The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, March 17, 1921
SLASHED AND BLUGONED: Leslie Marshall, who has been in the employ of Carl Jacobson on the latter's farm east of town for some time, was assaulted and badly cut up with a knife in the hands of Perry Totten, a former Stronghurst young man, last Tuesday morning at Burlington, Iowa. From a rather sensational account of the affair which appeared in the Burlington Evening Gazette, it appeared that Marshall had spent the previous night at the Wagner Hotel in Burlington where he met a girl from Keokuk named Ella Walker and who is supposed to have been an old flame of Totten's. Marshall arose early Tuesday morning expecting to take a train for Stronghurst but was induced by the Walker woman to accompany her on a short walk about the city. At the corner of First and Elm Street Totten appeared on the scene and proceeded to beat up Marshall and slash him with a knife. When the police arrived on the scene, the victim of the assault was lying in an unconscious condition on the sidewalk. He was taken to the hospital where he was found to be suffering from two deep cuts on his right cheek, a bad cut on the left temple and an injury of the left elbow which had practically paralyzed the entire arm. His wounds were dressed and he was discharged from the hospital later in the day. He filed information against Totten, charging him with assault with intent to commit great bodily injury and the police at once began an attempt to locate Totten, who is supposed to have left for Fort Madison, Iowa shortly after the assault. The Walker woman was taken to the police station and questioned concerning her knowledge of the affair, but was not held and she left for Keokuk later in the day.
Marshall is said to believe that the assault was the result of a "frame up" and also maintains that a $20 bill which he had placed in his overall pocket in the morning before leaving the hotel is missing. He also claims that an old feud existed between him and Totten resulting from a beating which he gave the latter when they were both children and lived on neighboring farms in this vicinity.
MARKET ROAD BILL: Probably no other bill coming before the present state legislature is of more direct interest to Henderson County farmers than the "Farm to Market" road bill bought up this week. Henderson County, according to latest available figures, has 593 miles of dirt road.
Legislative experts of the Illinois Agricultural Association have surveyed the bill and find that it means the upkeep and market use of such roads as we have, rather than the building of new and expensive highways for joy riding. . .
RECEPTION AT LUTHERAN PARSONAGE: The members of the Luther League of the Swedish Lutheran church tendered Mr. Chas. Swanson a little reception in the form of a surprise at the Lutheran parsonage marking the birthday of Mr. Swanson. Mr. Swanson through his kind and untiring nature has in the past shown very much interest in the work of the Luther League and the group wished to honor his work. Rev. Olson on the behalf of the group presented the guest of honor with a gold watch chain.
MIND AFFECTED BY ILLNESS: Mr. Jesse Fort whose health has been impaired for sometime has recently shown symptoms of mental disorder which have been a source of anxiety to his relatives and friends. Last Saturday he became quite violent and since that time has been under the care of Mr. W.E. Salter as an attendant.
Since the death of his wife and the disposal of his farm near Olena a few years ago Mr. Fort has made his home with relatives in this vicinity and at Watauga and Galesburg. He spent the last winter in the home of his daughter, Mrs. J.W. Hicks of this place.
A short time ago he purchased the property adjoining that of Mr. and Mrs. Hicks and at present is being cared for in this his own home by Mr. Salter. The gentlemen's friends hope that his trouble may be only of a temporary nature.
CHILD WELFARE WORK: The Household Science Department of the local Woman's Community Club is planning to hold a public meeting in the near future in the interest of "Child Welfare" movement.
This work has received recognition of the national government through the passage of the Shepherd-Towner Bill by Congress. Public interest was aroused last fall by the publicity given the subject through the agency of the press, the pulpit and the Women's clubs of the country and our local organization joined in the work of circulating petitions to congressmen and senators asking for favorable consideration of the bill. . .
1896 GRAPHIC: The village school had grown to such proportions that the school board was considering the addition of a two story wing on the north side of the school house. The firm of Amerman & Barnes had just organized at Raritan to conduct a general merchandising business.
Mrs. Mary J. Spiker, mother of Mr. W.L.Spiker, died at her home in LaHarpe, Ill. on March 16th at an age of 71 years. Dr. M.S. Hooper and wife were moving from Stronghurst to Burlington, Iowa. Dave Stewart met with a serious accident on March 17th when one of his ankle joints was crushed in a horse power which was in operation at the Henry Smith place near here. Mrs. S.J.Gilmore had leased rooms in the Harter Building over the post office in Stronghurst and was preparing to open a new millinery store.
William P. Thompson, an old and highly respected citizen of Warren County, died at his home in Smithshire on March 14th at the age of 84 years. Hon. J. O. Anderson of Decorra announced himself as a candidate for the republican nomination for state representative from this district.
WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF ACTS: It seems that Sheriff Hicks of Warren County recently ventured over into Henderson county and unaided and unarmed captured a lawbreaker of giant physical proportions who was wanted by the authorities at Lincoln, Ill. Information as to the identity of the big bad man is not available, but the Monmouth Daily Review tells this story of the capture:
"Our sheriff, Mr. Hicks, is more firmly convinced than ever that the law, with its attendant majesty, makes up a big share of any physical odds which a violator might have over an officer sent to take him into custody. His latest conviction came yesterday when he ventured into the bad lands, topographically speaking, of Henderson County in search of a young man wanted on a state Sheriff Hicks had never seen his prospective prisoner. Moreover, he had never been apprised of the physical or mental characteristics of the person named in the warrant. Consequently, when he reached a point about halfway between this city and his intended destination, he realized with a certain feeling of apprehension that he had forgotten to bring along his revolver. He recalled that he had taken the gun from his pocket a short time before starting and laid it in the drawer of his desk at the court house, where it served no purpose whatever.
Reaching the farm where his quarry was reported to be working, the sheriff halted his fliver in the barnyard, debarked and advanced toward the house. He had gone only a few steps when the door of the house opened and there came from within a towering specimen of physical structure, and the sheriff recalled with more vividness than ever the absence of his trusty "shooting iron," always handy when the law fails to properly impress.
The man walked toward the officer, who was mentally drawing up a theoretical program in case later developments necessitated action, and the man in a mild-toned, gentlemanly voice, asked, "Do I have to go with you?" almost before the sheriff had informed him of the warrant he held. And with all the majesty of the law behind him, the sheriff answered, "Yes, you'll have to come with me."
The youth who measured six feet four and one half inches up and down and about one-third of this length in a horizontal direction across the shoulders, is now an inmate of the county jail, awaiting a return to Lincoln, where he will answer a charge of forgetting a board bill.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: A. T. Churchill, present of the Churchill Drug Co. of Burlington, Iowa died last Friday. Chas. Hardin of the southeast country, spent some time recently at a sanatorium in Peoria (could be for tuberculosis which was quite prevalent at this time period). The Media High School will present the operetta "Windmills of Holland" Friday evening. The arrival of a daughter at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wanders happened in Galesburg. Emil Anderson of Jackson Corners held a sale of farm property preparatory to removing to Roseville to live. A company of eight lady friends of Mrs. N. E. Curry dropped in her home to help celebrate her birthday. Ray Rankin and family expect to return to their Canadian home this week; the season has been quite open there and farming season is expected to begin earlier than usual. The largest real estate deal of the season was transacted in La Harpe when Ralph Painter of Terre Haute bought the Frank Bradshaw farm of 170 acres west of La Harpe for $14,000.($166,460 in today's values) The Ben Powell, Bert Johnson and Otto Steffey families enjoyed a family dinner at the C. H. Davis home last Sunday. The contract for a new modern bungalow to be erected on the F. J. Brokaw farm southwest of town has been let to Mr. A. E. Moore. Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Dixon have again taken their son Kenneth to the Burlington Hospital to receive treatment for a serious ailment which followed a recent operation for the removal of tonsils and adenoids. County Superintendent Beal is holding teachers' examination at Oquawka and the following from this vicinity are in attendance: Mary Brokaw, Marjorie McKeown, Icel Resner, Lois Shaw, Veda Headley, Lucile Maxey, Ardis Hicks, Mabel Rankin and Merle Adair.
The Merchants Association of La Harpe has for several years looked after the oiling of city streets, but as the proposition was a losing one last summer financially, they have decided to put the matter up to the city council this year offering the city the free use of the oiling machinery, which is the property of the association. The present city council is opposed to the idea of levying a tax for road oiling and it is feared that before the new board assumes charge, it will be too late to arrange for oiling this year.
The question of consolidating the school districts of Biggsville and maintaining one central school in the village of Biggsville is being agitated by some of the residents of the township. 1,000 tons of ice have been shipped from northern Minnesota to the Home Ice Co. of Monmouth for the use of their customers during the coming summer. The ice is said to be 18 inches thick and of excellent quality (one needed ice for their ice boxes-predated the refrigerator).
A bill has been introduced in the Illinois legislature imposing a heavy fine on persons caught filching apples, melons, etc. from farmers' orchards and fields. The growing practice amongst autoists of stopping in their travels and helping themselves to fruit growing in orchards and fields adjacent to the highways is said to be the real for the introduction of the bill. (Just see what the trouble those horseless carriages were causing!)
St. Patrick's Day was noted by an occasional green hat band or two and the donning of blue overalls by a lot of the school students, but few evidence was here of the disposition to pay honor to the memory of Ireland's patron saint. The Expression II class at the high school will give an entertainment in celebration of the day; however, no doubt there will be something presented to remind the patrons of the fact that there are no snakes in Ireland.
WEDDING BELLS: At the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Frye of Media on March 9th at 4 p.m. occurred the marriage of their daughter, Miss Anna to Fred Greenstreet. Rev. Henry Russell of the Media U.P. Church officiated in the presence of a small party of immediate relatives and friends. Following congratulations a six o'clock dinner was served. Mr. and Mrs. Greenstreet will reside on a farm west of Media.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Miss Thelma Hedges is still quite ill at her home with symptoms of appendicitis. Mr. and Mrs. Page Randall from near Kingston, Iowa, came Sunday in their car to visit with relatives and friends. Mrs. Clyde Galbraith returned home from Bowen, Ill. after a week's visit with her sister, Mrs. George Garrett and family. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Galbraith and Ethel Carlson, Mrs. Amy Lewis and Iona Simpson attended an Eastern Star social in Oquawka Monday evening. Earl Kessinger moved into Arthur Gray's house south of town and will farm there this summer.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mrs. Rachel Ribas and children are now at home in Burlington where they have secured a couple of rooms. John McIntosh, Harry Rankin and Hans Beresford were in Oquawka attending court. Orville Boyd and Miss Marguerite Wheeling spent the weekend at the home of Mrs. Robt. Boyd. Mr. and Mrs. Gus Ericson entertained a few of their friends in honor of their 35th wedding anniversary; refreshments of fruit salad, cake, wafers and tea were served. Gertrude White has been quite sick with appendicitis. Mrs. George Thompson and baby who have spent the winter at the A. L. Thompson home left for Ladd, Ill., where they will make their home with a brother.
Robert, the little son of Mr. and Mrs. Calvert Bigger, while playing had the hard luck to break his arm at the elbow.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Grandma Bacon will celebrate her 90th birthday tomorrow. Mrs. Grier Mathers visited with her daughter, Mrs. Emery Everhardt and made the acquaintance of her new grandson who has been named Roy Grier Everheart. Train No. 5 stopped here Saturday night to let a number of passengers off. The E. G. Lewis Seed Co. shipped a car load of clover seed. The pupils of the high school are planning to give the operetta, "Windmills of Holland" on April 1st. Mr. Earl Ricketts gave up his position as mail carrier to go to Biggsville to work in his uncle's store. Mr. Olin Palmer is now carrying the mail until the vacancy is filled. Charles Gibson had the misfortune to run a pitch fork in his foot which caused him considerable suffering.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. Eldred Coudry is suffering from a badly sprained wrist caused by being kicked when cranking his car. (No keys back then.) Thayer Williamson of Burlington is helping on L. Wiegand's farm while Mr. W. is having a siege of the grippe. Mr. Lew Bagles is having his house repaired by Jim Hicks and workmen from Stronghurst. The farmers shipped three car loads of stock from this station on Monday.