1915

Frank Klein, the longtime clerk at the Anderson store, has purchased a half interest in the business.

Ossian barbers raised their prices to 25¢ for haircuts and 15¢ for shaves.

The Crawford Press of Praire Du Chien recorded the following story: "An unidentified man from Ossian slaked his thirst, not wisely but well, in this city. He returned to his hotel room, removed his clothing, and fell asleep on the newly varnished floor. When he awoke next morning, he was stuck tight. A physician was summoned and found it necessary to anesthetize the victim before he could be freed. He returned home minus two slabs of skin and a wad of hair."

A series of burglaries plagued the town this year. The Gunderson drug store had two diamond rings and a gold watch stolen. Mrs. Mary Gunderson offered a reward of $50, with no questions asked, for their return. The postoffice was burglarized and postmaster Moe's revolver, along with the contents of the money drawer, was taken. Bloodhounds were brought in from Waterloo to assist local authorities in solving these crimes. The dogs followed a scent from Gunderson's store to a railroad storage shed at the rear of the John Vance residence. The trail vanished at this point, and the dog handlers theorized that the burglars had boarded a train.

The use of bloodhounds, a common practice during this period, was of doubtful benefit. One recorded instance, occurring at a later period when the Figge store was entered, finds marshal Grimstad and Pete Floistad laying an experimental trail to test the prowness of the dogs. The hounds showed no more skill in following these men than they had in tracking the thieves.

The Milwaukee station night operator, Clyde Eddington, was shot by a holdup man at the depot. He fled across the tracks to the Banning Hotel, where Jess Emery, "Tooty" Ean and Ralph Jones applied first aid to his wound. They summoned Dr. Juen and called the local authorities.

Editor Schmitz writes that this outrage is the fifth burglary of 1915, with the year only three weeks old. He called on the citizens of Ossian to organize and cleanse the town of undesirables. The bandit was apprehended in Praire Du Chien. He confessed to shooting Mr. Eddington and to committing all of the burglaries. A Bee reporter journeyed to Wisconsin for an interview with the criminal, George Gondek. Gondek said the bloodhounds had followed the wrong scent—he had spent the night at the Wiltgen Hotel after robbing Gunderson's store. Justice was fast and certain in 1915: "the criminal received a sentence of 30 years in the penitentiary within one week of apprehension.

The new Huber & Blankenheim furniture store offered a free "Misses rocker" to the first 150 housewives attending their grand opening. All the chairs were given