Iowa
Old Press
The New Era
Humeston, Wayne, Iowa
May 10, 1899
THE NEWS IN IOWA
MORE ABOUT IOWA'S STORM
Ute, May 2- No more victims have been added to the list of dead
as the result of the cyclone in the Soldier river valley, but a
number of those thought to have been but slightly injured are now
known to be in a dangerous condition. Among them are Maud and
Charles Peters, who were struck by the debris from their home.
Nothing larger than a widow sill has yet been found of the big
Peters home. The very foundation stones were torn up by the force
of the twister and carried along several hundred yards. John
Moore and his aged wife, cut about the head, and at first placed
on the list of slightly injured, are now known to be dangerously
hurt. Through the length of the country devastated by the
tornado, about fourteen miles, there were about fifty-seven
persons in all, hurt more-or-less. Of this number, the five
reported dead are the only fatalities thus far, but the five
Furne girls can not live. Their bodies are filled with great
splinters., pieces of their home, which were driven into their
nude bodies as they were lifted from their beds and sent flying
into space. From the point three miles from Morehead, where the
twister first touched the ground, to the Crawford county line,
where it annihilated a grove of great trees and disappeared, the
ground is one mass of wrecks of trees, wagons, carriages and
farming implements. The width of the tornado in some places was
cut down to a few rods, and at other points it broadened to half
a mile. At those points where the full force of the twister was
confined to a smallspace, the very ground seemed to have been
ground up and carried away. The home of Rev. H. J. Hjorlhelm,
with the family inside, was taken up into the air and turned
completely around and deposited several yards from the original
site, without much damage being done. The small houses adjoining
were scattered over adjoining farms.
LUCKY IN GOLD FIELD.
Clinton, April 30 - William McMillan, for several years freight
agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway company
in Clinton, departed for Idaho Springs, Col. ,where he will look
after his mining interests, having resigned his position here
with the railway company. McMillan is one of the lucky persons
who has made a strike in the Colorado gold fields. Several years
ago he invested few hundred dollars in a gold mine in Colorado
Springs, but never considered the investment a paying one. About
a month ago he visited the mine and learned that his little
investment had made him a rich man, as a gold ledge of great
value has been struck. He was offered $50 for every $1 invested,
but declined to sell. He returned to Clinton and closed up his
business affairs and has gone west to give his entire attention
to the development of his mine.
Wedding of Iowa Pioneers.
LYONS, May 5 - At the residence of Justice Alva McLaughlin, that
officer united in marriage, George A. Griswold of Almont, aged 74
and Mrs. Viola Rasmussen, of Clinton, aged 56. The groom has been
a resident of Clinton county since 1839 and for years president
of the Territorial Pioneers and Old Settlers Association of
Clinton County. Justice McLaughlin, who married the couple, is 70
years old, and performed his first wedding ceremony in Clinton
county as justice of the peace in 1855.
Secretary Walsh Struck it Rich.
OTTUMWA, May 3 - Charles A. Walsh, secretary of the democratic
committee, who has for the last year been digging gold in the
Klondike, has arrived in Seattle en route home. From letters he
has written, it is believed he has cleaned up between $50,000 and
$100,000 during the winter.
Fatal Accident Near Woodward.
WOODWARD, May 6 - Edward Fallin, the engineer for a pile driver
working a mile east of here, fell between the pile driver and the
tank car. He was run over by the tank car and the engine and his
body cut in two. The body was terribly mangled, being picked up
in pieces.
Child Burned to Death.
BURLINGTON, May 1 - At Morning Sun the young child of James
Reynolds, which had been left tied in a chair near the stove, was
burned to death by its clothes catching fire. The wind blew a bit
of burning paper against the child's clothing igniting them.
BOUDEWYNS A PRISONER.
Des Moines, May 2 - Fred Boudewyns, a private in Company H in the
Fifty-first Iowa regiment, is, according to the latest reports,
an prisoner in the insurgent lines at Manila. Information to this
effect was received by his brother, Frank Boudewyns, of this
city, in a letter written by Ben Willis and Dan Spry, both of the
same company. It was on March 28th that young Boudewyns, together
with nine or ten other privates and several officers, left their
station near Laguna de Bay, about twelve miles east of Manila, on
a reconnoitering expedition. The Fifty-first Iowa was at that
time stationed near the Pasig river, with Overshine's brigade.
The squad of men had left the camp some distance behind them and
were working toward the foothills to the northeast when they came
upon a battalion of insurgents. They had just crossed a small
creek, when they came upon the rebels and were at once ordered by
the captain to retreat and not to fire unless it was necessary to
save the life of any of the men. Boudewyns became separated from
his command and although search was at once made for him, no
trace could be found. The supposition is that he was captured.
A HEINOUS CRIME
CLINTON, May 6 - In the district court yesterday one of the most
sensational cases ever tried in the Clinton county courts was
commenced. Reference is made to the suit of the state of Iowa vs.
Frank Peterson of Teeds Grove, this county, who is charged with
criminally assaulting Mary Block, the 14-year-old daughter of
John Block. Aside from the usual interest taken in such cases,
the accused is suspected of having murdered a farmer, by the name
of Wessel, about nine years ago. He is the son of wealthy
parents, the family being worth in the neighborhood of $100,000.
The alleged crime was committed several months ago, and since
then Peterson has been out on bail.
Sudden Death at Atlantic.
ATLANTIC, May 5 - Dr. Newton Richards died at his home in
Atlantic. He arose at his usual time and was engaged in some
light work in the garden, when he was stricken with apoplexy and
when discovered a few moments later was dead. Dr. Richards was
one of the oldest residents of Atlantic, and at an early day was
prominent in the development of the city. Up until a few years
ago he had been engaged in the drug business.
Prominent Iowa Falls Man Dead.
IOWA FALLS, May 1 - J.A. George, a well known business man of
this city for several years, died here after a prolonged illness.
He has been in poor health for several years and for the past few
month has been a terrible sufferer with a cancerous growth of the
intestines. He was engaged in the jewelry business for many
years. Mr. George was a prominent Odd Fellow. He leaves a wife
and two children. He was about 35 years old and was very popular.
An Air Gun Accident.
LEMARS, May 5 - John Ivey, aged 12 years, while playing with an
air gun, shot Alvin Goettel, aged 11, striking him in the left
eye and destroying the sight.
[transcribed by C.J.L. May 2007]
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The New Era
Humeston, Wayne, Iowa
May 17, 1899
Killed by a Convict.
ANAMOSA, May 12 - While working in the stone shed at the prison a
convict by the name of Burns struck Bill Carl, another convict,
on the back of the head with a five-pound mallet, felling him to
the ground. Carl was dazed, but arose and walked to the hospital,
where his head was dressed. In a short time he fainted and became
unconscious. He died, living only two and a half hours after the
blow was struck. Before Carl became unconscious he stated that he
and Burns had never had a word of trouble.
Attempted Suicide.
MARSHALLTOWN, May 12 - Lou Rock was found in his room on Fifth
avenue in an unconscious condition. He had taken arsenic,
presumably with suicidal intent. The motive is unknown, and there
were no appearances to indicate. The physicians think he will not
recover. He is 30 years old and unmarried. His mother is dead but
his father lives here.
O'BLENNESS SICK AT ADEL
Adel, May 11 - W.E. O'Blenness, state labor commissioner,
wandered to Adel from Des Moines yesterday, and was found upon
the streets in a very feeble condition. He is receiving the best
of care and his family has been notified. Some time ago the
United Workmen, Woodmen and Typographical union, of which
organizations Mr. O'Blenness is a member, united in hiring a man
to accompany him and prevent him from wandering away while
temporarily deranged. But Mr. O'Blenness gave his guardian the
slip and succeeded in reaching Adel. He was recognized her on the
street by a Des Moines citizen. Mr. O'Blenness was very weak. He
had walked all the way from Des Moines without food and had been
drenched to the skin by the rain.
CHARGED WITH MURDER.
ESTHERVILLE, May 9 - John Penderson, of Armstrong, has been
arrested on the charge of murder. Some time since one Antoine
Anderson, who is a land owner east of town, after visiting his
farm and tenant was missing , and Penderson said he left for the
Klondike with a stranger. Nothing has been seen or heard from him
since. This spring suspicions arose and also a stench from a
straw stack on the farm. The straw stack mysteriously took fire,
but on investigation clothing, buttons, buckles and bones were
found in the ashes.
Fatal Crossing Accident.
CLINTON, May 13 - William Patterson, a well known Jackson county
farmer, was run down and instantly killed by a Milwaukee freight
near Preston. He had been to the creamery delivering milk, and
was on his way home. The train struck the wagon just as it was
passing on to the tracks. Mr. Patterson was thrown upon the pilot
of the engine and carried a considerable distance. The wagon was
wrecked and one horse killed.
Child Accidentally Poisoned.
ATLANTIC, May 13 - The 2-year-old child of John McConnell
accidentally took some medicine containing poison and died in a
spasm before medical aid could be procured. The parents had been
warned not to leave it within reach of the children, but got
careless with the above result.
[transcribed by C.J.L. May 2007]
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The New Era
Humeston, Wayne, Iowa
May 24, 1899
THE NEWS IN IOWA
BAD IOWA STORM
MANCHESTER, May 18 - A terrible tornado swept over the vicinity
of Colesburg, doing great damage. Four persons were killed and a
number injured. The town of Littleport, not far from Colesburg,
was also damaged to a considerable extent. Roofs of houses were
lifted off and property was carried for miles. The farming region
over which the storm passed presents a scene of desolation. The
storm first made its appearance in the vicinity of Greeley,
passing to the northeast in the direction of Colsburg. The first
victims were a party of men who were driving to Colsburg,
composed of Jerome Jacobs, George Lang and William Miersen. The
men were struck by the storm at a point about a mile from
Colsburg. The entire party was picked up bodily and blow for
several rods into a field, and the team which they were driving
fared no differently. Both animals were found some distance from
the road, one dead and the other badly injured. Jacobs and Lang
were both killed
outright, every bone in their bodies being broken. Not a vestige
of clothing was on them when found. By a miracle Miersen escaped
uninjured. No less than six farm houses in the path of the storm
were totally destroyed, and the inmates more or less severely
injured. One of the dwellings which met destruction was occupied
by Walter Shepherd and family. A 12-year-old son of Mr. Shepherd,
after terrible agony, died a few hours later. A little girl, who
is also a member of the same family, is so badly injured that her
recovery is not expected. The storm is one of the worst ever
known in the county and is the first violent wind storm since the
one of 1896, when considerable damage was done in the vicinity of
Manchester.
Fatal Accident at Boone.
BOONE, May 20 - Charles O. Berg, foreman of the gang working on a
bridge near Jordan, was killed by a falling derrick, his spine
being dislocated and one leg shattered. He died soon after being
brought to Boone. His home was in Mankato, Minn., where his wife
of a few months, to whom, it is said, he had written but the day
before, asking her to come to Boone, as his work would keep him
here some time.
Struck by a Passing Train.
OTTUMWA, May 15 - Ole Lindstram, an employe of the packing house,
was found with his head frightfully cut, lying unconscious near
the C.B. & Q. tracks. How the accident came about no one
knows, but it is supposed he was struck by a passing train.
Physicians were called but could do nothing for him, and he died
about an hour after being brought to the hospital.
DONALD M'LEAN IS DEAD
SIOUX CITY, May 17 - Donald McLean, the patron saint of Sioux
City's famous boom, builder of railroads and promoter of gigantic
schemes of all conceivable kinds, was killed in Chicago by a fall
over the balustrade of the Palmer house. He fell forty feet to
the areaway of the entrance of the parlors. His left thigh was
fractured and his head was fearfully mangled. He died within a
few hours. Mr. McLean was about 65 years old at the time of his
death. He had made and thrown away several comfortable fortunes,
and it is probable, although nothing is known of the facts, that
he left very little property.
Bondsmen Must Settle.
LE MARS, May 16 - The supreme court of Iowa has decided that the
bondsmen of Tresurer Kirsebom, of Plymouth county, who embezzled
$17,000 of county funds and fled, will have to make good the
default. Kirsebom was serving the first week of his second term
of office when he dropped out, and his bondsmen contested the
county's claim for his surety, on the ground that they had not
signed his bond for a second term.
Diphtheria Scourge.
WEBSTER CITY, May 19 - Diphtheria is raging in the northern part
of Hamilton county. Joseph Hornell has lost his wife and all his
children, and
has the disease himself, all in the past two weeks. Physicians
say it was never more prevalent than at present. They estimate
that during the past two months the deaths are in the
neighborhood of twenty. Much alarm exists.
Swallowed a Safety Pin.
HAMPTON, May 15 - The 14-months-old baby of Dr. and Mrs. J.C.
Powers has just passed through a remarkable experience. It having
swallowed an open safety pin which was about an inch and a
quarter long. The child was given a drastic medicine to contract
the bowels and assist the article in passing and little or no
harm resulted aside from the fright given the family and friends.
Railway Employe Fatally Injured.
CEDAR RAPIDS, May 19 - Lon Shepard, of the Burlington, Cedar
Rapids & Northern water supply force, was fatally injured
Wednesday. The men were unloading some heavy pipe and Shepard's
head was caught between a couple of pipes and crushed to a pulp.
He lived but a short time.
[transcribed by C.J.L. May 2007]