Iowa Old Press

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel

Friday, March 4, 1921

TROUBLES AIRED IN COURT

Echo of Divorce Suit Tried Last Fall In Justice Court

The office of Justice Koenig was crowded on Wednesday afternoon when the case of the State against Cecil McGruder came up for hearing. The complainants in the case were Henry and George Beaulieu. A number of witnesses were examined. Two charges were filed, one on assault and battery charge and one on a charge of threatening a breach of peace, the prosecution asking to have McGruder put under peace bond. By agreement of the opposing attorneys, the cases were tried together, the testimony to be offered in each being similar.

On February 22, 1921, Mrs. Nora (sic-Laura) Beaulieu, the divorced wife of Geo. Beaulieu, drove out to the school house near the Beaulieu farm to see her children. She was accompanied by Cecil McGruder, who took her out in his car, according to testimony.

Henry Beaulieu was the first witness called. He stated he was a member of the Liberty township school board and was at the school house on the day in question. He saw Mrs. Beaulieu and McGruder, and the three children of the Beaulieus all sitting in the car visiting. He ordered McGruder off the school grounds and McGruder declined to go. George Beaulieu came up a few minutes later and told his children to get out of the car, as he did not want them associating with McGruder. Mrs. Beaulieu and Cecil McGruder got in an argument with George Beaulieu and after hard words had been exchanged, McGruder got out of the car and a fight ensued.

The testimony as to who started the fight was conflicting. Henry Beaulieu testified he did no fighting but only attempted to keep McGruder and George Beaulieu apart. The Beaulieus said McGruder had some instrument which he drew out of his pocket and George Beaulieu testified that McGruder hit him on the nose with brass knuckles. McGruder and Mrs. Beaulieu swore McGruder had no such weapon of any sort. It was shown in evidence that after McGruder had knocked down George Beaulieu, the latter got up and seizing a shinny stick struck McGruder with it. Mrs. Beaulieu and McGruder swore that while George and McGruder were scrapping, Henry tripped up McGruder and while McGruder was on the ground, George piled on top of him, but McGruder threw him off.

Sheriff Maxwell was put on the stand to show that McGruder and George Beaulieu had words in a garage in Lemurs previous to the occasion of the fight in Liberty township and that McGruder had offered to lick Beaulieu at that time.

The evidence given by George Beaulieu showed that he had no objection to the mother visiting the children, as the court had given her permission to do so in the decree in the divorce case, but he objected to Mrs. Beaulieu sending a photograph of herself and McGruder, marked “my fellow” to the thirteen year old daughter. The picture was introduced in evidence.

Bernard Beaulieu, a bright lad of eleven years, was called as a witness and proved a good one.

Peter Trometer and Henry Husted were also called on the stand. Trometer testified to seeing the parties at the school house the date in question. Husted testified he drove along the road just at the time McGruder knocked George Beaulieu down.

County Attorney Roseberry appeared to prosecute for the State and T.M. Zink for the defense. After hearing the evidence and the arguments, Justice Koenig tooke the case under advisement.

Justice Koenig rendered his decision in the case on Thursday afternoon, fining McGruder $25 and costs. Mr. McGruder, by his attorney T.M. Zink, gave notice of appeal to the district court and furnished a bond of $200.

Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, March 8, 1921

Mrs. Mary Brace, a resident of Plymouth county for forty years, died at her
home on Clark street on Friday morning following a six-weeks illness,

Death was due to an attack of bronchial pneumonia and complications caused
by old age.

Mary Carpenter was born on December 1, 1840, at Big Rock, Ill., where she
was brought up, attended school and grew to young womanhood.

When twenty-two years of age, and on her birthday, she was united in
marriage with Thos Brace and they engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Brace
came to Plymouth county in 1881 and farmed in this county for several years
and also farmed for a brief time in Minnesota, where Mr. Brace died twenty
seven years ago. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Brace made her home
in Le Mars until her death.

Nine children were born to their union of whom six are living. They are Mrs.
James Hoffmann of Colome, S. D.; Mrs. Otis Messick, of Sioux City; Mrs. J.W.
Dunn, of this city; Mrs. Will Dwyer, of Colome, S. D.; Clare Brace of
Gregory., S. D.; and Mabel, living at home. One son, Edward
Brace, died at Tacoma, Wash., two years ago, and a daughter, Mrs. Effie
Croston, of Presho, S. D., died seven years ago and one child in infancy.

There are twenty-six grandchildren and thirty-two great grandchildren. She
also leaves a sister and two J. brothers, who are Mrs. Amanda Cooney, of
Aurora, Ill., Noah Carpenter, of Sioux City and T. J. Carpenter of this
city.

The funeral services were held from the house on Sunday afternoon at two
o'clock. Rev. Walter Torbet of the First Methodist church officiating and
the remains interred in the city cemetery beside those of her husband.

Mrs. Brace joined the Methodist church when a girl in her teens and was a
faithful member of the church. She was a loving wife and mother and devoted
her life to her children and home. She was a good neighbor and friend,
always willing to help in time of trouble and sickness and bore the
vicissitudes of life with Christian forbearance and charity. She enjoyed the
respect and esteem of a large number in the community, of which she was a
member for forty years.

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel 

March 25, 1921 Page 1 

RECORD IN SERVICE EMPLOYE OF MILLING COMPANY FOR FORTY-TWO YEARS 

ATTACK OF PNEUMONIA WAS FATAL. 

Patrick Considine, One of the Pioneer Residents of LeMars, Passes Away after an Illness of Ten Days. 

Was Widely Known. 

Patrick Considine, one of the pioneer residents of LeMars, died at a local hospital at an early hour on Tuesday morning following a ten days illness of pneumonia. Two weeks ago Mr. Considine went to Emerson, Neb., to attend a funeral of a relative. On the trip he caught a cold which developed into the disease which proved fatal. It is said he was hardly ever sick a day in his life up to this time. 

Patrick Considine was a native of Ireland and was born in County Clare on June 14, 1855, and grew up in his native place. He came to America forty-four yhears ago and soon after arriving in the states came to LeMars and made his home here ever since. Mr. Considine held a record for long and continuous service. For forty-two yea4rs he was employed at the Plymouth mills and was a faithful and trusted employe, well liked and respected by his employers and his fellow workmen. He leaves a wife and two sons, John Considine and Michael Francis Considine of this city. One daughter, Nora, died in infancy. He also leaves a brother, Thomas Considine, of LeMars and four sisters, Mrs. John Connor, of LeMars, Mrs. Winnie Crowe, of Emerson, Neb., Mrs. Bridget Holloran and Mrs. Elizabeth Golden, residing in Ireland. 

Mr. Considine was well known to almost everybody in LeMars and had a kindly word and greeting for man, woman and child, and was acquainted with generations of children during his two score years in LeMars. He was a loving husband and father, an upright citizen, a conscientious workman and a most likeable man. He will be greatly missed among his fellow workmen and his home circle. A brief, but fitting eulogy was pronounced over him by a fellow workman, who had known and constantly associated with him for thirty-five years when he said, “Pat Considine was one hundred per cent man.” The funeral was held yesterday morning at St. James church, of which he was a member and was largely attended by neighbors and old friends. The members and employes of the Plymouth Milling company attended the funeral in a body and marched at the head of the cortege which escorted the body from the church to St. Joseph’s cemetery where the interment was made. The pallbearers were John Madden, Henry Gallagher, John Fisher, H. L. Dambrink, F. J. Beattie and Nicholas Holton.