Iowa Old Press

LeMars Sentinel
October 1, 1929

DAD BRYANT HEARS CALL
A Beloved Old Resident of LeMars Answers Final Summons
Was a Nonagenarian
Prominent in Daily Life Here For Many Years

Dr. R.M. Figg, of this city, received a telegram Sunday announcing the death
of N.B. Bryant, of LeMars, at Cresbard, S.D., where he has been making his
home the last four or five years. His death was due to old age and marked
the passing of a spirit, which embodied the characteristics of a real man,
who lived and labored, had a sane view of life, and was endeared by ties of
friendship to a large number of people living in LeMars and vicinity.

Mr. Bryant had reached the age of 94 years, exemplifying the scriptural
saying that the days of a good man are long in the land. The sobriquet “Dad”
by which he was called for years, is tribute in itself to his qualities and
indicates the regard in which he was held in the community.

His life covered a long span and saw the making of much history, and Mr.
Bryant, in the course of his existence, was an observer of events and kept
in touch with the doings of the world until the last. His unbounded faith in
the general honesty of human kind was one of his tenets and one which
affected his monetary interests in later life.

BORN IN OHIO

Nathan B. Bryant was born in Butler County, Ohio, June 16, 1835, where his
parents, who came from New York, were early settlers. When he was a child
they moved to Michigan and carved a home out of the timber.

Nathan Bryant received a meager education in the country schools and helped
on the farm. With an inquiring mind and a prosperity for reading, he
gathered a smattering of knowledge which in after life became well grounded
with additional information gleaned by an open mind.

BECOMES A PRINTER’S DEVIL

When a lade of thirteen years of age in 1848, he went to work in a printing
office in Niles, Mich., and worked at that trade until 1860, when he quit
the art preservative, and returned to the work of the farm.

Mr. Bryant, while farming in Michigan, made trips to Chicago and used to
relate early experiences when that metropolis was budding. He was in Chicago
when the news of the assassination of President Lincoln was received and
well remembered the pall of gloom which overcast the country when the great
leader was stricken down by the hand of a crazed murderer.

COMES TO IOWA

Mr. Bryant was married to Susan Currier, of Rockingham, New Hampshire, in
1865. She was a member of a family several members of which were closely
connected with political and social life in Washington D.C., for many years.
She died in 1897.

The year of his marriage Mr. Bryant came to Iowa and bought land in Buchanan
County, where he farmed successfully for fourteen years and then moved to
Benton County where he lived eight years. From there he went to Faulk
County, S.D., where he lived a year and then came to LeMars and bought a
well improved farm in Marion township where he prospered. In 1903 he moved
to LeMars and purchased a fine home. Living in well earned retirement and
with a comfortable competence he listened to friends who told of fortunes
quickly made. Mr. Bryant made investments which failed to turn out as
presaged.

With altered fortune he was the same gallant gentleman as ever and never was
heard to utter a murmur or a complaint.

While residing in LeMars, Mr. Bryant was active in political and community
affairs and served two terms as a member of the city council. He was one of
the men instrumental in bringing the first Chautauqua to LeMars. He was a
member of the Congregational Church and of the LeMars Lodge of Elks.

He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Otis Swift and Mrs. Marion Olin, of
Cresbard, S.D., and two sons, Frank, of Assiniboia, Can., and Lewis Bryant
residing in Saskatchewan.

The remains were brought here for burial, arriving last night and the
funeral will be held this afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Beely undertaking
parlors.

Members of the LeMars Lodge No. 428, B.P.O.E. will be in charge of the
funeral. Dr. C.A. Mock, president of Western Union College, will deliver the
sermon.

YOUTH SLIGHTLY HURT
Cars Collide and Overturn on the Broken Kettle Road

Members of the Derocher family, of Westfield, are out of luck apparently at
present. Miss Bibiana Derocher is in a Sioux City hospital recovering from a
fractured bone in her arm, the result of being knocked down by a passing
motorist; and on Thursday her brother, Raymond Derocher, 18 years old, of
Westfield, suffered slight injuries when a small sedan in which he was
riding with Earl Reams, 22 years old, also of Westfield, collided with
another car and overturned on the Broken Kettle and Stone Park road.

Derocher was taken to St. Vincent’s hospital by H.C. Allen. First aid
treatment was administered and Derocher was dismissed shortly afterward.

Police did not obtain the name of the driver of the other machine.

_____

Geo. W. Koenig, F.F. Nicolls and Walter Spotts attended a meeting of
druggists at Sioux City Thursday. Druggists from Iowa, Nebraska and South
Dakota, in this trade territory, were present at the sessions held in the
Martin Hotel.

CHAPTER ADDED TO WILL CASE
ISABELLE POPE, FIANCEE OF WILLIAM NELSON McCLINTOCK, WEDS CHICAGO MAN

Another chapter was added to the famous McClintock will case when before a
small group of relatives and friends, Miss Isabelle Pope, former fiancée of
the late William Nelson McClintock of Chicago, was married Saturday night to
Melvin Veeder. Miss Pope is reported to have received $355,000 as her share
of the McClintock’s estate, over which Miss Pope, two groups of cousins and
McClintock’s guardian, William Darling Shepherd, have been engaged in
lengthy litigation. Shepherd was tried and acquitted of murder as the result
of mysterious circumstances under which McClintock died.

Miss Pope has been active in litigation arising out of young McClintock’s
death and disposal of his estate. She was give an $8,000 annuity under his
will, which left the bulk of his $1,000,000 estate to Shepherd, his
guardian. Miss Pope sought a widow’s share, contending that she and
McClintock would have been married if Shepherd had not interfered.

A fortnight ago it was reported that an agreement had been reached, under
which Shepherd relinquished half of the estate to the other heirs, Miss Pope
to receive $355,000.

LeMars people have followed the case through its ramifications with interest
as young William McClintock was a son of the late Wm. McClintock, a
homesteader of Plymouth County and a resident of LeMars for many years. He
held the office of county treasurer here in the eighties, moving in the
nineties to Chicago.

BANK ROBBER TRIES SUICIDE
Rex Frolkey Shoots Self Through Head While Fleeing From Vigilantes
WELL KNOWN IN LE MARS
Accused of Robbing Sioux Center Bank Earlier in Day

LATER
Frolkey died from his injuries at five minutes to six last evening.
-----
Rev. Frolkey, former minister, radio operator and student of Western Union
college, shot himself through the head on his farm near Ruble late Monday
afternoon while fleeing from officers seeking to arrest him for robbing the
State Bank of Sioux Center earlier in the afternoon. When Frolkey reached
the farm, the officers were not far behind and he went to the barn followed
by the tenant on the farm. He handed the man a roll of money saying he was
going to shoot himself and pulle3d a revolver and himself above the right
eye. The vigilantes from Sioux County were near enough to hear the shot.
Frolkey was identified by a former college mate at Sioux Center and also by
his license receipt on the instrument board of his car which some of the
people on the street read while he was in the bank.

Frolkey was brought to the Sacred Heart Hospital in LeMars about 5 o’clock
last evening. Little hopes are held out for his recovery.
GOOD LOOK AT CAR
The State Bank at Sioux Center was robbed shortly after noon yesterday and a
little less than a thousand dollars taken. Officers and vigilantes were
notified and given a description of the robber, who was said to be tall and
have driven a new Graham-Paige car.

A number of Sioux Center residents arrived later in LeMars and stated they
were hot on the trail of a car answering the description.

They stated they had seen the Graham-Paige car on the streets of the town
and were attracted to its appearance by the fact that Illinois license
numbers were placed over the Iowa number. Some in the crowd declared they
noted the name Rex Frolkey with the Iowa license in the inside of the car.

A man by the name of Siebels, from Sioux Center, went with Marshal F. J.
Smith to the Frolkey residence.

The officer questioned Frolkey, who asked the officer if he had a warrant.
The officer asked the Sioux Center man if he was willing to swear out an
information. The man was unwilling, saying he could not be positive of
identification.

On the return of Marshal F. J. Smith from the Frolkey house the officer met
Sheriff Hugo Synhorst, of Sioux County, who wanted Frolkey.

Frolkey, as soon as the Marshal and Sioux Center man had left, made tracks
for the west.

According to Ruben Sieperda, a resident and merchant of Sioux Center,
Frolkey was followed after his get-away. Upon reaching LeMars, Mr. Sieperda
and pursuers went to the home of a relative of Frolkey. Nothing had been
seen of him there nor at the home of his wife. In a short time, however,
Frolkey was seen driving up in the business district. Mr. Sieperda directed
his son to enlist the aid of police officers, while he remained on the scene
to watch Frolkey. The officer upon arriving refused to hold the suspect for
lack of authority and Frolkey made his escape. Mr. Sieperda followed
immediately and as his party approached the John Erickson farm, Frolkey had
driven into the yard and dashed to the barn, pulling a roll of bills from
his pocket and thrusting them to an attendant. He exclaimed, “Here, take
this money, the police are after me.” With that he threatened suicide and
his wife phone local authorities.

The pursuers heard the shot as they entered the farm yard. Upon county the
roll of bills, it was discovered that he had approximately $423 on him just
before he fired the 25 automatic.

A delegation of officers and others from Sioux County, called last evening
upon Mayor Henry Grimjes and informed him that if Marshall Smith did not
tender his resignation at once they would start ouster proceedings to remove
him from office.

LeMars Globe-Post
October 3, 1929

AN AMATEUR BANK ROBBER
A SUICIDE
Rex Frolkey Dies By Own Hand When Net Closes Down On Him

After a hectic career of 45 years, which ran the gamut of nearly every human
emotion to end at last in tragedy and despair, Rex Frolkey, former college
athlete, owner of radio station KWUC, real estate dealer, and lastly bank
bandit, died by his own hand on a farm three miles west, and a mile and a
half north of Brunsville. He shot himself through the head with a .25
caliber automatic as Reuben and Anthony Sieperta of Sioux Center, members of
a posse, were closing in on him.

Before shooting himself, he handed about $400 to H. Dickman, employed by
Eric Martinsen, tenant on the farm.

The body was shipped last night to Kearney, Nebraska.

Soon after his death, which occurred about 45 minutes after he shot himself,
officials of the Orange City bank, which was robbed several weeks ago,
viewed the body and identified the body as that of the bandit who robbed
that bank.

Officers pointed out, however, that it is the usual thing for everybody to
identify a bandit who has been killed, as the perpetrator of every other job
of banditry in the vicinity.

Yesterday a bank was robbed at Nebraska, but Frolkey had a perfect alibi, as
he was lying stark and cold in Beely’s morgue at the time.

Photographs of the body were taken at the request of state agents, who will
interview the officers of the banks in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota that
were robbed recently, to see if any of them could recognize the man.

The robbery at Sioux Center was perpetrated after noon, by Frolkey alone;
with only a small mask as disguise. He forced Gerrit Vermeer, assistant
cashier, a customer and his two small sons into a vault and helped himself
to the loose cash and jumped out of the window, started his car and drove
away.

The men locked in the vault were unable to get out until T. D. Sieman,
another employee of the bank, returned from lunch and released them.

Suspicion was at one directed at the LeMars man by Cy Danstratt and Henry
DeGroot, who had noticed his Graham-Paige coupe parked near the bank, with
an Illinois license plate over the Woodbury County license plate. They
looked inside the car and saw Frolkey’s name and Sioux City address.

With this slender clue to work on the Siepertas trailed Frolkey to Sioux
City, all over the western half of Plymouth County, and finally to LeMars,
where they notified the police.

Marshall Frank Smith went to the Frolkey home and he wasn’t home. A few
minutes later he was. But he put up such a good front that the Sioux County
men weren’t quite sure that they wanted him arrested. They watched him,
however, and a few minutes later when he made his dash for liberty they were
sure, and followed him, as recounted elsewhere in today’s paper.

FROLKEY WAS VICTIM OF VAMPIRES WHO DROVE HIM TO CRIME

On an occasion like the present it is only natural that human passions are
swayed, and people who knew Rex Frolkey and thought he was a pretty good
fellow are now liberal in their condemnation and intimating that they knew
right along that he would come to something like this.

As a matter of fact, no one could foresee his tragic end, because only a few
years ago Rex, then an impecunious college student, had a promising future
ahead of him. He was a familiar figure in LeMars, with his ragged sweater
and frayed trousers, for he was working his way through college at whatever
labor he could get, preparing for a career in the ministry.

He had a likeable personality, and a certain youthful naivety. It was this
youthful character which caused so many people to be surprised when they
learned he was 45 years old at the time of his death. When he practiced
with the football tea he was already 35, but most persons thought he was not
much over 20.

His enthusiasm and perpetual optimism won for him the love of a well known
and respected LeMars girl, who had been interested in the college, and after
they were married they adopted his two children by a former marriage, his
first wife having died.

But he was unaccustomed to money.
WAS TOO GENEROUS
Naturally free and open-handed, this trait had done him no harm as long as
he had nothing to give away. And as long as he remained in LeMars, it did
not do much harm, for the people here did not take advantage of his
inexperience. He invested some of his wife’s money in a radio station, but
there was a fair chance for returns from this investment.

However, this brought him into contact with many outside influences from
which he had been shielded previously, and he started on the road which led
to the grave.

The college authorities did not approve of his course nor to the character
of the programs broadcast, so he established a studio at Sioux City. This
necessitated expensive long distance tolls to LeMars.

He allowed others to run his business in Sioux City, which further impaired
the quality of the KWUC programs.

When the wavelength reallocation came, he could not get the support from the
college and his home town and lost his broadcast license. Gone was an
investment of $10,000 to $20,000.
EASILY FLATTERED
It was a bewildered, hurt Rex Frolkey who took stock of the situation. His
former friends had not approved of his actions and many of them told him so.
His new “friends” flattered him and urged him to further excesses.

They bled him like leeches. They sucked his youth, his life, his ambitions
like vampires. Gone were his hopes of going to Yale and a career.

Nothing remained by the hectic “pleasures” which had brought on his ruin.

There seems to be no record that he drank, but those who claim to know say
that he fell into the infinitely worse clutches of drugs.. Given to him, of
course, free of charge, until he formed the habit. Then paid for with sweat
and blood and honor.

He was desperately unhappy and brooded on suicide.

He lacked the courage to face the wife he had wronged and who was loyally
bringing up his children.

She had not seen him for six weeks, when the police called at her home. A
pang of apprehension shot through her. She had heard the story of the Sioux
Center robbery over the radio.
NO PLACE BUT HOME
Shortly after the police left he came home, dusty, haggard, a two days
growth of beard on his face.

Tired, defeated, there was no other place for him to go.

A moment later the police came again. Despite his twitching nerves, he was
able to tell a plausible story and delay his arrest a little. Then he broke
down and confessed to his wife, the only friend he had left.

“I’m going out to the farm and kill myself,” he cried, rushing out to the
car.

Reuben Sieperta and his son Anthony, who had been watching the house, saw
him go and followed.

Dr. G. A. Mauer was called to attend to Mrs. Frolkey, who had gone into a
nervous collapse. As soon as he heard the news, he called the Sheriff’s
office.

Sheriff Maxwell was at Akron serving subpoenas, but Deputy T. C. Parker had
previously disposed the vigilantes to watch for the robber and was holding
himself in readiness. In a few minutes, he was speeding on the trail.
HURRIED TO FARM
Frolkey sped to his wife’s farm tenanted by Eric Martensen. H. Dickman, his
hired man, was there.

Frolkey handed him a wad of money, told him to send it to an address in
Sioux City and dashed into the barn.

He shot himself in the right temple with a .25 caliber automatic.

The Siepertas were next on the place and Deputy Sheriff Parker arrived
shortly afterward and made arrangements to have Luken’s ambulance bring the
fatally injured mad to the hospital. He was unconscious and never spoke
again.

While he was grasping out his life at the Sacred Heart Hospital, the Sioux
County vigilantes were counting the money on the steps in front of the
hospital. There was some quarreling and bickering. It seems that somebody
was trying to count $5 bills for $2 bills, so that the court varied from
$360 to $460.

A group of Sioux County vigilantes, Woodbury County officers and state
agents stormed the hospital. They wanted to third-degree the bandit and
force him to reveal his accomplices.
“HE IS DEAD”
“He is dead,” a frightened nurse informed them.

Frank Smith, Chief of Police, had incautiously got himself surrounded by
about twenty men in the hospital corridor when this announcement was made.
Instantly, he was in the center of a snarling pack.

“There! You see now, you lousy copper, what you did!”

“He calls himself a policeman. Wonder what the bandit gave him to let him
get away?”

“Say, Constable, what do they pay you anyway? $10 a month? Well if they do,
they’re overpaying you.”

One of the hospital Sisters came down the stairs, “Gentlemen! Gentlemen!”
she expostulated. “Remember the hospital is full of sick people. Please
don’t make so much noise.”

That quieted them a little. Growling, they surged out the double doors and
boiled over the driveway.

“Now you get back to your little office, you small-town dick!” they advised
Chief Smith, “while you’re all in one piece.”

He got. Later in the office he was surrounded again while the state agents,
etc., demanded that Mayor Henry Grimjes discharge him immediately.

Grimjes jaw hardened. “Supposing he was at fault,” he barked, “think I’ll
discharge him without a hearing? Since when has martial law been declared
here? Bring your charges and we’ll hear what you have to say.”

Later they repeated their demands over the telephone, but Grimjes stuck to
his guns.

“You heard what I said,” he told them. “There’s a definite legal procedure
for this case and if you want to go through with it, its all right with me.
But you’re nothing but a mob now, and would just as soon hang a man as look
at him. You can’t override the municipal government that way.”

Not liking it, they had to lump it.

In the mean time the poor, tortured remains of Rex Frolkey, who had so
quickly gone down the toboggan, were prepared for shipment to Kearney,
Nebraska, to lie bedside the body of his first wife. He had paid with his
life, as far as absolute evidence goes to show, for about $400, and for this
paltry sum was hunted to his death.

Those of a philosophical or speculative turn of mind may wonder at the human
scale of ethical values. A bank robber, matching his gun and life against
all of society, against machine guns, against radio, fleets of automobiles,
airplanes and sawed-off shotguns, boldly and openly, without any deception
or betrayal of confidence, takes what he can by force and takes his chances
doing it. And even after he had paid the supreme price, his bloody, broken
body is treated with ferocity, a primitive savagery hard to equal except in
war or among Chicago’s gunmen. His remains are kicked around, figuratively
speaking, like a dog’s without doing anybody any good.

On the other hand, a soft, trusted, highly respected banker may loot his
institution, betray his depositors, steal everything in sight, getting away
with sums ten or twenty times as much as the average robber, involve hundred
of people in financial straits, and escape with a five or ten year sentence
and the comfortable knowledge that he will be paroled in a year or two.

The moral is: If You Must Be Crooked, Cheat Your Friends and the Newspapers
Won’t Dare Print the Truth About You.

WAS NOT MINISTER
Rex Frolkey minister, radio operator and football player, who took his own
life to beat the law, was not a minister at the time of the robbery of the
Sioux Center bank.

Frolkey was licensed to preach in 1915 and would have been ordained two
years later. However, Frolkey waited until 1925 before he was ordained. In
May, 1928, after hearing of the life he commenced to lead, his license was
revoked by the church.

This information is found in the conference of the Evangelical church.

[NOTE: These Frolkey newspaper articles were also accompanied by pictures of the
four men in the story: Rex Frolkey, Ruben & Anton Seiperta, and Chief of
Police, Frank Smith. There was also a photograph of the escape car that Rex
Frolkey drove, all of these pictures plastered on the front page of this
newspaper issue.]

Page 11

PLYMOUTH: (By Special Correspondent)
George Kale who has been at Rochester for the past month, is improving rapidly and expected home this week.

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lippke, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Guntren, Marjorie Hoss and Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Klaudt, all of Merrill, attended the funeral of the late Miss Frances Lucke held last Thursday afternoon at LeMars.  Miss Lucke had conducted a music class at the Klaudt home for some time.  Her many friends were shocked to hear of her untimely death.

Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Wilhelmi left Thursday for Louisville, Ky, where Mrs. Wilhelmi will attend the national convention of the American Legion and auxiliary as she is the committee woman of the eleventh district.  The trip will cover a period of two weeks.

Arnold and Harold Todd and Howard Dennler resumed school duties at Ames.

Misses Viola Hauff and Pearl Manz are attending school at Lincoln, Nebraska.

A card party will be held at the Assumption church hall at Merrill Tuesday evening, October 1st.  A good time assured.  A good lunch included.

Congratulations are extended to Miss Frances Brown and Charles Oltmann, who were married in Sioux City last Wednesday, September 25.  Mr. and Mrs. Oltmann will make their home with the groom’s parents for the present.  The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Brown of Johnson township and the groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Oltmann of Washington township.  The attendants were Miss Irene Brown, a sister of the bride and Herman Oltmann, the groom’s brother.

**Transcriber Note: Alternate spelling of the bride’s maiden name is BRAUN. In another local newspaper her maiden name was spelled both ways: Brown / and / Braun.

Page 12

Among those who arrived to attend the funeral of Miss Frances Lucke from away were:
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Schaefer and Mr. and Mrs. Al Livingston, of Paullina; Mr. and Mrs. William Schaefer, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Schaefer and Mrs. Phil Schaefer, of Schaller; and Mrs. Herman Wernli of Minneapolis and Frank Wernli, of Hazen, N. D.

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
October 4, 1929

LAST RITES FOR FALLEN CITIZEN
FINAL OBSEQUIES ARE HELD FOR SELF REVEALED DOUBLE DEALER

A brief service was held Wednesday afternoon at the Beely undertaking rooms
for Rex. J. Frolkey, whose tragic death Monday evening caused a sensation in
the town, where he was regarded for the past fifteen years as a good citizen
and good fellow. The service was conducted by Rev. J. J. DePree of the
First Presbyterian Church. The remains were shipped to Kearney, Neb., where
funeral services were held Thursday, under the auspices of the American
Legion.

Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Frolkey, of Eddyville, Neb., father and stepmother of the
dead man, and a brother, Earl Frolkey, came to LeMars immediately after
receiving news of the tragedy, and accompanied the remains back to their
Nebraska home. Mrs. Rex Frolkey, wife of the deceased man, went with them
to attend the final rites.

Reginald Joseph Frolkey was born at Garfield, Neb., April 21, 1889, where he
spent his early youth. He came to LeMars about fifteen years ago. He
attended Western Union college and his young wife taught school and helped
her husband in his effort to obtain a higher education. During the World
War, Rex Frolkey entered the service. His first wife died nine years ago,
and six years ago Frolkey was married to Mrs. Clara Erickson, a member of a
pioneer and wealthy family of Grant township, this county. They adopted a
boy and a girl since their marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Frolkey during their
brief married life became estranged chiefly through Frolkey’s waywardness
and divorce proceedings were started by Mrs. Frolkey. Later a
reconciliation had partly effected, although Mr. Frolkey maintained a home
in Sioux City in addition to the residence maintained in LeMars with Mrs.
Frolkey.

While at college, Frolkey was popular and active in school and in athletics
and attained some fame as a football star. After his graduation, he was
ordained an Evangelical minister and for some time conducted services at the
Plymouth church at Crathorne.

Frolkey later took charge of radio station KWUC about four years ago. The
power plant and tower were located at LeMars. Two studios, one at LeMars
and the other at Sioux City, were operated from the LeMars tower. The
station was supervised by the faculty of Western Union college.

A year ago this month faculty members asked the Federal Radio Commission to
close the studio and revoke Frolkey’s license as operator.

Frolkey recently had been engaged in the business of selling monuments.
Friends blame his mania for gambling for his tragic death. He said to have
lost large sums of money recently gambling and others advance the theory
that he was addicted to dope. The dead man was known to hundreds of people
in this vicinity.

Friends and associates at LeMars and in Sioux City are shocked by the sudden
revelation of his hectic existence during the last few months.

Associates here said that Frolkey had attempted to end his own life on other
occasions. Once he was thwarted by an associate in one of the local studios
after he had drawn a gun and stated that he realized his moral weakness and
was going to “end it all.” On another occasion he threatened to end his
life after domestic difficulties.

RESULT OF FALL HASTENS DEATH
MRS. CHARLES BINGENHEIMER SUFFERED FRACTURE OF LEG THREE WEEKS AGO

Following an illness of three weeks Mrs. Bingenheimer, wife of Chas.
Bingenheimer, died at her home, 114 Fourth Avenue SE., Wednesday night. Mrs.
Bingenheimer, who had poor health for some time, suffered a fall in her home
three weeks ago Tuesday. At that time she slipped on a rug while engaged in
household work. In the fall she sustained a fracture of the right leg
between the knee and thigh.

Her weakened condition and age precluded her recovery and pneumonia with
other complications arose.

Alvena Prodehl was born in Germany, November 18, 1856, and was approaching
73 years of age. When a young woman she came to America with the members of
her family, who settled in Stanton township.

She was united in marriage with Charles Bingenheimer in Johnson township
forty-four years ago. Following their marriage, they farmed there and then
moved to Huron, S. D., near where they farmed for twenty years and then
returned to Plymouth County and for the past twenty years have lived in
LeMars.

Mrs. Bingenheimer leaves to mourn her loss her husband, Charles
Bingenheimer; her brothers, Charles Prodehl of Moville, Herman Prodehl, of
Huron, S.D., and Fred Prodehl, of Cherokee. Other relatives are Mrs. Lizzie
Petascka, of Huron, S.D., and Augusta Prodehl, of Cherokee.

The funeral will be held from the home Saturday afternoon and services
conducted at St. Paul's Methodist church at 2 o'clock, the pastor, Rev. Geo.
M. Ruff officiating, and interment made in the city cemetery.

Mrs. Bingenheimer was highly esteemed in the community where she had made
her home since young womanhood, and was respected by all who knew her.

STATE CHECKERS AUDITING BOOKS
OFFICIALS FROM STATE DEPARTMENT HERE ON THEIR BIENNIAL INSPECTION

E.F. Whitney, of Des Moines, and H.A. Stearns, of Cedar Rapids, employed in
the state auditing department, arrived in LeMars Tuesday and will be here
for the next week or two. They are official auditors and are engaged in
checking over the books in connection with the government of the city. They
will overhaul books kept by the city clerk, city treasurer, city librarian
and the park commission.

The last audit of the books of the city of LeMars was made two years ago.
The cost at that time to the taxpayers was nearly three hundred dollars.
_____

A.L. Huckle, of the Huckle Supply Co., left yesterday noon for St. Paul
where he will attend a convention sponsored by the Purina Feed organization.

LeMars Sentinel
October 8, 1929

PERRY PARENT-TEACHERS
Appoint Committee Chairman and Present Good Program

The Parent Teachers Association, of Perry district No. 3 met at the
schoolhouse Friday evening, September 27. They were called to order by the
president, Mrs. Harry O'Connor, and actors singing "Iowa," 11 members
responded when the secretary, Mrs. Juzek, called the roll. After approving
the minutes the secretary was instructed to write the county nurse, Miss
Stenger, and invite her to be present at the next meeting. The following
chairman of standing committees were appointed: publicity, Mrs. Charles
Kelly; membership, Mrs. Oscar Crouch; hospitality, Mrs. Juzek; publications,
Harry O'Connor; finances, Wm. Angove. A motion was carried that the meeting
date be changed from the last Thursday to the last Friday of each month.

The program consisted of reading on "Health of Children," by Miss Griffith
and a reading "Cleanliness" by Herbert Angove and Ervin Vehe. The play "The
New Hat" was given by Harold Kelley, Ima Neilson, Mabel Angove and Esther
Cassiday. A tasty lunch was served.

LeMars Sentinel, Oct. 22, 1929

DEATH TAKES CHARLES COOK
Was Well Known Farmer in Seney Community For Forty Years
WAS NATIVE OF IOWA
Six Nephews Are Pallbearers at Services Held Monday

Charles Cook, a well known farmer of Plymouth county, and a resident
of the community for the past forty years, died at his home west of
Seney Saturday, October 19,1929, following a lingering illness. Death was
ascribed to anemia. Mr. Cook had attained the age of 65 years, 11
months, and 4 days.

Charles Wm. Cook was a resident of Iowa all his life. He was born
at Strawberry Point, Clayton county, November 15, 1863, and received his
early education there and helped work on a farm.

Mr. Cook came to Plymouth county in 1889 and made his home in the
Seney community ever since that. He was united in marriage December 28,
1892, with Martha J. Reeves. He is survived by his wife, three
daughters and a son, who are Mrs. J. Donlin, of Hinton, Mrs. Bert
Criswell, of Seney, Verla (sic-Virla) and John Arthur, residing at home.
There are three grandchildren. He also leaves two brothers and a
sister, Bert Cook and Mrs. Cole, of Strawberry point, Iowa and Harley
Cook, of Los Angeles, Calif.

Mr. Cook was a member of the Methodist church at Seney. He was an
upright citizen, esteemed and respected in the community, a loving
husband and father and a good neighbor.
Funeral Held Yesterday

The funeral was held from the home Monday afternoon and was largely
attended by old neighbors and friends and the services were conducted by
the pastor, Rev. M. L. Metcalf. Six nephews, Will Buss, Harvey Buss,
Clarence Reeves, Donald Reeves, Ernest Reeves and Floyd Becker carried
the casket to the grave.

Weather Outlook.
For the period October 21 to October 26, inclusive, for upper Mississippi
and lower Missouri Valleys and northern and central Great Plains: Fair
beginning of week; probably rain period middle or last part; temperature is
mostly near or somewhat above normal.

Pleasant For Scholars.
Playground Equipment Is Installed in Lincoln Township School.

Pupils of Lincoln Township school District No. Six had an enjoyable day
Tuesday, October 8. A participant that day relates that the man of the
vicinity gathered and erected playground apparatus purchased with the school
state aid money. The women brought a bounteous dinner in a very enjoyable
as well as profitable day was spent. There are eight families who have
children in the school and every one was present, as were Mr. and Mrs. C.
Woolridge, director, and Paul Sanders. The standardization plate was placed
on the door and two swings, to tumbling rods, one for the larger children
and one for the smaller ones. A barrel of fun and basketball equipment was
installed. Miss C. Petersen, County Superintendent, was present and gave an
encouraging talk and expressed approval of the way the school used their
money. We are quite proud of the things our school is doing and feel that a
good share of the credit goes to the teacher, Miss Emeline Plumer. The
pupils gave a short program on fire prevention, this being fire prevention
week.

Pays Stiff Fine
Violator of Volstead Law Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

Nels Croon, arrested on a charge of violating the prohibition law, while
operating a soft drink parlor in Remsen, was fined $500 in federal court in
Sioux City by Judge G. C. Scott, last Friday. He paid the fine pleading
guilty to a charge of the illegal sale. Two other counts were dismissed.

Cheap Crooks Garner Spoils
Remsen Man Looses Car, and LeMars Businessmen Are Stung
Candy Store Robbed
Check Forger Secures Small Sum From Garage Proprietor

Three who made reports at the city police headquarters were victims of
crooks in Le Mars over the weekend. Jas. Arens, of Remsen, visiting in
LeMars Saturday, on going to get his car, where he had parked it found it
missing and reported the theft about 10:30 p.m. He gave the number 67-3544,
and added the glass was broken out of one window.

The Royal Candy store, conducted by Donald Bachman, 39 Central Ave, SW, was
entered by thieves sometime early Monday morning and $9.80 was taken from
the money to drawer in the cash register and a few packages of cigarettes.
The thief gained entrance to the store through the north window and the
building.

Check Forger at Work

H.R. Harley, proprietor of the Ford garage, was the victim of a check
forger. Saturday night to the extent of $15. He cashed a check for a young
man, who proffered a check purported to be signed by Frank Reker. That
checked on presentation at a bank proved to be a forgery.

Mr. Harley furnished the police a description of the stranger. The youth
had endorsed a Fairmont Creamery check ostensibly made payable to Reker. It
is sad that man victimized one or two other businessmen, but, if so, no
report was made at police headquarters yesterday.

Tears Hole In Leg
Bert Brown, of Adaville, Severely Injured in Tractor Gearing

Bertsel Brown, farmer living at Adaville, was injured as he started his
tractor, which had been accidentally left in reverse. When Mr. Brown went
to throw the tractor out of gear, he missed his footing and was caught
between plow in tractor. A large hole was made clear through the fleshy
part of his right leg.

He was taken to the hospital at Akron for treatment.