Iowa Old Press

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 8, 1923

MT. PLEASANT BUSINESS MAN PASSES AWAY
Week's Illness of Pneumonia Fatal to William O'Connor

Special to the Democrat

     Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, April 7- William O'Conner, for many years a business man and merchant in Mt. Pleasant, died yesterday morning, following a weeks' illness with pneumonia. He was born here 64 years ago and for many years ran a grocery store and produce business, lately with his son Paul in the business with him. He was a splendid business man, it being commonly said of him no matter what he tried, he could make it go successfully. He could take a hip shot, rundown business and his touch gave it new life. And he did it honestly, squarely.
     He served on the city council at various times and so had time to give to the public. He was unselfish to a degree.
    He is survived by his wife and one son, Paul. The funeral services were held this morning at 9:30 at the Catholic church, the services being conducted by the pastor, Father M.F. Gaffney, who paid a fine compliment to him in his closing remarks on the life of a Mt. Pleasant business man. The church was well filled with old time friends and neighbors. The pall bearers were John E. Brown, John Fitzpatrick, L.W. Keeley, Frank Walker, J.T. O'Conner and Maurice O'Conner.

Warehouse Burns.
    A warehouse back of the Mt. Pleasant Free Press burned to the ground this morning. It was a very fierce fire while it lasted. The loss will not be great, but it was a dangerous fire, owing to being so close to other business buildings. The warehouse was located on the south side of the square, not far from the post office where a fire occurred Monday morning. It is about time to start a story that the Ku Klux is working in Mt. Pleasant, eh? There is no one else to blame, as Jesse James is dead.

- M.C. Hall is still at the Henry county hospital and the doctors are waiting until the left leg shows a plain line of demarkation, before they proceed to amputate. He will lose his left leg just below the knee. That is, it is hoped, that there is where it can be done, so that it will give him the use of his knee.

- Wright Gannett, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.K. Gannett, has been very ill with pneumonia at the Henry county hospital, but he is recovering.

- The loss of the Winfield High school building by fire, early yesterday morning, means a loss of $75,000 to the town, with only $20,000 insurance. It was built in 1897 and the town needed more room, since consolidation of ???? districts outside of the town, and whose pupils go to Winfield. But the town was not ready to build. Now something will have to be done. The fire started in the middle of the night and had made too much progress before anyone noticed it. Otto Nelson, who lives across the street, was up to give his sick wife some medicine. He was the man who turned in the alarm, but some of the roof had fallen in when that occurred, so the fire company could do nothing.

Davenport Democrat and Leader; Davenport, Scott, Iowa; April 8, 1923

POLICE AGAIN VISIT LIL AND CLARA IN RAIDS
Arrest Dozen in Two Houses of Ill Fame – 
Find 3 Quarts of Liquor

     Paying a Saturday night visit to the respective establishments of Lil Tank and Clara White at 612 and 614 West Fourth streets local police officers brought a number of young gentlemen callers, the hostesses and a small quantity of booze to the police station.
The liquor was found at the White place. Charges of conducting houses of ill fame will probably be made against the women in police court.
Night Captain Walter Homeyer and Officers Dietz, Lodge, Rogers, Schlueter, Werner and Schroeder conducted the raid.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
April 19, 1923

WOMAN STEALS SILK DRESS; NO USE FOR IT NOW
Unable to Pay $100 Fine, Mrs. Rose Wedeker Is Sent to Jail

    When Mrs. Rose Wedeker, 44, Cook's Point resident, stole a dress from the George W. Wichmann general store, 1842 Rockingham road, Tuesday, she had no idea that the dress was silk, the woman told Police Magistrate Harold Metcalf when she was arraigned for larceny this morning. The Magistrate ruled that the testimony was insufficient to justify her theft and fined her $100 and costs for larceny. Unable to pay the fine, Mrs. Wedeker was sent to jail for 30 days.
    Mrs. Wedeker was taken into custody late yesterday when Miss Ruth Young, clerk at the Wichmann store, engaged her in conversation after she had alighted from a street car. Miss Young states that Mrs. Wedeker was wearing the dress she had stolen and that she had attempted to disguise it with a large plaid bow. Police were notified.
    Testimony of Mr. Wichmann and of Miss Bertha Hoffman, another clerk in the store, showed today that the woman had taken the dress while making other purchases, and that she had previously stolen fruit from the store.
    Shedding copious tears, Mrs. Wedeker declared that she only intended to steal a plain dress and that she was forced to steal because her husband was a "dirty dog."
    A charge of larceny in a building, lodged against Mrs. Wedeker, was reduced to larceny by Magistrate Metcalf, who stated that he would give the woman the maximum penalty - $100 and costs. Assistant County Attorney John McSwiggin was in charge of the prosecution.

Davenport Democrat and Leader; Davenport, Scott, Iowa; April 25, 1923

PROPRIETOR OF RAIDED SALOON IS FINED $100
Officer Gubser Makes Small Liquor Hall [sic] in Lone Attack.

    Robert Heuer, proprietor of a soft drink bar at 1040 West Second street, was fined $100 and costs by Magistrate Harold Metcalf in police court this morning following the finding of half pint of moonshine whiskey behind Heuer’s bar at 7:30 o’clock.
Heuer’s place was raided by Officer Joseph Gubser, of the Davenport police department, who charged the man with being the keeper of a disorderly house. Heuer pleaded guilty to the charge.
     Officer Gubser states that police have received many complaints about the Heuer bar.

Submitted by C.J.L., Oct 2005 & Mar 2007