Iowa Old Press

Daily Davenport Democrat
Davenport, Scott, Iowa

Monday, January 17, 1870:

     A young man named Peter Myer was before Justice Peters today for
maliciously breaking out one of the large lights of glass in the front door
of Sickles & Prestons store. He was held to bail in the sum of $200, to
appear at the District Court and not producing that amount, "went up".

     Providing for himself. One William Woodward was described by the police
on Saturday night with a carpet bag full of geese and duck, and they knowing
him to be a vagrant, arrested him. He couldn't account for the reason "mit
de geese" satisfactorily and was fined $10 and costs today at Justice Peters
office, on the ground of being a vagrant with no apparent means of
sustaining himself. He went up to the stone yard.

     Police Court. Lisha Fordham, who figured at Justice Dowd's the other
day, got into trouble again in a very short time after his trial and release
there. He meditated on the fickleness of his wife for leaving him and going
back to the Schoenings, and the more he thought about it the more he didn't
like it, and he cussed inwardly and out loud called her some ugly names.
These things coming to her knowledge, she had Lisha before Justice Peters
this morning and he was there fined $3.00 and costs.

Saturday January 22, 1870:

    Sent Up. One George Foster for being a persistent and determined
vagrant, was today arraigned before Justice Peters. His character was fully
shown and in default of $7 fine and costs, the stone yard kindly receives
him for 3 weeks recreation.

The Moore-Vanderzee Matter
     In the Democrat a few weeks ago was an item regarding an alleged
swindle by a colored man named William Vanderzee, well known in this city,
upon Mrs. Moore, who keeps a boarding house on Ripley street; she alleging
that Vanderzee, a carpenter by trade, had obtained under false pretenses a
mortgage of some $275.00 upon her house-pretending that it was for $50.00
only. The accused party, who has been absent for awhile, informs us to-day
that the transaction was a straight forward one, perfectly understood by
Mrs. Moore: that the money was justly due him, and that she signed the note
and the mortgage with a perfect understanding of their contents and import;
that he turned the securities over to Mr. Renwick in exchange for lumber.
This is the other side of the case. What  the re-buttal will show remains to
be seen.

Arrest of Three Alleged Dealers in Counterfeit Money.
     Yesterday afternoon, Marshal Kauffman came down upon a gang of three
citizens of Davenport, charged with handling and dealing in counterfeit
money. The accused are Joseph Shannon, an elderly man, of the firm of
Shannon & Trefts, butchers, in Forrest's Block, Perry Street, John Shannon,
his son, and Frederick Trefts-his partner.
     It appears, as the Marshal informs us, that the elder Shannon has been
engaged for some time past in purchasing stock through the country round
about Davenport, on both sides of the river. In the country he has
represented himself as Smith, a drover from DeWitt and by other fictitious
names. Marshall Kauffman has been on the watch for him for several months
past. He is known to have passed bogus money on several farmers in Scott
county, and also in Clinton and Rock Island counties. Farmers Clark, Russels
and Park, of Liberty township, have been bogused in this way, but most of
the money has been redeemed again upon being found out. A short time since
he passed two 20 dollar bills upon farmer Clark, of Liberty, who came in
soon after and got the stuff changed for good money. The young man, John
Shannon, it is said, was also engaged with his father more or less in the
same criminal practice.
     About half-past three yesterday afternoon the arrests were made, and
the accused taken before Squire Peters, and held to appear in the sum of
$500 each-excepting young Shannon, who was released on his won recognizance.
The elder Shannon was bailed by Robt. Porter and Trefts by Geo M. Matthes.
     Along in the night Mr. Porter got word that his bailee might possibly
take leg bail, and upon investigation it was found that he had already done
so-and was nowhere to be found. Mr. Matthes also became uneasy about his
man, and with the Marshal proceeded to Treft's house, in East Davenport,
about 2 o'clock in the morning, and had him re-arrested and lodged in Jail,
and he thinks not a moment too soon. Thinking that young Shannon might be up
to the same game, the Marshal went round to the meat shop about 3 o'clock
and found him sitting by the stove. He was arrested also and put in jail. A
saddled horse was found in the alley by Fulton's Block, where the Shannons
live, which was pretty good evidence that the young man was not long for
this county.
     Shannon, the elder, is said to be a tough character. The Marshal learns
that he has served one term in Slates Prison in New York for counterfeiting,
and one in Michigan for handling stolen goods. It is a pity that he is at
large.-Strenuous efforts are being made for his capture by Mr. Porter, who
is likely to be out about $500, in case the criminal is not forthcoming.
The case of Jos. Shannon was called before Justice Peters this afternoon at
2 o'clock. After waiting half an hour, and the defendant not appearing the
bail was declared forfeited.
     John Shannon and Fred Trefts were then called. O.B. Clark, of Clinton
county, appeared against them, testifying that, yesterday morning, Trefts
and Shannon redeemed two $20 bills they had passed to him-paying him
therefor $40 in good money, except $2, which was bogus. He received the
bogus bills on the 24th of December last.
The trial continues as we go to press.

Monday, January 24, 1870

     Held to bail. Fred TREFTS and John SHANNON, the alleged confederates of
Joseph SHANNON, in the bogus money business were held to bail by Justice
Peters on Saturday and are now in jail.

Thursday, January 27, 1870

     SHANNON, the counterfeiter, was reported at Morrison, Wheatland County,
Illinois, this week. Sheriff Schnitger was telegraphed for, went there in
haste, but the villain had made his escape, and is unfortunately still at
large. This is altogether too bad and it is hoped that justice will yet
overtake and bring him to merited punishment.

     Another Libel Suit-Sheriff Schnitger has very courteously invited us to
a prominent position inside the bar of the District Court, some time in
February next. He has also alluded to certain monetary considerations
amounting to some $5000 said to be claimed in consideration of damages
accruing to the character of Mr. Wm Vanderzee, of African descent, formerly
of this city, and now resident of Clinton county. The most that we have to
complain of in these libel suits in which we are called upon to play a
leading part, is the unjust discrimination practiced upon us. Within our
knowledge, outside of Davenport , there has not been a newspaper man sued
during the past ten years for a less amount than $25,000, and ranging from
that to $100,000, while we are continually subjected to libel claims in much
smaller sums. This, in a great measure, is damaging to the financial credit
of the Democrat, and we are much afraid, is really intended to disparage our
commercial standing among our creditors. In future cases of the kind, we
earnestly protest against any such unjust usage, and if our protest is not
heeded, we shall be compelled to have our wrongs redressed through the
medium of the anti-discrimination tariff bill now before the General
Assembly.

Monday, January 31, 1870

     Divorce Case. The noted Sinnett Divorce Case, one of the seven wonders
of Rock Island, comes up for hearing in that place, in District Court this
week. The matter is said to embrace some very interesting features which
will be anxiously watched for by the inquiring minds of that corporation.

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