Excerpts from Creston, Iowa Newspapers
Excerpts from Creston News Advertiser
June 29, 1985
A Sad Suicide (Adams County Free Press)
Mrs. Dr. Amdor, of Lincoln Township committed suicide last Friday afternoon by the use of strychnine. Mrs. Amdor was the wife of Dr. Amdor, a prominent physician of that township and was 30 years of age, leaving one child, a boy aged about 8 years. The act was committed at or near noon, while her husband was at dinner. She went into an adjoining room which was used as a study and where the Dr. kept his medicines. Returning she informed them that she had taken the poison, holding the bottle of strychnine in her hand. At this statement no surprise was felt and none believed that she would attempt any such deed. It soon became evident that she had done so and immediate efforts were taken to counteract the effects of the poison. These efforts she resisted and refused all aid, by dying within three hours. Mrs. Amdor was a woman of kind heart and impulses, and the news of her tragic death cast a shadow of gloom over the neighborhood. No known cause is assigned for her act, except that her mind was unsettled by reason of continued suffering from dropsically complaint and consequent surgical operations for relief.
Mrs. A was a sister of H.K and C.S. Givan, of Lincoln Township. Her funeral was held Sunday at Carbon and was attended by the largest concourse of people ever witnessed in that section of the county. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. A. G. Cupp, of Eureka.
The body of little Walter Jackson, drowned in Skunk river, was found Saturday four miles below where he was drowned Tuesday.
The small pox quarantine at the C.B. & Q. restaurant was raised Saturday night, and there are now no symptoms of the disease in any form in the city, and the case at the pest house is nearly well.
A civil case of Doty & Gould vs A.R. Hosea for a bill of goods bought by a third party was tried before Justice Horrell, by jury, today. The case was quite interesting and furnished amusement for the usual court loungers.
At its meeting Friday night the Fire Patrol decided to attend the celebration of the Fourth of Clarinda Hose Co. No. 1 has also concluded to attend. The Fire Patrol meets the first Thursday in every month now, the same night as the city department.
Mrs. John Hurley, one of the principal occupants of "Hell's Half Acre", was before the mayor this morning with a complaint that an officer and stranger were at her house last evening making a disturbance, and asked their arrest. As this part of the city is continually before the mayor with complaints, no attention was given to this one, which was rather vague and uncertain.
The Heritage says George S. Fern, who was injured while coupling cars at Mt. Pleasant, last Sunday afternoon, died last evening at 6 o'clock. He was twenty four years old and had lived in Burlington about three years. He entered the service of the C.B and Q R.R. last January and in April was laid up by an injury from which he recovered. Four weeks ago he again went on the road, last Sunday, while coupling cars at Mt. Pleasant, was caught by his clothing on the break beam and had his right leg severely crushed; blood poisoning set in on Wednesday and mortification quickly followed.
The ornithological garden at the park is now a beautiful place to pass a short time viewing the animals and birds. There is a large variety of them, many tropical varieties, which are beautifies and will repay anyone for a look through the Ice Company's bird house which costs only 10 cents. The new case of stuffed birds and animals and choice minerals is a beauty and well repays an examination. The writer and family took a very profitable and satisfactory look through this happy family of curiosities yesterday. The lake was beautiful and many enjoyed the boats as well as the drives of the park yesterday.
Will G Emerson and family had a narrow escape while out riding yesterday about a block and a half west of the park. They were driving a team from Saylor & Mason's stable, with Mr. E., his wife and two little boys in it, when one of the pole straps broke, letting the tongue, drop, frightening the horses and they started to run. Emerson says he pulled them toward the fence, when the tongue stuck in the ground, turned the buggy over, threw them out, and he held to the lines, holding the horses still until they kicked themselves loose from the buggy when he threw the lines and let them run. Mrs. Emerson and children were slightly bruised, but the buggy was uninjured.
Mrs. I. L. Mackemer is still very low, and her recovery is doubted.
Mrs. J. H. Whipple has gone to Red Oak for a visit to her sister, Miss Sheer.
John Hatton, of Savannah, MO., is visiting his family and friends in the city.
H. Kloos, formerly of this city, now of Iowa City, was noticed on our streets today.
Ticket Agent Will Fogg's family has returned from their visit to LA Porte, Indiana.
Geo. Evan's family has returned from their visit to Corning relatives and friends.
M.M. Young and wife depart tomorrow night for a month's vacation visit to Michigan.
O.E. French, principal of the high school will spend his summer vacation in Salem, Neb. and Harland, Iowa.
W. A. Spurrier is home from his attendance on the meeting of the Iowa real estate men at Cedar Rapids last week.
Alice Glenn, Knoxville and Will Evans, Ottumwa, Ed. McCormick, Washington were Iowa arrivals at the Summit yesterday.
Supt. Larrabee will spend his summer vacation visiting Institutes in North Auburn, Nemaha County, and Tecumseh, Johnson Co, Nebraska.
A fifteen year old son of Supervisor D H Brookes, northeast of the city has been quite sick of late was reported much worse and unconscious Saturday, but was some better today.
June 30, 1883
The painters of the city have had a run on glass and putty since Saturday's hail storm.
The hail of Saturday did great damage to fruit, gardens tuff, corn, potatoes and all growing crops, which may outgrow the damage though.
N.C. Vickers had a fine $50 cow killed by lightning in the storm Saturday, and several telephone poles near his residence were splintered.
The lake was very high Saturday after the storm and Dan Calkins, at the boat house lost a raft of young chickens, some of them large enough to fry.
An amusing sight of Saturday's hail storm was to see Ol. Silverthorn standing out through all of it holding his horse, tied to a post in front of Franklin's furniture store on Pine Street.
A couple of men returning home with a team after the storm Saturday afternoon, had a narrow escape from drowning in the big branch south of the city and west of W.A. P. Blanchard's.
A very amusing and pitiful spectacle in Saturday's hail storm was a poor mule with harness on, which had broken loose from where it was hitched and ran around in front of the Advertiser office, turning around and round, first one way and then another in its frantic endeavors to escape the pelting hail stones. It finally got its back to the storm and its head toward Arnold Bros. Drug store and the stone crossing at the edge of the side walk weathered the storm.
A pleasant little woman, dressed in deep mourning and accompanied by a very small black and tan dog, who has been in the city for a few days, is said to be the wife of one of the confidence men in jail at Afton, and that she is consulting her lawyer in the city.
Lenox, On Sunday morning Rev. Laughlin, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Lenox, accompanied by his sister, started for Madden's grove, where he expected to preach. At a point some nine miles south of Creston, near the east fork of the Platte River, in attempting to cross a small gulley or ravine that had been swollen by the water, backing in from the river, were both drowned, as was also the horse. The bodies were recovered about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and were brought to Lenox the same evening, and were buried in the Lenox cemetery on Monday at 11 a.m. The funeral services took place from the First Presbyterian Church, and was conducted by Rev. Johnston, pastor or the U.P. Church, assisted by Rev. Morrow, Dr. Golliday, and Rev. Harris. Rev. Laughlin leaves a wife, a babe six weeks old, and an aged grandmother, who are all the known relatives.
Our base ballists went to Fontanelle to-day to play a matched game with the nine at that place.
D. M. Alexander's team broke away from him yesterday while loading coal at McDonald and McKenzie's coal house, and made a lively run through town. They were stopped in the northwest part of town, and on inspection no damage of note was done.
John Gordon shipped two cars of hogs from here yesterday, three cars were shipped on last Saturday and one will be shipped today.
Cholera is coming this way, and those who are familiar with its history and the nature of its progress, warn the people of this country to prepare for it by thorough and systematic sanitation. Farr off Spain is paying a fearful penalty in the cholera scourge. It is officially reported that the inhabitants of many of the cities and villages refuse to submit to the rules established by the sanitary authorities and that there seems to be no way to arrest the progress of the epidemic under such circumstances. The most eminent local physicians say that the sanitary condition of Marseilles and other Mediterranean cities is fearful. That garbage is rooting and reeking in the streets and that nothing has been done but to squirt a little disinfectant against the walls of some of the houses. With no barriers erected where the fearful scourge prevails, it is not possible to guess how soon it may make its escape and cross the ocean, now reduced to only a few days' trip by steam. It will not do to wait until it has invaded our own shores before we do something. It is a fact that years ago, it carried off the plains, Indians by the hundreds, with no known reason for its reaching them from the whites. Our people should take time by the forelock.
Deaths Doings---
Died at her home in this city Monday, June 29, at 3:14 p.m., Mrs. Emma Mackemer, in the 33rd year of her age. Funeral services will be held at the residence, corner of south Maple and Lucas streets, Wednesday, July 1 at 3 o'clock p.m.
The announcement of Mrs. Mackemer's death was not altogether unexpected though very startling, as she had been very ill for over a week, but up to Sunday was thought to be doing fairly well and improving. She took worse again, however, and suffered greatly before death. She was the wife of one of our most respected townsmen, who has been in business in the city for many years and is today the senior partner in the firm of Mackemer Bros., furniture dealers. Mr. and Mrs. Mackemer were among the earliest settlers of Creston and are well known to all old residents.
Deceased was a sister of Messrs. B. F. and T.A. Heinly and a cousin of M.A. Nye, of our city. She leaves beside a husband other relatives, seven children, ranging in age from 14 years to a baby a day old, three boys, the oldest, the baby and another, and four girls. The death is a most sad one and casts a gloom over the community and calls forth e sympathy of the entire city for the bereaved relatives, especially for the little ones left motherless so young.
Died at her home in this city, this morning, June 30, at 7 o'clock, Mrs. Stina Applegreen, in the fifty-third year of her age. Funeral service will be held at the Swedish Lutheran church tomorrow, July 1, at 2 o'clock p.m., Rev. Renstrom officiating, and the remains will be interred in Graceland cemetery.
June 29, 1985
A Sad Suicide (Adams County Free Press)
Mrs. Dr. Amdor, of Lincoln Township committed suicide last Friday afternoon by the use of strychnine. Mrs. Amdor was the wife of Dr. Amdor, a prominent physician of that township and was 30 years of age, leaving one child, a boy aged about 8 years. The act was committed at or near noon, while her husband was at dinner. She went into an adjoining room which was used as a study and where the Dr. kept his medicines. Returning she informed them that she had taken the poison, holding the bottle of strychnine in her hand. At this statement no surprise was felt and none believed that she would attempt any such deed. It soon became evident that she had done so and immediate efforts were taken to counteract the effects of the poison. These efforts she resisted and refused all aid, by dying within three hours. Mrs. Amdor was a woman of kind heart and impulses, and the news of her tragic death cast a shadow of gloom over the neighborhood. No known cause is assigned for her act, except that her mind was unsettled by reason of continued suffering from dropsically complaint and consequent surgical operations for relief.
Mrs. A was a sister of H.K and C.S. Givan, of Lincoln Township. Her funeral was held Sunday at Carbon and was attended by the largest concourse of people ever witnessed in that section of the county. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. A. G. Cupp, of Eureka.
The body of little Walter Jackson, drowned in Skunk river, was found Saturday four miles below where he was drowned Tuesday.
The small pox quarantine at the C.B. & Q. restaurant was raised Saturday night, and there are now no symptoms of the disease in any form in the city, and the case at the pest house is nearly well.
A civil case of Doty & Gould vs A.R. Hosea for a bill of goods bought by a third party was tried before Justice Horrell, by jury, today. The case was quite interesting and furnished amusement for the usual court loungers.
At its meeting Friday night the Fire Patrol decided to attend the celebration of the Fourth of Clarinda Hose Co. No. 1 has also concluded to attend. The Fire Patrol meets the first Thursday in every month now, the same night as the city department.
Mrs. John Hurley, one of the principal occupants of "Hell's Half Acre", was before the mayor this morning with a complaint that an officer and stranger were at her house last evening making a disturbance, and asked their arrest. As this part of the city is continually before the mayor with complaints, no attention was given to this one, which was rather vague and uncertain.
The Heritage says George S. Fern, who was injured while coupling cars at Mt. Pleasant, last Sunday afternoon, died last evening at 6 o'clock. He was twenty four years old and had lived in Burlington about three years. He entered the service of the C.B and Q R.R. last January and in April was laid up by an injury from which he recovered. Four weeks ago he again went on the road, last Sunday, while coupling cars at Mt. Pleasant, was caught by his clothing on the break beam and had his right leg severely crushed; blood poisoning set in on Wednesday and mortification quickly followed.
The ornithological garden at the park is now a beautiful place to pass a short time viewing the animals and birds. There is a large variety of them, many tropical varieties, which are beautifies and will repay anyone for a look through the Ice Company's bird house which costs only 10 cents. The new case of stuffed birds and animals and choice minerals is a beauty and well repays an examination. The writer and family took a very profitable and satisfactory look through this happy family of curiosities yesterday. The lake was beautiful and many enjoyed the boats as well as the drives of the park yesterday.
Will G Emerson and family had a narrow escape while out riding yesterday about a block and a half west of the park. They were driving a team from Saylor & Mason's stable, with Mr. E., his wife and two little boys in it, when one of the pole straps broke, letting the tongue, drop, frightening the horses and they started to run. Emerson says he pulled them toward the fence, when the tongue stuck in the ground, turned the buggy over, threw them out, and he held to the lines, holding the horses still until they kicked themselves loose from the buggy when he threw the lines and let them run. Mrs. Emerson and children were slightly bruised, but the buggy was uninjured.
Mrs. I. L. Mackemer is still very low, and her recovery is doubted.
Mrs. J. H. Whipple has gone to Red Oak for a visit to her sister, Miss Sheer.
John Hatton, of Savannah, MO., is visiting his family and friends in the city.
H. Kloos, formerly of this city, now of Iowa City, was noticed on our streets today.
Ticket Agent Will Fogg's family has returned from their visit to LA Porte, Indiana.
Geo. Evan's family has returned from their visit to Corning relatives and friends.
M.M. Young and wife depart tomorrow night for a month's vacation visit to Michigan.
O.E. French, principal of the high school will spend his summer vacation in Salem, Neb. and Harland, Iowa.
W. A. Spurrier is home from his attendance on the meeting of the Iowa real estate men at Cedar Rapids last week.
Alice Glenn, Knoxville and Will Evans, Ottumwa, Ed. McCormick, Washington were Iowa arrivals at the Summit yesterday.
Supt. Larrabee will spend his summer vacation visiting Institutes in North Auburn, Nemaha County, and Tecumseh, Johnson Co, Nebraska.
A fifteen year old son of Supervisor D H Brookes, northeast of the city has been quite sick of late was reported much worse and unconscious Saturday, but was some better today.
June 30, 1883
The painters of the city have had a run on glass and putty since Saturday's hail storm.
The hail of Saturday did great damage to fruit, gardens tuff, corn, potatoes and all growing crops, which may outgrow the damage though.
N.C. Vickers had a fine $50 cow killed by lightning in the storm Saturday, and several telephone poles near his residence were splintered.
The lake was very high Saturday after the storm and Dan Calkins, at the boat house lost a raft of young chickens, some of them large enough to fry.
An amusing sight of Saturday's hail storm was to see Ol. Silverthorn standing out through all of it holding his horse, tied to a post in front of Franklin's furniture store on Pine Street.
A couple of men returning home with a team after the storm Saturday afternoon, had a narrow escape from drowning in the big branch south of the city and west of W.A. P. Blanchard's.
A very amusing and pitiful spectacle in Saturday's hail storm was a poor mule with harness on, which had broken loose from where it was hitched and ran around in front of the Advertiser office, turning around and round, first one way and then another in its frantic endeavors to escape the pelting hail stones. It finally got its back to the storm and its head toward Arnold Bros. Drug store and the stone crossing at the edge of the side walk weathered the storm.
A pleasant little woman, dressed in deep mourning and accompanied by a very small black and tan dog, who has been in the city for a few days, is said to be the wife of one of the confidence men in jail at Afton, and that she is consulting her lawyer in the city.
Lenox, On Sunday morning Rev. Laughlin, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Lenox, accompanied by his sister, started for Madden's grove, where he expected to preach. At a point some nine miles south of Creston, near the east fork of the Platte River, in attempting to cross a small gulley or ravine that had been swollen by the water, backing in from the river, were both drowned, as was also the horse. The bodies were recovered about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and were brought to Lenox the same evening, and were buried in the Lenox cemetery on Monday at 11 a.m. The funeral services took place from the First Presbyterian Church, and was conducted by Rev. Johnston, pastor or the U.P. Church, assisted by Rev. Morrow, Dr. Golliday, and Rev. Harris. Rev. Laughlin leaves a wife, a babe six weeks old, and an aged grandmother, who are all the known relatives.
Our base ballists went to Fontanelle to-day to play a matched game with the nine at that place.
D. M. Alexander's team broke away from him yesterday while loading coal at McDonald and McKenzie's coal house, and made a lively run through town. They were stopped in the northwest part of town, and on inspection no damage of note was done.
John Gordon shipped two cars of hogs from here yesterday, three cars were shipped on last Saturday and one will be shipped today.
Cholera is coming this way, and those who are familiar with its history and the nature of its progress, warn the people of this country to prepare for it by thorough and systematic sanitation. Farr off Spain is paying a fearful penalty in the cholera scourge. It is officially reported that the inhabitants of many of the cities and villages refuse to submit to the rules established by the sanitary authorities and that there seems to be no way to arrest the progress of the epidemic under such circumstances. The most eminent local physicians say that the sanitary condition of Marseilles and other Mediterranean cities is fearful. That garbage is rooting and reeking in the streets and that nothing has been done but to squirt a little disinfectant against the walls of some of the houses. With no barriers erected where the fearful scourge prevails, it is not possible to guess how soon it may make its escape and cross the ocean, now reduced to only a few days' trip by steam. It will not do to wait until it has invaded our own shores before we do something. It is a fact that years ago, it carried off the plains, Indians by the hundreds, with no known reason for its reaching them from the whites. Our people should take time by the forelock.
Deaths Doings---
Died at her home in this city Monday, June 29, at 3:14 p.m., Mrs. Emma Mackemer, in the 33rd year of her age. Funeral services will be held at the residence, corner of south Maple and Lucas streets, Wednesday, July 1 at 3 o'clock p.m.
The announcement of Mrs. Mackemer's death was not altogether unexpected though very startling, as she had been very ill for over a week, but up to Sunday was thought to be doing fairly well and improving. She took worse again, however, and suffered greatly before death. She was the wife of one of our most respected townsmen, who has been in business in the city for many years and is today the senior partner in the firm of Mackemer Bros., furniture dealers. Mr. and Mrs. Mackemer were among the earliest settlers of Creston and are well known to all old residents.
Deceased was a sister of Messrs. B. F. and T.A. Heinly and a cousin of M.A. Nye, of our city. She leaves beside a husband other relatives, seven children, ranging in age from 14 years to a baby a day old, three boys, the oldest, the baby and another, and four girls. The death is a most sad one and casts a gloom over the community and calls forth e sympathy of the entire city for the bereaved relatives, especially for the little ones left motherless so young.
Died at her home in this city, this morning, June 30, at 7 o'clock, Mrs. Stina Applegreen, in the fifty-third year of her age. Funeral service will be held at the Swedish Lutheran church tomorrow, July 1, at 2 o'clock p.m., Rev. Renstrom officiating, and the remains will be interred in Graceland cemetery.