History of Scott County, Iowa, Part 61

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1280


USA > Iowa > Scott County > History of Scott County, Iowa > Part 61


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A horrible accident occurred at Walcott, Feb. 28. A laborer named Samuel Cummings was shoveling snow off the railroad track, when a freight train from the West came along, pushed by the engine of the construction train. He was struck and fell back, then rolled down upon the track, caught and dragged some dis- tance. The train was stopped, but before help could reach him he was dead. Capt. A. H. Davenport died at his home in Le Claire on Sunday afternoon, March 27. The old planing-mill at the cor- ner of Third and Farnam streets was burned April 26; total loss, $3,900. David Le Claire, the oldest settler left in Davenport after the death af Mrs. Marguerite Le Claire, died at his residence in West Davenport, May 13.


On the morning of July 2, while preparations were going on for the celebration of the Fourth, with crowds from the country and neighboring towns thronging the streets, bent on amusement, came


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news which thrilled the city as was never the case but once, and that was when the great Lincoln was murdered. It was about 9:30 o'clock when the first telegram came, "President Garfield was shot twice at the B. & O. depot at Washington." News came shortly after that the wound was not fatal, and people took hope. The name of the cowardly assassin was Charles J. Guiteau. Capt. Robert Melville died at his home in this city, July 21. On the morning of July 29, 1881, Thomas Greene, of Tamaco, who was in this city under medical treatment, received a sun stroke. which caused him the loss of his sense of speech. Two boys, Engene and Fritz Ivers, were drowned while in bathing near Paige, Dixon & Co.'s mill, on Friday, Aug. 12. Mr. R. F. Paige, of the firm of Paige, Dixon & Co. died at his home in this city, Sept. 1, from heart disease. William Schlimme, a farmer, four miles north- west of Davenport, committed suicide by taking a dose of carbolic acid, on Monday. Oct. 10. Mrs. Doretha Litz, committed suicide in Davenport on the 12th of October, by jumping into a well, while in a temporary fit of insanity. A terrible steamboat disaster occurred in front of the city of Davenport, on Thursday night, Oct. 27. The "Jennie Gilchrist" after passing through the bridge and moving up the channel a short distance became helpless to move, and began floating back toward the bridge. She struck the bridge between piers Nos. 2 and 3. Instantly her steam-pipes parted, and there was a terrific crash like an explosion. The disaster was caused by the breaking of a pitman cam. Eight lives were lost, and cargo to the value of $2,000. Joseph Quick was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in Winfield township, on Sunday, Oct. 30. J. B. Nebergal, an old and prominent farmer in Blue Grass township, committed suicide by hanging himself, on Mon- day. Dec. 26.


CHAPTER XIX. MISCELLANEOUS.


TEMPERANCE.


The cause of temperance is one that has always enlisted the ser- vices of the moral and benevolent earth. As far back as the his- tory ot the world can be traced, intemperance has existed. Laws have been promulgated against it, warnings have been given over and over again, and yet man will continue to use the intoxicating cup, notwithstanding Solomon, the wise man, has said, "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth the color in the cup, for at last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder," and a greater than Solomon has added, "That no drunkard can inherit the kingdom of heaven."


In the first half of the present century but few large distilleries existed, while now every neighborhood must have its "still." A new settlement was no sooner formed than an enterprising indi- vidual would erect his still, and commence the manufacture of whisky, pure and unadulterated. The surplus corn of the country could be used in no other way; at least such was thought to be the case. Every merchant advertised whisky as one of the specialties of his store. The whisky-jug was thought to be an indispensable help in the harvest field, or at house-raisings, log-rollings and corn- huskings ; nor was the decanter, with its exhilarating contents, generally wanting at social gatherings. Liquor bought by the gallon, and even by the barrel, was kept in the house for daily use. Before partaking of breakfast the glass was passed around and par- taken of, to give an appetite, and in the evening was used as a "night-cap" before going to bed. When bittered by some herb or drug it was used as a sovereign remedy for some of the ailments flesh is heir to, and often as a preventive.


Whisky was generally considered necessary at every house-raising. It must be borne in mind by the reader that in the early day the houses built were invariably of hewn round logs, and it required the assistance of a large number of men to erect one. The necessity


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of having a supply of whisky at these raisings often put the pioneer to considerable inconvenience, and occasionally delayed the raising a much longer time than desired.


While temperance largely exists, it is evident that it has greatly decreased within the past generation. According to population there are not as many drunkards, nor is there as much liquor con- sumed as a third or half a century ago. This leads to the further declaration that can well be sustained, that the efforts put forth by the temperance people in times past have not proven a failure. That organizations have flourished for a time and then ceased to exist proves nothing. These organizations were but human instrumentali- ties brought forth by the necessities of the hour, their design bring to accomplish a certain purpose then apparent. It is not to be expected that they will be as enduring as the hills, or so strong that " the gates of hell shall not prevail against them." If they accomplish a good work for the time, well and good. If it be found that there is a radical defect in their organizations necessitating a change, let it be made, and let it not be imagined because they are defective and have not accomplished all the good their most sanguine sup- porters anticipated, that nothing has been done. All over the country can be found sober, honest and good men, who, but for the effort put forth by the members of some temperance organization that had ceased to exist, would now fill a drunkard's grave.


Notwithstanding whisky is thought to be a preventive for nearly every disease. it has been proven by actual statistics to be a source of disease, the habitual drinker being more liable to attack from various diseases than the total abstainer. Especially has this been proven to be the case in diseases of an epidemic nature, such as cholera.


THE WASHINGTONIANS.


In the winter of 1840-'41, in the city of Baltimore, a.society orig- inated having for its objeet the prevention of intemperance and the reformation of those who had become slaves to the intoxicating cup. This organization adopted the name of Washington Society, so named in honor of the Father of his country-George Washing- ton. Those connected with the society became known as Wash- ingtonians. The pledge adopted was a simple one, as follows: The undersigned, being desirous of carrying out the princ ples of temperance, do pledge our honor that we will abstain from all in- toxicating drinks.


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The movement carly began to be agitated in Davenport and throughout the county. Many who had been accustomed to par- take freely of the intoxicating cup became radical and zealous workers in the temperance cause.


The Gazette, under date Jan. 13, 1842, has the following to say of the movement:


"Almost every newspaper that we receive has something to say of the progress of temperance, in the respective towns of their pub- lication. Shall we not say something of our own village ? For the honor then of our town, and we trust our friends in the distance will notice it to induce moral immigration, Davenport contains no coffee-houses. 'Put in your paper,' observed a stranger to us, a passenger on the most recent boat detained at our wharf, 'put in your paper, sir, as one of the most favorable items connected with your beautiful town, that one of our passengers traversed it all over in search of liquor, but could not obtain a drop.' We com- ply with his injunctions."


For several years the temperance cause flourished. The Gazette for Jan. 29, 1846, said:


" Cold water is ' all the go here.' A red-nosed, blear-eyed, swell- head, tremulous, tipsy son of Bacchus would be something of a curiosity at this place. We once had such among us, but they are now the most bitter opponents that old red-eye has to contend with. A few stout cold-water men rigged up a team and went down to Blue Grass one night last week to stir up our farmer friends. They came back highly elated with their success; 28 raw hands had enlisted under the pure white banner of Temperance."


SONS OF TEMPERANCE.


After the Washingtonians came the Sons of Temperance, an or ganization having for its motto, "Love, Purity, and Fidelity." The " Sons" were composed of males above the age of 18, and held their meetings in secret, believing that they could more fully carry ont the object of the order. To enable the wives and daughters of members to engage in the good work, the "Daughters of Tem- perance" were organized; and for the benefit of males between the age of 14 and 18, the "Cadets of Temperance" were organized. Thus every member in the family were secured as workers in the good cause. The "Sons" formed their first division in this county in 1848, and for many years were in a flourishing con- dition.


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TEMPLE OF HONOR.


Almost contemporaneous with the Sons of Temperance was the Temple of Honor, which combined the principles of temperance with the benevolent features of such organizations as the Masons and Odd Fellows. Every person desiring to become a member of the order had to be proposed for membership and was required to be of the requisite age and in good health. A fair degree of sne- eess attended this order.


GOOD TEMPLARS.


The Independent Order of Good Templars originated in 1851, and was the outgrowth of a desire to unite all the members of a family in one order, and with the laudable object of " saving the fallen and preventing others from falling." The first lodge of Good Templars, in this county, was instituted about the year 1855, since which time the order here has had seasons of prosperity and seasons of adversity. Like all other human organizations, its members at times are enthusiastic, and work together in harmony, and success therefore attends their every movement. Again, di- visions occur; the members refuse to co-operate with one another, and the order takes a backward stride.


DARK DEEDS.


The following embraces a few of the " dark deeds" committed in Scott County. The list is not long, but long enough. It speaks well for the county that it is no worse.


On Monday morning, May 15, 1854, the body of a German was found lying in the middle of Fourth street, stabbed to the heart. On evidence at the inquest, it was found that he passed Sunday evening at a dance house and a saloon in the lower part of the eity. About one o'clock Sunday morning a fight occurred at the house, and shortly afterward the man left in company with a woman for Rock Island. The woman testified that two men fol- lowed them until they reached Fourth street, when one of them dropped behind, and the other eame up and struck her companion with something in a handkerchief. The blow was repeated, and the man shrieked and fell. The man when discovered was found to have been stabbed between the third and fourth ribs, through one lobe of the lung and penetrating the heart.


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On Sunday night, Oct. 8, 1854, as Thomas Pritchard was lean- ing against the railing in the dance-honse in the lower part of the city, Charles Beener, a negro, knocked him down and then seized and brutally dragged him down the steps and twice plunged a large knife into his breast, either one of which would have caused his death. Beener and two accomplices were arrested.


On Sunday night, Oct. 23, 1859, Henry Stoddard together with some others were making a noise in Wiedeman's saloon, and refusing to be quiet when requested, Mr. Wiedeman took him and another young man by the collar and shoved them toward the door. As he was putting them out, Stoddard drew his bowie- knife and inflicted two very dangerous wounds upon the person of William Herrig, and a slight flesh-cut upon Charley Deitmire. Before Stoddard could be arrested he made good his escape. Herrig died of his wounds Oet. 29.


The citizens in the vicinity of Warren and Second streets, in the eity of Davenport, were horrified on the night of Aug. 21, 1870, by hearing that a German woman named Koenig, who had but a short time before come to this country from Schleswig-Holstein, had murdered her two children and then killed herself. On hasten- ing to the spot it was found that the report was too true, for, lying upon the bed in the cold embraces of death, were the bodies of a little boy and girl, the latter four years and the former only two years of age. A visit to the yard dis- covered another horror, for there, in a well of not more than three feet in diameter, some 18 feet deep, and containing but about two feet of water, lay the body of the unfortunate mother whose rash hand, under the pressure of impending poverty, had committed the rash act, and hurried herself and innocent children into the presence of God. The body of the poor demented creature was taken from the well, where it had been drowned in a kneeling position, with the face buried in the water. The following state- ment by the husband was received before the coroner's jury, which was composed of Messrs. Tichenor, Charles Echardt and Jacob Grobe: He had been up town Saturday evening, and returned home about 10 P. M .; found the light out, and supposed his wife and children had gone to bed. He struck a match and lighted a candle, and saw upon the floor his two children lying dead. He picked them up and laid them upon the bed. He then apssed into the yard and saw his wife sitting by the well. He went to her, and she told him she had drowned the children in a


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bueket of water in the house, and intended to drown herself, as she had no desire to live; she was discouraged and sick. Konig says he told her to come in, but she did not want to. Then he led her in. IIere she repeated what she had said at the well, and said it would be better if they were both dead. and proposed that they both drown themselves in the well. He said he consented, and they both went to the well and jumped in, but the depth of the water was not sufficient to drown him. Then he climbed out and went down street, and not knowing what to do, went and told Mr. Jacob Rolf, a tailor on Second street, who returned with him to the house and remained until he was taken into custody by Deputy Sheriff Feid.


W. L. F. Konig was about 35 years of age. Hle and his family had only been in this country three and a half months, the greater portion of which time had been passed in Davenport. Ignorant of our language and unfitted by his profession. a school-master, for manual labor he found it impossible to secure employment, and their bare living had exhausted the small capital they brought with them from the old country. They were reduced to such extremity that they had endeavored to part with some antique and cherished family plate which they had brought with them, which was only rated as old silver by the jeweler to whom he offered it; marks of former prosperity in the way of expensive and good clothing were found in the house, although the furniture was scanty in quantity and of the poorest description. The health of the wife had failed after their arrival in Davenport; some chronic disease of the eyes had nearly destroyed her powers of vision.


As questioneil by the coroner the following was gleaned from the prisoner: " Went out about 7 o'clock; when I got home I found iny wife sitting alone by the well. I asked her how she could make up her mind to do such a wicked thing as to kill her children ; she told me we were so poor and had nothing to live on ; she had talked about it before and we had agreed to join the Amana So- ciety. I do not remember the first thing I said to her when I found her at the well. I was down-hearted. I carried her into the house and went to work to try and restore the children to life. my wife declaring she would drown herself, and ran away several times but I brought her back. She was always kind to the children. I found the oldest child lying dead on the floor, the other in a bucket of water. I thought it must be my wife who had killed them. When I found I could not restore the children we agreed to go and drown


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ourselves together in the well. We took hold of each other's hands and jumped into the well; the fall did not stun me. I knew where I was when we struck the bottom and immediately tried to drown myself. My wife laid down in the water. I laid down too; don't know how long; stooped forward while standing and put my head in the water, don't know why I took my head out of the water ; then I thought I would get out again and go into the house and shoot myself, but was too weak to reach up and get my gun; thought it best to see Rolfs before killing myself. I told him all about it and that I was going to kill myself, but he kept me from it." The jury returned a verdict in which they found the prisoner guilty of being accessory to the death of his wife.


The city of Davenport was very much shocked and public feel- ing very much excited over an event which happened there on the evening of Oct. 14, 1871. The news was circulated that Dr. George F. Lyon had been fatally stabbed by one Demis Delaney, an Irishman who was employed in the railroad shops at the depot. The facts seem to be these: The Doctor and Delaney resided next door to each other on Seventh street. It appeared that Delaney's dog was poisoned a few weeks previous, much to the wrath of its owner, who had charged the Doctor with doing it. On the 11th Delaney had another dog die in the same way in front of his house which he let lay there until the evening of the 14th. There was an alarm of fire on that evening and the Doctor had gone ont on the porch to see where the fire was. The gate opened to the street from the steps, which was raised some five feet above. No sooner had he reached the steps than Delaney who had been brooding over the loss of his dog, came to the gate and said in a threatening tone: " If you don't bury that dog I'll fix you," saying he would give him five minutes to do it in. The Doctor at once denied the poisoning of the dog, saying he knew nothing of the matter what- ever. Delaney again accused him, when the Doctor replied, "You cannot prove that, Delaney. I never had anything to do with it and don't know who did do it." Delaney then said, " I will settle that when I get inside," and, suiting the action to the word, rushed up to the Doctor, caught him around the waist and stabbed him in the abdomen, bringing the knife around and laying open his left cheek.


The deed was done in an instant. The Doctor tore himself away from his would-be murderer, leaving his vest in his blood-thirsty hands, and jumped over the fence out of his own yard into the


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street. his bowels protruding, calling for help while his murderous assailant went home. Moses Hobbs and F. C. Gilman, neighbors, came to his aid carrying him into the house, where he was soon attended by Drs. Worley, Peek, Middleton and Cantwell, who dressed his wounds, which were of a very dangerous character, about five feet of his intestines protruding through a wound about two inches long in the abdomen. The assailant was arrested and lodged in jail to await trial.


KILLING OF JOSEPH WILSON.


On Tuesday evening, Aug. 12, 1873, James Messenger left the house of John Donahue, on Twelfth street. where he worked, and went to the house of Mrs. Emeline Wilson, on Fourth street, near the corner of Harrison, in Davenport, taking some elothies along to be washed.


Arriving at her house he sat down on a bench near the door and commenced talking to Mrs. Wilson quite loud and earnestly. In the house, lying upon a lounge, was a colored man named Joseph Wilson, who boarded with Mrs. Wilson. The two, although of the same name, were not related. Not long before, Wilson had returned from his work, and was very tired. He was trying to sleep, and the loud talking outside annoyed him. He ordered Messenger and Mrs. Wilson to stop. Messenger replied with angry words. Wilson then told Messenger to go away, or he would make him, to which Messenger replied that he would not go for him. Then Wilson got off the lounge and came to Messenger and led him out to the sidewalk. Then Messenger cried : "I will kill you: I will shoot yon."


Wilson did not seem to take much notice of Messenger's words, or else did not believe that he would shoot, as he told him he dare not shoot, or words to that effeet. But Messenger did shoot ; he drew a revolver and a moment afterward a pistol report was heard. Wilson slowly turned to the house and staggered in and fell upon the floor. He told Mrs. Wilson to run for a doctor, and this was the last time he spoke.


When Mrs. Wilson and the doctor returned Joseph Wilson was dead. The ball entered Wilson's left side, striking the heart, and the only wonder is that death did not result sooner.


A crowd soon gathered and the alarm spread. A murder had not been committed in Davenport for several years before, and a feeling of curiosity and horror was excited.


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Officer Niles and Foid also appeared, but did not find Messen- ger on the place. He was captured, however, about 11 o'clock, in the stable at Mr. Donahue's place. He did not know until told by the officers that Wilson was dead. The coroner brought in a ver- dict of murder by James Messenger.


One of the most mysterious murders that ever occurred in Daven- port took place Friday night, Sept. 5, 1873. About half-past 11 o'clock on the night of Sept. 5, 1873, John N. Crawford, living on the corner of Eighteenth and Brady streets, was awakened by a terrible noise at the next house, occupied by Mr. Fox. He soon ascertained that it was made by a man on the back porch of the next house, knocking at the door and begging to get in. Mr. Crawford went down town and got Officers Feid and Maguire, who returned with him, and took the man into custody. They found him very weak, so much so that they had to send for an express wagon to remove him to the hospital on Main street. Mrs. Fox says the man beat her back door loudly and persistently, and begged most piteously to be taken in. But they feared to do so. fearing he was a burglar. The man had gained his entrance through the back gate, the front one being locked. On the way to the hospital the officers questioned the man and he said his name was Robert McQuestian and that his home was in Alpha, Ill. He said he had been attending the fair and had been in a fight that night, and had been kicked and struek in the head and robbed of $80 in money. He had received a terrible kick in the stomach and died from the effects of internal injuries. He appeared to be under the influence of liquor and was evidently in great pain. He died that night. The body had on a gray Scotch suit of clothes. The vest pocket on the right side was slashed open, and one would naturally sup- pose he had been robbed of watch and chain. He bore the ap- pearance of being a man of 40 or 45 years of age, weighed about 130 pounds and was about five feet eight inches in height. His face was covered with clotted blood, which had flowed from a wound in the temple, and he was otherwise badly bruised and cut about the head and body. The body was placed in a receiving vault at Oak Dale Cemetery, to await recognition. On the morning of Sept. 9, a brother and two friends of the murdered man from Alpha came to Davenport and identified the body as that of Robert Mc- Questian, of Alpha, who had left his home for the purpose of at- tending the fair at Davenport. He was a quiet, inoffensive man, but to some degree addicted to drink. He was a widower with one child. Nothing was elicited as to the cause of his death.


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YOUNG PIONEER SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.


It is not known with whom the idea of the "Young Pioneer Settlers' Association " originated, but during the early part of Jan- uary, 1859, Willard Barrow met one of the members of this asso- eiation and proposed that such a society should be formed. As an "Old Settlers' Society " had been organized, which exeluded some of the children of the " old settlers, " and included others, it indeed seemed proper that those children who were prohibited from en- joying the right of membership in that association should bind themselves together in a society similar to the first. That the children of "old settlers " should not be strangers to each other, but should experience the poteney of that tie, by which the hearts of their parents were bound together. Therefore, those who were entitled to membership were notified that a meeting would be held at the residence of Willard Barrows, Feb. 1, 1859. The associa- tion eontinned to hold meetings until 1873. They were very in- teresting and of real importance in the community. The men- bership was finally redneed, however, and the association suspended in the year mentioned.




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