every day
that the heart of every person must have been gladdened with the gifts of
loving friends. In many families there was especial joyousness caused by
the presence of long absent relatives and in such cases the re-uniting
around the family board insured the greatest happiness.

OUR COUNTY NEWS
By our Correspondents and from Exchanges

HINTON: (Special Correspondence)

Miss Martha Held is visiting with her sister, Mrs. P. P. Schindel, in Sioux
City.

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Winter, returned from Ottumwa last week where Mrs.
Winter has been for medical treatment, she being much improved in health.

Fred Schneider, of LeMars, was visiting relatives and friends in our burg
last week.

The Hinton Creamery company is erecting a large and commodious icehouse near
the creamery.

Quite a number of people from LeMars attended the Schneider sale last
Thursday.

P. P. Schindel, of Sioux City, was visiting at the parental home last
Thursday.

The first shipment of butter from the Hinton creamery was sold at top price
in New York last week. Our farmers are beginning to realize the advantages
of a creamery over the old way of making butter.

Chas. J. Anderson and T. Waters took a business trip to Merrill last
Thursday.

Hermon Mueke returned home from South Dakota last Wednesday where he had
been looking at some land which he intends to buy.

Chas. Kirstine returned to his home near Lancing last Friday to spend the
holidays under the parental roof.

J. C. Koenig, of LeMars, was visiting with his daughter, Mrs. Philip
Schneider, last Sunday.

Mrs. Robert Blecker, of Ponca, Neb., is visiting here with her many friends
and relatives over the holidays.

Rev. P. Belzer will commence a series of revival meetings at the Melbourne
church Thursday evening, Dec. 26.

ADAVILLE: (Special Correspondence)

Grain is being marketed regardless of the low price.

James and Ruth Alderson are spending the holidays in Minnesota.

The surprise dance at Mr. Miller's last Thursday evening was a success in
every respect.

A. Fletcher and wife were transacting business in LeMars Saturday.