Let Girls Drive, Says Judge

1920

DUBUQUE, Iowa. — Popular advice at popular prices — that is Justice of the Peace Buckley's slogan. "Teach the girls to drive and you can put both arms around them," he told two youthful speeders who said it happened because they had their arms around the girls. Then he charged $1 — and.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 3.

Two Pearls In Single Shell

1916

River Mussel Yields Tidy Sum to Finder.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa. — Sam Waid of Cedar township found along the Little Cedar River two large pearls in one shell. The pearls have been estimated by buyers to be worth at least $50 each.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 5.

Race Horse Driver Seventy-Two Years

1916

HUNTING BARNES OF IOWA IS OLDEST MAN IN SPORT.

Started as a Jockey When a Boy in Wisconsin — He's Still Spry at Age of 89.

WEST UNION, Iowa, Sept. 14. — Hunting Barnes of West Union is the oldest racing man now actively engaged in the sport both in age and number of years in the service. He is 89 years old, and is now racing for his seventy-second consecutive year.

Barnes was born in New York State, Oct. 12, 1827. He went to Wisconsin with his parents when a boy and started work at selling fruit on the streets of Milwaukee. Later he began riding horses.

At that time there were few established tracks, the racing being done on the public road, a straightaway course, with the running races generally only a quarter of a mile in length. In 1845 Barnes went across Wisconsin to Madison, Wis., and Prairie du Chien with a party of race horse men. They pitted their mounts against those of the French and Indian half breeds on these impromptu half mile tracks. In 1849 Barnes began driving harness horses.

In 1853 Barnes joined the rush to California, going around Cape Horn, but speedily got enough of it there, returning via Panama, where he rode a mule across the isthmus. However, he later returned to California and after the trip there rejoined his parents, who had moved in 1853 to Fayette County, Iowa.

He hired to two families from Fayette to take them across the Great American desert to the Pacific Coast, and getting other young men to go along they took a bunch of trotters and runners. He remained on the coast, riding and driving until 1865. One of his runners, a mare named Seed Wheat, was run by him there for three years without losing a race.

Barnes has lived in Fayette County since 1865, and in West Union for forty years. He was one of the men who about forty-five years ago, as members of a driving association, surveyed and had graded the first circular track in Fayette County, the one now on the Fayette County fair grounds in West Union.

Barnes recalls an incident of his early driving days that amuses him considerably. He had charge about 1850 or 1851 of a trotter, Badger Boy, that could make a mile in three minutes on a good track on days when he was in good trim. Barnes took this horse to the State Fair at Madison, Wis., and beat everything in sight. The next year he returned, and was barred out of the races, but the officials softened the blow to him by giving him a blanket inscribed "The fastest trotting horse in Wisconsin," and letting him drive around the track with the horse wearing the blanket.

Barnes had his horse hitched to a sulky weighing about 300 pounds, or ten times the weight of the average racing sulky of today. As he passed the stand the [la___*] said to him, "Mr. Barnes, you are [____ and*] spry, but you'll get killed riding in so light a cart as that."

He has raced every season since that time.

—The Saturday Blade, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 8.

*Missing a couple bits here. Possibly "you are young and spry" and "the lady there said to him," but I don't know that "the lady" makes much sense.

Says Frogs Kept Him Awake

1916

Now Wants $2,000 Damages From Owner of Pond.

OTTUMWA, Iowa — Because bullfrogs made such noise in a pond near his home that he lost sleep during the hot weather, Charles H. Barton, retired capitalist, filed a $2,000 damage suit against L. H. Hughes, wealthy Riverview grocer and postmaster.

Barton charges that the pond was constructed by Hughes so he could fish from the rear step of his store.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 7.

Stone Bandstand; New Idea

1916

Iowa Town Takes an Advance Step in Architecture.

CENTERVILLE, Iowa — A Bedford stone bandstand is something new in the world. And Centerville, which always leads, boasts its possession. The design, which was drawn by Miss Nell Reynolds, a milliner of Centerville, also leads off into an original type of bandstand architecture, it being built on the lines of a colonnade with a pergola top, its dimensions being 18x24 feet and the floor being 3 feet and 3 inches from the ground, which is reached by a flight of five steps at either end of the stand.

The side walls, which extend [*] inches above the floor, are surmounted by four stone columns on each wall, upon which rests the pergola top. Ten 16-inch electric globes are ranged along the sides above the columns and at the center over either of the entrances, while on the side of each column are the lights for musicians.

The stand, which cost $1,200, was built by popular subscription, thru the efforts of the Centerville Association of Commerce.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 3.
[*] Number missing, two-digit number.

Shock of Near Beer Kills Inebriate Dog

1919

Booze-drinking Animal Succumbs After Losing Wet Rations.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — "Booze" was a bulldog, owned by Cal Harris of this city. Until July 1, last, his daily fare included a small quantity of beer. He was a visitor at several barrooms during the day, and as he came under the swinging doors during the summer or scratched and whined at the door in winter, the bartenders in the thirst emporiums which he frequented would "draw" a small beer, which would be consumed by their friend. With a wag of his tail as a silent "thank you," Booze would continue on his rounds.

When the saloons of Council Bluffs, Iowa, which was Booze's home, were closed, the owner of this famous canine laid away a supply of beer, but a few weeks ago, following nation-wide prohibition. the supply ran out. Booze was then forced to live on near beer. He could not stand it for many meals and the sudden shock from the sublime to the ridiculous was too much for him. He died a martyr to the cause of beer.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 11.

Girl Wife Roughly Seized and Carried Off By Force

1919

Sensational Cave Man Tactics Charged Against Young Husband — Brother of Alleged Kidnaper Said to Have Rendered Strong-arm Assistance in Strange Affair

CRESTON, Iowa — The sensational kidnaping of a young wife who was stolen from under the very eyes of a watchful brother-in-law, who, worn by his vigil, nodded and then slept, is alleged to have taken place in the southeast part of this county, and resulted in a hurry call for Sheriff E. C. Young, who early in the evening arrived at the scene of the excitement and placed under arrest the parties to the affair.

Clifford Bullock is charged with kidnaping his 16-year-old wife, from whom he had been separated, and carrying her to the home of his sisters, where they were found by the sheriff and brought to Creston.

The brother-in-law of the girl-wife, named McGuire, told the sheriff that while Mrs. Bullock was staying with her sister, Mrs. McGuire, Clifford Bullock and his brother arrived at the house in a bobsled. They asked Mrs. Bullock to go with them to a rehearsal for a play by amateur talent. She refused to go and the Bullocks retired, but it appears did not go very far.

McGuire, scenting trouble, decided to stick around and watch, but sleep overcame him, and he says that the first he recalls was hearing screams of the girl, who was calling upon him to come to her help. He rushed to her rescue and found her in the hands of her husband and his brother, who were forcibly taking her from the house, which they did despite her screams and kicks and struggles.

McGuire says that when he attempted to interfere he was shot at.

The Bullocks drove off, and McGuire says he could still hear his wife's sister screaming far up the road. Evidences of the struggle in the bobsled, he says, were also found, as several comforts and blankets which had been thrown from the sled were picked up.

Sheriff Young says that when found the young wife of Bullock declared she would never live with her husband, but still was reluctant about being the cause of his getting into trouble.

It has not been determined what disposition will be made of the case.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 7.

Note: The article says "comforts."

Gypsy Sells Docile Husband To Woman For $5,000 In Gold

1920

Wife Says She's Selling Mate at a Bargain as She Had Paid Same Sum for Him Herself — Declares It Is Tribal Custom and Perfectly Proper

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 1. — Peter Guy, gypsy, formerly the husband of Mary Guy, another of the wandering tribe of Romany, is now the property of another woman.

Peter was sold by his wife for $5,000 in gold, in addition to the property the two had collected in their wanderings.

The bill of sale was drawn up in the office of a local attorney, and at the same time an agreement on the division of property was also made a matter of record.

The three parties to the eternal triangle appeared in the lawyer's office and stated their wants. After he had recovered from the shock, the attorney asked for explanations.

"Oh, not necessary," Mrs. Guy said. "This woman, she want to buy my husband. She have enough money, I don't want him any more, so I sell him."

Says It Is Tribal Custom

She went on to explain that it was the tribal custom, and all of them seemed to think that the proceedings were perfectly legal. The wife asked if her husband could now marry the woman who had bought him.

When told by the attorney that he would have to obtain a divorce, she merely smiled and nodded.

The sale was not the first one in which Guy had figured as human chattel, his former owner told the lawyer.

"Oh, I paid $5,000 for him myself, and I am selling him cheap," she is said to have remarked.

Besides deeding his property to the party of the first part of the sale, Guy gave her the custody of their three children, naming as the only condition that they shall not be taken out of the United States.

Are Dressed in Splendor

All three of the parties to the out-of-the-ordinary sale were dressed in barbaric splendor, with Mrs. Guy the most ornate, the attorney says.

Besides the usual trappings of her tribe, which included a vivid pink headdress, the wife wore a string of gold coins as a necklace which must have been worth at least $500, according to the attorney. In addition, an Austrian kronen hung at the end of each of her tightly-woven braids.

The gypsies live "all over the United States," they told their legal adviser.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 3.

Is It A Home You Want?

1902

If so, we have an unusual bargain for you. $100 cash and the balance of $750 in payments of $12 per month will buy a fine new cottage on Lincoln street. Choice lot on Park road at $375 and will take jewelry or other personal property as part payment, balance cash or time.

It is worth the money and if you doubt it call and we will gladly show you the lot and convince you what we say is true. For particulars call on Waterloo Stock Exchange.

—Waterloo Daily Reporter, Waterloo, Iowa, March 6, 1902, p. 3.

An Iowa Fish Story

1900

Here is an Iowa yarn that raises the limit on fish stories:

"We wet our lines in Shell Rock river, a few miles below Cedar Falls, and caught a catfish that weighed 190 pounds. Being without fish, flesh or fowl at the camp, we put a pole through its gills and shouldered it half a mile for dinner. On opening it we found that it had swallowed a smaller cat that weighed about 15 pounds, so we said we'd eat the latter for dinner instead of the big fellow, as it was perfectly fresh. But when we opened No. 2 there was a still smaller cat in its gullet, one that weighed five pounds, and as the party consisted of only three we made a dinner on that. I have abundant witnesses."

Death of Venice Cecil Creveling.

1907, Leon, Iowa area

Venice Cecil Creveling, daughter of Clemul and Joannah Creveling, was born Dec. 8, 1896, at the old Creveling home near Lamoni, where she lived with her parents to the time of her death which occured Aug. 31, 1907, by falling from her father's load of lumber and being crushed by the wheel of the wagon. The only words she spoke were, "Papa, take me home."

By faith we are assured that the good Father hastened to this mournful plea and received the spirit to give it light and immortality and forever to dwell in that blest land where flowers, youth and beauty will never fade. We rely in the promise of Him who said: "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom."

The funeral was from the home Sunday evening at 4 o'clock, conducted in the grove near the dwelling by Rev. Frank Spurrier of the Baptist church. The remarks were very appropriate, from the text: "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." — Matt. 25:13. The funeral was largely attended with many sad hearts and sympathizing friends who with words and flowers paid their last tribute to all that was left of the mortaled innocence of the loved one. May the word of the Lord come to those sorrowing ones as in Abram's vision, saying "Fear not; I am thy shield." Submissive then may they reply: "Thy will be done."

This lovely bud, so young and fair,
Called hence by early doom,
Just came to show how sweet a flower
In Paradise could bloom.

Thou no more will join our number;
Thou no more sorrows know;
Yet again we hope to meet thee,
When this toiling life is done.

J. F. M.

Note: This article is from an old scrapbook from the Leon, Iowa, area. The last poem is inset slightly and each second line is indented. The signature J.F.M. is original to the article.

Drifted Together; Hogs Freeze Fast

1909

Sad Plight of Porkers Near Lake City During Blizzard.

LAKE CITY, Feb. 20. — Fred Fry, who lives north of town, relates a mighty interesting incident which occurred on his farm the night of the big storm.

The following day, Mr. Fry heard some hogs squealing and he went out to investigate. The sounds seemed to come from a snow drift and he went over to the drift and, lo and behold a couple of hogs emerged from that drift. The astonishing part was the fact that they had lived through the night in that drift, but that was not the most astonishing part. When those hogs came from that drift they were frozen together, frozen so hard that when they were separated the hide came off and the hogs bled profusely.

It certainly was a peculiar experience.

—Des Moines News, Des Moines, IA, Feb. 21, 1909, p. 3.

Man Attacked By Big Snake, Attacks Back

Lamoni, Iowa

Mr. C. F. Smith had an exciting experience with a snake Saturday. Driving through his feed lot he suddenly discovered a large snake chasing him with head erect, evidently greatly angered and bent on mischief. Mr. Smith continued to drive for about 200 yards while he plied the buggy whip vigorously on his snakeship. By that time the reptile was somewhat stunned and Mr. Smith alighted from his buggy thinking to complete killing it.

But in quieting his horses the lines broke and these had to first be repaired temporarily. Then he completed the killing of the snake which is thought by some to be a bull snake but is more likely a blowing viper and which measures 5 feet 8½ inches in length and 5-5/8 in circumference at the largest part of the body. Mr. Smith brought it to town and David Thomas has it bottled in alcohol. We are inclined to believe that the buggy must have disturbed his snakeship in some way which caused the manifestation of anger and the disposition to fight.

At any rate the experience is remarkable for this section and shows the presence of larger snakes than we supposed were lurking around here. — Lamoni Patriot.

This article is from an old scrapbook from the Leon, Iowa area. The entire scrapbook is online at this link, and this article is on page 57.

Call On Spirits to Help Convict Negro

1921

(Special to Post-Crescent)

Des Moines, Iowa. — A voice from the spirit world is being used to help forge the chain of evidence against Tom Lewis, negro, charged with assaulting and murdering 23-year-old Sara Barbara Thorsdale, Des Moines school teacher.

Miss Thorsdale's body was found in a clump of bushes alongside the lonely road she took in walking from her school to the street car. Lewis, who lived in a shack nearby, was traced by bloodhounds. He denies all knowledge of the crime.

The spirit voice is that of the slain girl, transmitted through Mrs. E. C. Head, a Des Moines medium, to Mrs. Gladys Conway, Miss Thorsdale's dearest chum.

The chum, skeptically but hopefully, applied to Mrs. Head after Lewis protested his innocence. She says she heard the voice of Miss Thorsdale clearly, that it told her a negro and two white men were responsible, and that it explained the crime in this way:

"I was walking casually along, and when I reached the thicket a hand was stretched out and caught me. Another hand went over my mouth. That was 4:40 in the afternoon, but my spirit did not leave my body until the next day. I was taken to a cabin and kept there. Early the following morning they took my body to the river to throw it into the water, but the men were afraid. There were two men. Another knew, but did not help."

Names of the two white men have been turned over to officials, who say they will be arrested.

Sheriff W. E. Robb plans to use both Mrs. Conway and Mrs. Head as witnesses.

—Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, WI, July 25, 1921, p. 6.

Harry Potter Sues Circus

Iowa, 1894

The band leader in Reynolds' circus sued the show in the superior court here for $300 and its horses have been attached according to the following paragraph in a Creston paper: Sheriff Davenport went to Afton yesterday and levied on the horses and railroad cars of Reynolds Bros.' circus, on a writ of attachment sworn out by Harry Potter and wife for labor, in the sum of $891.05. Representatives of the circus were in the city today endeavoring to effect a settlement. Circuses seem to be having a rough time of it this year.

— Cedar Rapids Gazette; Reprinted in Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, IA, July 18, 1894, p. 9.


North Dakota, 1925

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter of Bismarck spent Wednesday night at the Henry Olson home.


Appleton, Wisconsin, 1932

Mrs. Charles Solie and daughter, Delora, Mrs. Harry Potter and Mrs. R. J. Denel of this city, motored to Neenah Wednesday where they were guests at the George Stadtmueller home.


Illinois, 1898

Sergeant Harry Potter, of company H, Third Illinois, from Rockford, Ills., is reported dead at Porto Rico.

Woman Hater for 60 Years

1905

Now Daughter of Girl Who Jilted Him Gets His Fortune

Isaac Showers of Webster City, Iowa, religiously kept a vow for sixty years that no woman should cross his threshold or enjoy a cent of his wealth. Now that he is dead the carefully drawn will by which he hoped to perpetuate his vow has been broken, and the bulk of his estate goes to the daughter of the woman who jilted him and made him a hater of all womankind.

Showers came West years ago from New York to make his fortune, leaving behind him a girl who had promised to wait for him. When he became wealthy, as wealth was counted in those days, he journeyed back to claim his bride, only to find that she had married his brother. Without a word he returned to Iowa. When his father died, leaving a considerable estate, he refused to take any share of it because his brother was administrator.

In his own will he left his vast acreage of valuable lands to various schools, aid societies and churches. Mrs. Edward Price, daughter of the girl who jilted him, contested the will and has broken it, and will inherit something more than $250,000.

Governor Gets Shock With Each Handshake

1915

Iowa Executive Puzzled Over the Repetition of Sensations — Discovery Is Made

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 16. — Governor Clarke's dynamic personality was much more so than usual the other day, so much more so that the Governor shocked himself and kept on shocking without knowing what was the matter.

As visitors came and went during the afternoon, every time one received the gubernatorial handshake, the executive winced a bit and drew back his arm. Finally he decided it was time to see what was wrong.

"Say, Gus, what's going on here?" he demanded of A. C. Gustafson, his secretary. "Every time I shake hands with somebody I get a shock."

A brand new thick velvet carpet had just been placed on the floor in the Governor's office.

"Ah," exclaimed the secretary. "I'll bet that's it."

Gustafson dragged his feet over the heavy carpet as children used to do in the evening in the parlor before the gas was lighted. From the ends of the secretary's fingers the sparks of static electricity shot out.

"That's it," the secretary announced. "This new carpet is dried thoroly now with the radiator heat and all you have to do is walk across it to stir up the current."

Visitors in the office experimented and succeeded in making vivid electric flashes come from their fingers on contact with some other individual or with something leading to the ground. In the course of an argument arising from the Governor's experience, one man in a downstairs office succeeded in lighting a gas jet with a spark which came from his fingers after dragging his feet over a heavy carpet.

The Reunion Is Over

From the Leon, Iowa, area, date unknown, circa 1900

It Was the Best and Most Successful Reunion Ever Held — People Were All Well Satisfied

The big reunion which has been looked forward to for months closed Saturday night, and it is not stretching it when we say that it was the biggest and best reunion we have ever held in this city. It looked rather gloomy when the reunion opened on Tuesday of last week with a cold rain but when the sun came out Wednesday morning everybody took heart, although the weather was a little too cold, and for the remaining four days there was a big attendance. On Thursday and Friday Mr. Roe Caster had to open up his meadow to teams, as hundreds could not find any place to hitch on the grounds, notwithstanding there were just the same number of hitchracks as last year, so this shows conclusively that on these days the crowds were larger than on any previous year.

The speakers during the reunion were the best we ever had, Judge W. E. Miller, of Bedford, delivering a fine address on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday the speaker was Judge S. F. Prouty, of Des Moines, one of the most prominent men of the state. He was met at the depot by Clerk S. W. Kehler with his fine team and carriage, and a delegation of prominent citizens, headed by County Auditor Gill, and escorted up town to dinner. He spoke at the reunion grounds in the afternoon and the crowd was the largest and most attentive at any of the speeches, and his address seemed to please every man and woman in the vast audience. On Friday Col. M. L. Temple, of Osceola, was greeted with a large audience and his address was well received. The last speech of the reunion was made by Mayor V. R. McGinnis, and notwithstanding it was the closing day he was greeted with a big audience who had the pleasure of hearing Mr. McGinnis at his best, and there is no better speaker in the whole state on an occasion like this than Mayor McGinnis.

Excellent music was furnished throughout the reunion by the Garden Grove band, and a better band, or one more liberal with their music was never in this city. The boys are fine gentlemen and gave the very best of satisfaction, both to the public and the committee. It is one of the best bands in this part of the state. The Big Four Quartet from Humeston were also here the entire time, and these gentlemen were heartily endorsed by everybody. They were always ready to sing and there was no end to their repertoire of song, classical or rag time. In the evening they appeared as black face singers and their rag time music never grew old, the crowds always being eager for more. The committee made no mistake when they secured the Big Four Quartet.

The free attractions were the best ever put on by any reunion in southern Iowa, including Clark & Stonebraker in double trapeze, revolving ladders, tumbling and barrel jumping and they are artists in these lines. Zareli, the silver gymnast also made good with his tramp comedy contortions and slack wire walking and unicycle riding, juggling, and hand balancing and posing. He is a good one. There were also a number of other free attraction, including numerous boxing and wrestling matches, and there was something going on at one of the three stands all the time, so that it kept the people busy trying to see it all.

Friday was 111th Alaska day, and these jolly boys had a big special program offering numerous cash prizes for contests and sports of various kinds. The pie eating contests for men was won by Will Akes, who devoured something less than a dozen pies, John Vanpelt being a close second. In the boys pie eating contest Frank Cartwright won first prize and Paul Kenter the second money. Howard Eals of this city proved a wonder when it came to stowing away the most watermelon and he easily distanced all his competitors, but hasn't cared for melon since. There were six good wrestling matches during the day at which cash prizes were offered and they were all for blood, the winners being as follows:

1st — Clyde Pryor won from Floyd Powers.
2d — Steve Akes won from John Powers.
3d — Fred Young won from Clyde Pickering.
4th — Wm. Akes won from Perry Reynolds.
5th — Floyd Powers won from Forest Davenport.
6th — Guy Whitecar won from Jasper Jennings.

In the boxing contests Art Cowden won from Jap Carr, the latter taking a header into the lake from the platform to avoid his opponent. This match was followed by a hot one between Clyde Marvin and Carl Reynolds which the judges called a draw.

Fred Jay, the Davis City high diver, made a pretty dive from a fifty foot ladder into the lake, and as the result of a challenge between J. R. Bowsher and Charlie Akes, Bowsher made a fine high dive, going into the water like a lobster.

Dead Snake In Beer Keg

Iowa, 1900

Poisoned Beer Results in the Death of Three Persons

Fort Dodge, July 21. — Four young men living in Cerro Gordo county, near the Minnesota line, purchased and drank from a keg of eastern brewed beer, and as a result three of them have died and the fourth is now in terrible agony and is reported to be at the point of death.

The day was warm and the beer was consumed hurriedly by the friends, who little realized that they were sipping a death dealing draught. They were all immediately taken sick, and although a physician was soon after summoned, the taking off of three of the young men could not be prevented.

To ascertain, if possible, the cause of the sickness, the keg was broken into and the decomposed remains of a genuine rattlesnake were found. Improbable as the story sounds, it is true, and is rendered plausible by the fact that empty kegs are often left lying around for weeks before being shipped back to the breweries. It is thus easy for reptiles and insects to crawl into the kegs.

The scalding out of the kegs upon their return to the brewery would naturally kill any living organism, which would remain in the keg. It was only a few years ago that a party here became sick from drinking keg beer and an investigation showed that a dead toad occupied the keg with the beer.


Lee Junior Stamping State

Robert E. Lee, Jr., grandson of the great Confederate soldier, is taking a prominent part in Virginia's political campaign. He is a son of William H. F. Lee, who has represented the Alexandria district in congress for several terms, and is a young man of considerable culture and oratorical ability.

Slain By Naked Maniac

Iowa, 1900

James Fitzsimmons Dead, Three Others Injured

Cedar Rapids dispatch: Charles Mefford, a maniac, at 5 o'clock a.m. killed James Fitzsimmons, fatally injured John Drake, seriously and possibly fatally injured Mrs. James Fitzsimmons and then ended his own life.

Mefford was 20 years old and had been insane for a number of years. Two years ago he was in the Independence asylum for a short time, but escaped and was never returned. He was not generally considered dangerous. Saturday night about ten o'clock, while clad in nothing but a shirt, he darted out of his home, a raving maniac. He was seen two or three times between then and midnight, but the police failed to find him.

Shortly before 5 o'clock Reginald Andrews, the janitor at the Old Ladies' Home was awakened by crashing glass. The next moment Mefford stood before him. stark naked, swinging a neck yoke. He warned Andrews that his time had come and swung the neck yoke in an effort to brain him. The latter dodged and grabbed the weapon, threw Mefford on the bed and choked him until he begged for mercy.

Then Andrews agreed to give him a bath, a suit of clothes and some breakfast, which apparently satisfied him. Rushing through the house, Andrews locked the twelve or fourteen old ladies in their rooms, notified the police by telephone, and then ran across the street, to the home of Joseph Drake for assistance.

Drake dressed, picked up a revolver, and they started out. As they did so Mefford, carrying an ax, was seen to plunge through a window in the home of James Fitzsimmons, about 150 yards away. As he entered the room Mrs. Fitzsimmons uttered a scream. Mefford swung the ax and brought it down toward her head. Her uplifted arm saved her life; the arm was broken in two places and she sustained a serious scalp wound. Mr. Fitzsimmons hurried to the aid of his wife and his skull was crushed with the ax, death resulting immediately.

The maniac then rushed into the room of Miss Katie, who escaped with a few scalp wounds. Starting down stairs he was met by Drake who snapped his revolver four times at the madman, each time upon an empty shell. Mefford grabbed the revolver, ran a few blocks and killed himself with the one load the revolver contained.

—Humeston New Era, Humeston, Iowa, July 4, 1900.