Iowa
Old Press
Des Moines Daily Leader
Des Moines, Polk co. Iowa
Thursday morning, February 6, 1902
C.L. Bryson Dies From Injuries Received in a Des Moines
Dive.
Indianola, Feb. 5 - C.L. Bryson died at his home in this city
this morning of blood poisioning, which resulted from a gunshot
wound received in Des Moines on Saturday, January 11. Bryson
spent that day in Des Moines, returning home on the evening train
in an intoxicated condition, and the dressing of his wound was
not made until the following day. He had been given a dose of
something which affected his stomach, and during the three weeks
of his illness he swallowed food only once. His suffering was
intense, and for forty-eight hours prior to his demise he
remained unconscious. The injury which he received was made in
some Des Moines dive, and Bryson himself claimed to know nothing
of the particulars. He could not tell where it happened only
saying that somewhere he was shot by a person to him unknown;
that the revolver was aimed at his head, but the blow was warded
off by himself and then striking his assailant with a chair,
which caused the bullet of a 38-caliber revolver to tear through
the fleshy part of the leg. When the discovery was made on
Sunday, January 12, it was too late to sew the wound together,
and it was dressed and allowed to heal as nature saw fit.
Physicians who attended him thought the wound was made with a
poisoned instrument. The deceased leaves a wife and four children
in very poor circumstances, but they have wealthy relatives here,
who will not let them suffer. The fact that Bryson could not or
would not tell the story of the crime will prevent an
investigation of the unfortunate affair. As Bryson was reckless
when drinking, it is presumed that he was doing the tenderloin
destrict when the assault was made. His parents are Mr. and Mrs.
Jesse Bryson of Menlo.
Oskaloosa Busines Changes.
Oskaloosa, Feb. 4 (Special) - The big Oskaloosa dry goods firm of
Strasburger & Pfeifer has been dissolved by mutual consent,
Harry Strasburger retiring and Herman Pfeifer taking the entire
business of the firm. Mr. Strasburger will go to California for
his health and will not immediately go into business again. The
firm has been recognized as one of the larg dry goods firms of
the state. The "Boston Store," Oskaloosa's department
store, owned by Westenhaver Brothers, has been removed to
Clinton, where the proprietors have been given a flattering
opening. The store has been in Oskaloosa about three years and
has suffered considerable ill luck, having been severely scorched
by two fires in that time.
Children Have Narrow Escapes.
Fort Dodge, Feb. 5 (Special) - The home of John Flynn, a farmer
living near this city, burned to the ground early this morning.
The father and mother were away at a funeral and four little
children, the oldest 14, were in the house. It is supposed that
the fire was started by the children, who were rescued with
difficulty from the blazing home.
The City in Brief.
W.G. Owens yesterday resigned as superintendent of the city
railway and will go to farming this spring.
The local forecast is for warmer weather, partly cloudy and
probable snow flurries in Des Moines and vicinity today.
H.E. Teachout, F.A. Bayless, W.G. Harvison and H.M. Whinery have
organized a bank to be established shortly at Ankeny.
Samuel R. Smith, Perry A. Jackson and John E. Jackson, all of
Guthrie county and all farmers, filed voluntary petitions in
bankruptcy in the United States distric court yesterday.
The property on the sout side of Cherry street, between West
Eleventh and West Twelfth streets, was sold yesterday to F.M.
Hubbell, who will hold it for railroad or warehouse purposes.
Sheriff Mattern returned yesterday from Idaho having in custody
"Tap" Blaine, who jumped his bail bond in this county
while awaiting judgment in a case in which he had been convicted
for larceny. He will be sentenced today.
The case of the state against Charles Wilcox, charged with
insanity, has been dismissed. Wilcox is a young attorney who was
brought before the board several weeks ago who was permitted to
go on his own bond, and who disappeared from the city between two
sessions of the inquiry into his case.
William Lamber, Ed Miller, Franklin Patterson, Charles Martin,
John Smith, Fred Cooper and Ray Lewis, who were arrested in the
gambling rooms over 214 Fourth street last week, were arraigned
in police court yesterday, charged with being inmates of a
disorderly house. They were adjudged guilty, and each, with the
exception of Lewis, paid a fine of $10. Ray Lewis was fined $5,
which he paid.
Coroner Beck and jury, composed of J.V. Fry, Edward Harris and
C.N. Clossen, began an inquest last evening to discover
responsibility for the death of Bruce Martin, the man who died
from injuries inflicted during a fight at George Sawyer's saloon,
301 Court avenue, Monday evening. Only one witness to the
tragedy, W.P. Leek, was examined. His story coincides with the
statement made in The Leader yesterday morning, his testimony
adding very little, if anything, to what had been previously
published.
Within ten days Game Warden W.H. Blackburn of Jefferson has
arrested and convicted seven or eight men caught violating the
law prohibiting the killing of quails or prairie chickens outside
the limit fixed by law. Among those arrested and who paid fines
ranging from $25 to $100 were William and Richard Watterman of
Cooper; Ed Searl, Ed Hunter, Hnery Towne and Charles Heptz of
Jamaica, and Walter Lockwood of Herndon. The men paid the fines
assessed and were released, more than convinced that shooting
prairie chickens and quails out of season was a sport entirely
too rich for their blood.
[transcribed by S.F., July 2006]
Des Moines Daily Leader
Des Moines, Polk co. Iowa
Friday morning, February 7, 1902
Death of M.S. Anderson
Chicago, Feb. 6 -- M.S. Anderson, a prominent stockman and a
politician in Iowa, for a number of years, is dead at his home in
this city, the result of injuries received in Fredericktown, O.,
January 24, when he fell on the sidewalk. Mr. Anderson was well
known throughout the central and western part of the country. He
formerly lived at Williamsburg, Iowa, where he was known as the
"lieutenant" of Captain J.M.W. Rumple of Marengo, Iowa,
now congressman from that district. He has held several political
offices in the state and removed to Chicago a short time ago. He
was about 52 years old and was married.
Marshalltown's Champion Bowler.
Marshalltown, Feb. 6 - Ray Feree of this city won the state
championship for a one-man contest in bowling. He is only 17
years old and is, perhaps, the most phonomenal bowler in the
state. In a contest with Johnny Orn of Des Moines he made a total
of 1,021 pins in five games, or an average of [illegible]. Orn
rolled a good game, but [illegible] 30 pins to the bad. Monday
night in a five-game contest Frank Haas made a record of 261 pins
(averaged in five games).
T.J. Phillips Pays a Fine.
Ottumwa, Feb 6 (Special) - One feature of the celebrated
Phillips-Moore kicking episode was ended in the district court
here today when Thomas J. Phillips, late democratic candidate for
governor, pleaded guilty of kicking Editor Robert H. Moore on the
public streets of the city and was fined $25 and costs. The case
reached the district court from Justice Campbell's court, where,
upon a trial, the athletic politician was found guilty of
dusturbing the peace and was fined $25. He carried the case up,
but when it was called today it was brought to a sudden end by
Phillips' plea of guilty. Editor Moore now has a $5,000 damage
suit against Phillips for wounding his feelings, and it has been
assigned for trial next Wednesday.
Linhoff Tells His Story.
Mason City, Feb 6 - August G. Linhoff, husband of Mrs. L.K.
Linhoff, charged with the murder of Edwin C. Bromley, was on the
stand all of yesterday in the Linhoff trial. His testimony was a
repetition of the stories of previous witnesses in a greater part
and he told in minute detail of the various squabbles which have
wrought up the trouble between the families in the past. The only
sensational incident of the afternoon was when he told of the
killing of Bromley by Mrs. Linhoff. He alleged that Bromley made
a rush at him and that following Bromley came Mrs. Bromley with a
club. He says that Mrs. Bromley threw the club and that it struck
him upon the head, momentarily stunning him. When he recovered
his senses he found himself clinched with Bromley and his wife
opened fire with the revolver. He did not know at the time how
many shots were fired.
Sheppard Wilson Dead.
Cedar Falls, Feb 6 - Sheppard Wilson died yesterday at the age of
75 years. He had been a paralyic for th epast five years and a
half. He came to Cedar Falls forty-five years ago from Ohio and
engaged in the milling business, from which he went to the dry
good business. He was an active business man until forced to
retire by illness. He was one of the most successful business men
of the county. He amassed a comfortable fortune. He is survived
by his wife and two children, Ed. H. Wilson and Mrs. E.R. Hare of
Minneapolis. The funeral will be held this afternoon from the
Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a member and in
which he had been an officer for forty years.
Burned to Death at Evans.
Marshalltown, Feb 6 - James McGerry was burned to death in a fire
that destroyed his home at Evans. Other members of the family had
narrow escapes, and several were badly burned.
[transcribed by S.F., February 2007]
Des Moines Daily Leader
Des Moines, Polk co. Iowa
Saturday morning, February 8, 1902
Story Bryson Was Shot a Fake
-Sensational Dispatches Published in Des Moines Prove to Have
Been Unfounded-
The story sent out from Indianola to the effect that C.L. Bryson
of that city had died from the effects of a gunshot wound
inflicted by some person in a Whitechapel resort where Bryson was
visiting has turned out to be a fake pure and simple. Mr. Bryson
was in Des Moines about the time mentioned in the dis-patches,
and while here was drinking some, but so far as can be
ascertained did not visit resorts of the character described in
the Indianola dispatch. He spent most of his time in Des Moines
with friends from Indianola, and so far as can be ascertained
called at John Armstrong's saloon several times. Those who saw
him here say that he was slightly under the influence of liquor,
but appeared at all times to know what he was about and to be
perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He returned to
Indianola and was about the streets there for two days before it
was ascertained that his injury, which appears to have been a
slight scratch, showed indications of blood poisoning. There is
positively no truth in the statement that he was shot, and the
wound on his leg was so slight that he did not remember how he
received it, and it did not occasion him inconvenience until the
second day after his return to Indianola. The report that he had
been shot was the result of idle street rumor. It was sent out by
an Indianola newspaper man, who was waited on by Indianola
citizens to whom he acknowledged that he had prepared the story
from rumors heard on the street and without investigating to
ascertain the facts.
Summit Park Church Dedication
-Bishop Kephart Will Preach the Dedicatory Sermon Sunday at 10:30
A.M.
The handsome new church edifice recently erected by the Summit
Park United Brethren at the corner of University avenue and
Twelfth street has been completed and will be dedicated with
appropriate services Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The sermon and
dedicatory service will be by Bishop E.L. Kephart, father of the
pastor, C.J. Kephart. Bishop Kephart was a representative i nthe
lower house of the state legislature, from Linn county, in 1872.
Afterward he removed to the east, and is at present holding a
bishopric in Ohio. The church is Gothic in design, is veneered
with brick, well appointed in the interior arrangement, and is
lighted by beautiful stained glass windows. Close beside the
church is a cosy cottage constructed especially for occupancy by
the pastor and his estimable family. [the program listing
followed]
Smith Goes to Jail
Albert Smith who killed Bruce Martin at the corner of West Third
street and Court avenue early in the week, was arraigned before
Justice Duncan yesterday to answer to the charge of murder in the
first degree. He waived examination and was committed to jail to
await the action of the grand jury. The state was represented in
court by twenty-seven witnesses. It is claimed that four of these
are ready to testify that Smith was not in the saloon when the
trouble started, that they did not see him in the saloon at all,
that he broke into the fight in the front walk and that he pulled
the end gate of the wagon loose before committing the assault and
clubbed Martin over the head with it.
[transcribed by S.F., July 2006]
Des Moines Daily Leader
Des Moines, Polk co. Iowa
Wednesday morning, February 12, 1902
Trial To Open Today
Mt. Ayr, Feb 11 (Special) - The trial of A.M. Hunter,
charged with the murder of Homer Holland in this town on November
9, 1901, will begin in the district court today. On request of
County Attorney F.S. Fuller a special venire of twenty-four men
have been drawn in addition to the regular jury panel. These
jurors have been drawn with great care with a view to securing
men whose participation will insure a fair trial in the most
important murder case which ever came up in this county.
Hunter will be prosecuted and defended by attorneys who are the
most eminent in southern Iowa. County Attorney Fuller will be
assisted in the prosecution by R.H. Spence of the firm of Spence
& Smith. Mr. Spence is chairman of the republican state
central committee.
It may be of interest to know that a few days after the shooting
of Holland and prior to the employing of other counsel the
defendant sought to secure the services of Mr. Spence. After an
investigation into the circumstances of the death of young
Holland, Mr. Spence, who is an intimate friend of ex-sheriff
Holland, the father of the dead boy, refused to accept a retainer
and dismissed Mr. Hunter with the statement that he did not feel
he could afford to become connected with the defense.
Hunter is not, however, without able counsel. The law firm of
Henry & Miles, the senior partner of which was for several
years on the bench in this diestrict, have been retained, and
they will put up a stubborn opposition to the efforts to convict.
Messrs. Henry & Miles have associated with them in the
defense Lewis Miles of Corydon, brother of the junior member of
the firm and at present United States district attorney for the
southern district of Iowa. Lewis Miles did not wish to be known
as connected with the case until it came to trial, and the
announcement that he would take part was not made until today.
This afternoon he told a representative of The Leader
that he had been retained and would assist in the defense of
Hunter.
The community is taking a judicial attitude which assures a fair
and impartial trial for Hunter. There is an almost total absence
of prejudice. The testimony brought out may change public
sentiment as the trial progresses, but at present there seems to
be no sentiment one way or the other, the public being content to
leave the determination of Hunter's guilt or innocence to the
court and jury.
S.H. Hunter, father of the accused, was until about thirteen
years ago a resident of Mt. Ayr. At that time he separated from
his wife here and removed to Emmetsburg, where he has since
lived. He arrived today and was in consultation with the
attorneys for the defense duing the afternoon. Later he was
closeted with Lewis Miles for several hours going over the case
and examining the testimony taken at the cornoner's inquest. At
the close of the conference Mr. Miles stated that he did not
believe a jury could be gotten together in less than two days.
The list of the petit jury panel was in the hands of the
attorneys and they went over it with a view of weeding out those
who appeared objectionable.
Homer Holland was shot and killed on a street in Mt. Ayr on the
afternoon of November 9 by A.M. Hunter, popularly known as
"Matt" Hunter. The tragedy attracted state wide
attention, because of Holland's athletic prowess and the trouble
which waged for two years in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic
Association over the charge of professionalism brought against
him. He was born and raised here. In his early youth he was
famous as a foot racer, ball player and all-around athlete. He
entered Drake university at Des Moines and his athletic ability
brought that school to the fore front in Iowa athletics. then
charges of professionalism were brought against him and finally
sustained by the state games committee. He left Drake university
and returned to Mt. Ayr to live. Soon after returning he began
gambling and up to the time of his death was more or less
associated with gamblers. Hunter is a gambler and he and Holland
were much together. Just before the tragedy they had quarreled
over $20, which Holland claimed Hunter owed him.
On the day of the tragedy, after some discussion of the alleged
debt, Hunter laid down $20, which Holland seized and went out on
the street. Hunter followed him and shot hom. No one saw the
shooting at close range. The theory of the state is that it was
deliberate murder. It is understood Hunter's attorney's will
plead self-defense. when Holland was raised after falling to the
sidewalk an unloaded revolver was found under him. His friends
think it fell from his pocket. Hunter's friends think Holland
started to draw the gun for a bluff and Hunter, not knowing it
was not loaded, shot in self defense.
After the shooting it developed that both men were paying
attention to Miss Josie Bowman, central telephone operator at
Leon, and that they were jealous of each other. It is thought
this phase may figure in the trial of the case.
[transcribed by S.F., February 2007]
Des Moines Leader
Des Moines, Polk, Iowa,
Sunday, February 23, 1902
Died.
SWARTFAGER - At her home near Ankeny, February 22, 1902, Mrs.
Anna Swartfager, aged 76 years.
The funeral services will be held from the Congregational church
at Ankeny, February 25 at 10 o'clock.
MURRAY - At his home, 219 East Fifth street, February 21, after a
long illness, Andrew Murray, aged 75 years. Mr. Murray was born
in the county Roscommon, Ireland, in 1826. He came to Des Moines
in 1845 and has lived at his present residence since that time.
He was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He leaves at wife and
one son, Andrew J. The funeral will be held from the Church of
the Visitation on Monday at 8 a.m. Interment at St. Ambrose
cemetery.
[transcribed by C.J.L., February 2005]