Iowa Old Press

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
January 9, 1923

JEFFERSON COUNTY MAN DROPS DEAD
John Fritz Had Recently Returned from Arkansas
Special to the Democrat

    Fairfield, Iowa. Jan 9 - John Fritz, a well known resident of Jefferson county, dropped dead at his home in East Pleasant Plain Saturday morning. He had been in ill health for several months and has but recently come back from the springs in Arkansas. He had been in bed but a few days and had that morning asked to be assisted to get up. He had but stepped out of his bed when he sunk to the floor and was dead when medical aid reached him.
    Mr. Fritz leaves his wife and a family of grown children. Funeral services will probably be held Monday and the interment will be made in the cemetery near East Pleasant Plain.

Missionary to Korea
    William Lyon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lyon who resides on South Third street, in this city, will leave the middle of the coming summer for Korea where he will work in the mission fields. Mr. Lyon graduated from Parsons College with the class of 1920 and for the past two years had been at Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia, taking training for the mission fields.
    Parsons college had made for herself an enviable reputation as the years have gone by because of the number of Christian workers which have gone out from the school into foreign fields of service. Mr. Lyon is a talented and popular young man and his progress will be watched with a great deal of interest by many friends.

Paralysis Fatal.
    Margaret Agnes, the three year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Allen, died early Saturday evening of a few days illness which finally developed into infantile paralysis. The home on North street was placed under strict quarantine and the private funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at three o'clock.
    The little one was stricken Wednesday but her condition did not become alarming until Friday and it was only a few hours before her death that it was realized that the dreaded disease had her in its grip. Interment took place in the Evergreen cemetery and the young parents have the sympathies of a large circle of friends.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
Monday Evening, Jan 22, 1923

Woman and Man Shot in Hollywood Brawl;
Police Probe Case.
Prominent Muscatine Business Man Held for Gun Play After Quarrel
At Nahant Resort; Investigation Being Made of Suspicious Circumstances of
Affair This Morning.

    A drunken brawl at Hollywood Inn, Nahant, early this morning, culminated this morning in the shooting of Maude Smith, said to be a resident of Muscatine and of Fred Hall, colored bartender for Brick Munro, proprietor of the Inn, by Ralph Klemdolph, prominent Muscatine business man.
    Hall's ankle was shattered by a bullet from Klemdolph's revolver, while the Smith woman, Klemdolph's alleged sister-in-law, received a wound in her legs. Hall is being cared for at Mercy hospital, while Maude Smith is at the House of Detention.
    Another woman participant in the brawl, who gave her name as Nellie Tubbs is also held at the House of Detention.
    Both women today refused to give information which would give police any idea as to the cause of the quarrel. Nellie Tubbs however admitted that Mrs. Klemdolph had been a member of the Hollywood Inn party.
    I don't know anything about the affair at all she said when interviewed. I don't know that Klemdolph did the shooting and ??? and I don't know why he did it. What I want to know is why are they holding us.
    The Smith woman would not talk at all. She is badly injured.
    When Klemdolph was brought to the police station by Rockingham authorities this morning he was violently intoxicated and resisted efforts of Officer John McDermott to lock him in a cell becoming so frenzied that Officer McDermott had to summon aid in handling him. A revolver, a bottle of whiskey and a number of bills were found in his possession.
    Circumstances of the brawl appear to be shrouded in mystery and police believe that an attempt has been made to "cover up". As far as can be learned, however, the quarrel started when Klemdolph asked his sister-in-law Mrs. Smith to go home with him. She refused his request, it is believed, and Klemdolph, intoxicated, pulled his revolver. Whether Hall was shot when he attempted to rescue her or whether he was shot by a bullet from Klemdolph's gun has not been discovered.
    Police were first made aware of the fact that trouble was occurring at Hollywood when they received a telephone request for the police ambulance. They were told that a man had slipped on the floor and broken his leg.
    Meanwhile Marshal C.M. Frey of Rockingham and his deputy William Steckel had gone to the Inn and arrested Klemdolph. They brought him to the Davenport police station where he was locked in a cell.
    According to Marshal Frey Klemdolph claims he is a deputy sheriff under Sheriff Wiley of Muscatine county. Sheriff Wiley however states that Klemdolph's claim is not justified, and that the man never qualified for the police or deputy sheriff.
    Klemdolph is proprietor of the Riverview dance pavilion at Muscatine and is proprietor of the Klemdolph R???ng company of that city.
    County Attorney John Weir is investigating the case and trial will probably be postponed until all witnesses have been subjected to examination. No charges have yet been filed against Klemdolph.
    Information obtained later today was to the effect that Klemdolph quarreled over an automobile motormeter at the inn becoming so angry that he shot at random.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
January 9, 1923

STREETER HELD AFTER RAID ON WOHLER FLATS
May Revoke Parole of Former Soft Drink Bar Proprietor

     William Streeter, 28 years old, former soft drink bar proprietor who attracted public attention some time ago in connection with the discovery of an alleged Tri-City auto theft school, faces a five year term in Anamosa prison besides prosecution on liquor law and larceny charges, as the result of his arrest in the Wohler Flats, 509-515 Ripley street, raided by police last night.
     Five gallons of moonshine liquor, supposed to be Streeter's property, are being held as evidence against him. An automobile tire and a bicycle, which police suspect have been stolen, are also being held. Streeter will be grilled concerning these latter articles, authorities said this morning.
     The liquor was found in Streeter's locker in the basement of the flats by Night Captain Homeyer and Officers Kinney, Schwinden, Dietz, and Alger, when they went to the place last night following receipt of complaints. Streeter claims that the automobile tire, also found in his possession, is the property of Otto Gassman of Rock Island, who lives in the flats.
     Streeter is employed as a fireman by the owner of the flat building.
     Assistant County Attorney John McSwiggin stated this morning that Streeter's five-year-parole, recently issued from the bench in district court, when the man was tried on a larceny charge, will probably be revoked, since Streeter was paroled only on condition that he keeps out of trouble.
     Police intend to turn the liquor case over to Federal Prohibition Officer Roy E. Muhs, at present out of the city. If this is done, Streeter will be given a hearing before U.S. Commissioner A.G. Bush in the near future.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
January 21, 1923

SMASHED HOOCH BOTTLES CAUSE RAID BY COPS
Boys Confess They Bought Liquor at "Soft Drink" Bar

     If Officer George Rogers, of the Davenport police force, had not been walking down Iowa street at 7 o'clock Saturday evening, and if Ray Chanaux, 19, and Clarence Larkin, 18, confessed liquor purchasers, had not been possessed of timorous natures, the soft drink bar of Frank Cavakis, located at Fourth and Iowa streets, would not have been raided and Cavakis himself would not be awaiting trial in police court Monday morning.
     Officer Rogers noticed Chanaux and Larkin, together with a third youth, John Coin, aged 16, emerging from Cavakis' saloon in a suspicious manner. After the three had walked a short distance from the door, they separated, Chanaux and Larkin walking away together.
     "Wait a minute," the office called, hurrying up to them. Without further parley the youths ducked into a dark doorway, and, a second later, Rogers heard the crash of breaking bottles.
     At the police station Chauaux, Larkin and Coin confessed that they had bought liquor in Cavakis' place, paying him three dollars for two pints of moonshine whiskey. Chief Schlueter then ordered Rogers and Officers Carroll, Cuervorst, and Quinn to raid the bar. The officers found about a quart of liquor in various receptacles and took Cavakis into custody on a charge of conducting a disorderly house. 
     "If those birds hadn't acted so suspicious and had not smashed the bottles maybe nothing would have happened," Rogers said last night.
     Cavakis has been released on $100 bond.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
January 22, 1923

GUBSER STAGES LONE RAID ON LOCAL SALOON
Proprietor Fined $100 and Costs in Court Today

     Officer Joe Gubser, of the Davenport police force, raided the soft drink bar of John Jessen at Fourth and Gaines streets Sunday morning, arresting Jessen and one customer, George Nelson, and confiscating a fruit jar half full of moonshine whisky. According to Gubser, Nelson is bartender for Lil Tank, notorious police character.
     When he entered the saloon, Gubser claims he found five men drinking, Jessen acting in capacity of bartender. All customers but Nelson, who was helpless from drink, were allowed to go.
     In police court this morning, Jessen, charged with keeping a disorderly house, was fined $100 and costs by Magistrate Harold Metcalf, while Nelson was sent to jail in default of costs.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
January 29, 1923

TAKE HOFFMAN IN RAID UPON SHANTY HOME
Sheriff's Deputies and Muhs Seize Home Brew, Hooch and Gin.

     Hoffman pleaded guilty before Judge W.W. Scott in district court this afternoon and was fined $200 and costs. He was accused of maintaining a public nuisance. The fine was paid.
     Harry Hoffman, living in a shanty house at "Webb's Camp" south of the Rock Island tracks in Rockingham, was held to the state grand jury today on a charge of maintaining a liquor nuisance. His bond was fixed at $500 by Justice of the Peace Ralph G. Smith. Hoffman was unable to furnish the required bail and was remanded to the county jail.
     The man was arrested last night by Deputy Sheriffs Frank Martin, Andrew Tumpane and Fred Scharfenberg and Federal Prohibition Agent Roy Muhs following a raid and the seizing of three cases of home brew, three one gallon jugs party filled with hooch, a quart of gin, a quart of rum, and two pint bottles of hooch.
     Names and addresses of six men who were in the house at the time of the raid were taken by the officers and the men released. According to the sheriff's deputies the men gave fictitious names.

Davenport Democrat and Leader
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
January 31, 1923

HOTEL AT DIXON RAIDED, BY "DRY" SQUAD
Campaign Started To Clean Rural District of Hooch Menace.

     After seven complaints had been made by residents of Dixon that A. Siercks and son Ferdinand had been dispensing beer and hooch, local Prohibition Agent Roy E. Muhs and Deputy Sheriff Andrew Tumpane raided the Farmers' hotel at Dixon last yesterday afternoon. The elder Siercks is the proprietor of the hotel and bar which is operated in connection but the younger of the two claimed the confiscated liquor and admitted that he tended bar for his father. They will probably be arraigned before United States Commissioner A.G. Bush last today.
     The liquor was cleverly concealed. The men, according to the prohibition agent, used as clever a means of concealment as he has found. The hooch was in quart ginger ale bottles. The bottles and the labels were clean as if they were new. They were in a ginger-ale case in the storeroom behind the bar.
     The alleged bootlegger had evidently bought a lot of ginger ale and poured it into other bottles. Then while the new labels were fresh had filled the bottles with hooch and replaced the caps. The officials on looking at the case supposed that it contained ginger ale. The Prohibition agent, however, determined not to be thwarted and ordered every suspicious looking bottle opened. When the ginger ale bottles were opened the hooch was found. Consequently every quart ginger ale bottle in the place was tested.
     Siercks, who can barely speak English, had previously said that he had nothing except soft drinks. He felt sure that the contraband would not be found. When it was found and he was confronted with it, he said that it was hooch.
     The son, however, attempted to save his father from arrest and a jail sentence. He stepped to the front and claimed the liquor and admitted that he tended bar. The complaint, however, was made against the elder of the two. Both will probably be arraigned.
     Local Prohibition agents and the sheriff's forces are determined to rid the country towns of the bootlegging menace. It seems to be running wild, if judgment can be rendered on the number of complaints coming from the rural district. Bootleggers, according to officials, seem to believe that safety lies in their isolation, according to sheriffs and government officers. 

Submitted by C.J.L., July 2005 & Dec 2006