Iowa
Old Press
Sioux Valley News
Correctionville, Woodbury co., Iowa
Thursday, May 14, 1896
IOWA STATE NEWS
- Excitement was created at Bloomfield by D.B. Pugh's breaking
into his grandchild's room and striking her over the head with
his heavy cane, cutting a terrible gash, and as she fell to the
floor he struck her on the arm with his cane and broke her arm in
two places. The girl is about 16 years old, and is the eldest
daughter of Bush Pugh, proprietor of the English kitchen. A large
crowd gathered in front of the English Kitchen, where the doctor
was dressing the wounds, and it took quite an effort to prevent
the angry people from horsewhipping the old man. Mr. Pugh was
arrested and put under $1,000 bonds to appear at the next term of
court. The cause of the trouble was that the girl had eaten four
of the old man's bananas, and he became enraged over the trifling
offense and attacked her with his cane.
- Martin Mengerich, a farmer living about a mile west of
Washington, was drowned in the north branch of the Maquoketa
river. Before help could be secured he had fallen off the bridge
and was drowned. He left the house about 6 o'clock in the morning
to examine a field of rye. Shortly after a neighbor noticed his
fall from the bridge and went to his assistance. Mr. Mengrich was
found in almost a helpless condition, and the neighbor undertook
to help him home, but later left him seated on a log and went for
other members of the family. On returning a few minutes later Mr.
Mengrich was found dead near the river, he evidently making
another attempt to reach home, having fallen down the bank and
partly into the water.
- There has been a very said and unexpected death at Victor. Mrs.
Shaunesey of Chicago, mother of Mrs. Lyons, arrived on a morning
train, walked from the depot to the house and was seemingly well.
In a few minutes after she got to the house she began to
complain, grew gradually worse, and died in an hour and a half.
- Anton Meuhlerin was killed by a freight train on the Rock
Island track at Iowa City. He attempted to crawl under the moving
train and his head was severed from his body. He was 75 years old
and had lived at Iowa City a half century. He leaves one son and
one daughter.
- Thomas Lolly has been sentenced to twenty years in the
penitentiary at Cedar Rapids for the murder of his mother last
November and Gus Trainer to four years under conviction for
manslaughter for killing Dan Turner at Praireburg.
- After an acquaintance of less than a week, Mrs. D. Morse, a
widow of Forest City, about 65 year of age, and one Ballou, a
transient shoemaker, aged 75 years, were married.
- F.E. Churchill, a wholesale druggist of Burlington, died
suddenly of heart disease, while riding alone. The body fell from
the buggy and was picked up by a passerby.
- Ruthven is said to have the oldest married couple in the state
in Mr. and Mrs. John Iams. They were married sixty-seven years
ago in Pennsylvania.
- Henry H. Singleton of Shenandoah suicided at his home in the
presence of his family by shooting himself in the head. He was
temporarily insane.
- Arthur West of Burlington, pleaded guilty to the charge of
horse stealing and was sentenced to two years in the
penitentiary.
- Maggie Thein of Carroll has obtained a judgment for $5,000
against William Witte of the same place for breach of promise.
[transcribed by C.J.L., May 2007]
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Sioux Valley News
Correctionville, Woodbury co., Iowa
Thursday, May 21, 1896
DEMENTED WOMAN SUICIDES
Centerville, Ia., May 16 - Mrs. Harlan Scott, the wife of a
Christian minister at Paris, near Drakeville, sixteen miles east
of this city, in Davis county, tried to kill herself in a manner
most horrible. She has been mentally deranged of late, and she
borrowed a double barreled shotgun, and placing the butt of the
gun upon the floor, she bent her weight upon the muzzle of the
weapon, the pit of her stomach covering the end of the barrels,
and pushed the trigger with a stick. The contents of both shells
were discharged into her abdomen. Death soon resulted. She is the
daughter of a prominent stock man of this county and is the
mother of six small children.
Gets $300,000
Jefferson, Ia., May 16 - A few years ago the bachelor uncle of
Patrick Crahan, residing near Manson, went to Australia and
engaged in business. Frequently he wrote to his nephew in Iowa,
and from these letters it was learned that the old gentleman was
prospering. News has just been received that the uncle died
recently and left a fortune that runs into the millions. Mr.
Crahan has been notified that his share in the estate will amount
to $300,000. There are other relatives who are also handsomely
remembered. Mr. Crahan is a hard working farmer and is fairly
dazed by his good fortune
[transcribed by C.J.L., May 2007]
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Sioux Valley News
Correctionville, Woodbury, Iowa
Thursday, May 28, 1896
IOWA STATE NEWS
- A very peculiar death occurred at Anamosa. James Northrup, who
has suffered with asthma, got up and dressed himself, put on a
white shirt, clean underwear, combed his hair and laid down on
the bed. Calling his wife to him he told her he was going to die,
and wanted to be buried just as he was, not to disturb him in the
least. He went to sleep and in less than thirty minutes was a
corpse. The doctors said there was no violent cause whatever for
the death and it was a case of wonder to the medical fraternity.
Less than a year ago Mr. Northrup's father died equally as
suddenly, although under different circumstances. The old
gentleman went into his garden to pick a mess of peas and was
taken with heart failure and died before reaching the house.
- W.H. Tidball has been taken to Des Moines by officers from
Houston, Tex., in answer to a charge of forgery. Tidball worked
for Tone Bros., wholesale grocers there, and gave the firm a note
for $800 signed by H.L. Chase of Cedar Falls to run eighteen
months. It was given in settlement of a debt he owed the house.
It was not learned it was a forgery for a year, and in the
meantime Tidball had disappeared. He has been away a year and a
half, and was recently located in Houston, where he was
representing a St. Louis house and stood well, going under the
name of W.H. Taylor.
- George Greasby, proprietor of the Novelty Iron works at
Oskaloosa, left town ostensibly on a collecting tour and has not
since been heard from. The foundry is heavily encumbered and it
is claimed that he has fled to avoid embarrassment.
- Frank Smith, a young man living at Swan, was thrown from a
freight train on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railway,
while attempting to get on and fell breaking his back and
fracturing his skull, from which he died.
- Mr. and Mrs. E. Timons of Foster are the parents of a perfectly
developed boy baby which weighs two pounds and is just ten inches
long. It is perfectly sound and healthy. The family are having
hundreds of visitors.
[transcribed by C.J.L., May 2007]