USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 26
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 26
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State against William Rhea, et al. On the 4th day of January, 1901, Edward Gardner, William Darrow and William Rhea walked into the saloon of Herman Zahn of Snyder, Nebraska, and shot him to death, robbed his body, lined up the customers, rifled the safe and engaged in a pitched battle with the marshal and citizens who were attracted by the shooting. John M. Kreader, then sheriff of Dodge County, with a posse composed of hundreds of Dodge County citizens armed with all sorts of weapons from heavy bored rifles to pitchforks and with the aid of bloodhounds, took up the trail. The following morning, Rhea and Gardner were "flushed" out of a haystack near Crowell, Nebraska. Gardner surrendered, but Rhea made a running fight for several miles and only gave up when painfully wounded.
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These three men were placed on trial in February, 1901. Rhea and Gardner were defended by Harry Maynard, now of Roswell, New Mexico, and the late E. F. Gray. Both defendants were found guilty and Rhea sentenced to be executed. Gardner was sentenced to life and William Darrow, who was defended by Judge F. W. Button and the writer, was acquitted. The late Robert Stinson and Judge Grant Martin, now of Lincoln, conducted the prosecution. Rhea was executed at the penitentiary after the Supreme Court had affirmed the judgment of the District Court. Judge James A. Grimison of Schuyler, Nebraska, pre- sided at the trial. Gardner has since been pardoned.
State against Louis Rogers. During the month of August, 1911, the dead body of an infant child was found in a box car at Colon, Nebraska, with a towel tightly twisted around its throat and the ends forced into the mouth. Death was caused by suffocation. "M R" was the laundry mark on the towel. Suspicion lead to the arrest of Louis Rogers, an itinerant vaudeville actor, who was in Fremont at the time, and arrest followed. The late Otto Bauman, commonly known as "Dutch," then sheriff, and the present sheriff, who was then deputy sheriff, William C. Condit and the writer, then county attorney, addressed communications to over 200 police officials of the principal cities of the United States to discover whose laundry mark was upon the towel. After weeks of inves- tigation it was discovered that Martha Rodier of Detroit, Michigan, the proprietor of a boarding house catering to vaudeville people, was the owner of the towel found around the baby's neck. She was well acquainted with the defendant, who had been a guest at her place but a short time before coming to Fremont. This, with other evidence, led to the conviction of Rogers. His defense was conducted by Judge F. W. Button, now one of the district judges of Dodge County, and Frank Dole- zal. The conviction was sustained by the Supreme Court and Rogers after serving a short sentence, was paroled.
State against George Osborne. On the morning of August 12, 1910, the dead body of John Hoctor was found lying in the Chicago & North- western Railroad yards at Fremont. His head had been crushed by a bridge bolt that lay near the body. On a pile of lumber was a bottle partly filled with alcohol. During the night there had been a heavy rain and the label on the bottle had been washed off and the wind had blown this "evidence" against an adjoining pile of lumber. On the label was written the figures 90, being the alcoholic "proof" of the liquor. A bar- tender in the Baltimore saloon identified the label and recalled having sold a bottle of alcohol to George Osborne of Blair, Nebraska, the evening before. This evidence furnished the first "clew" which led to the arrest of Osborne, who confessed to the murder. Osborne was placed on trial during the following November term of the District Court. His defense was conducted by Harry Maynard of the firm of Loomis & Maynard and John W. Graham, now located at Sidney, Nebraska. The defense was insanity. ' A dramatic incident occurred during the closing argument. Osborne, becoming enraged, threw a book at the prosecuting attorney, which landed with terrific force in the jury box. Osborne was overpowered after a violent struggle and went into an epileptic fit. The court was compelled to adjourn the case for two days before finally submitting the same to the jury. Osborne was convicted of murder in the second degree, sentenced to serve fifteen years in the penitentiary, escaped, was convicted of highway robbery in Missouri, again escaped, and is now a fugitive from justice.
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There have been other brutal murders and noted criminal trials within the past fifty years of Dodge County's history, but good citizens, friends and relatives of victims and author of these crimes reside within our midst and in consideration of their feelings, the writer has concluded it would be unfair and unnecessary to revive the sad memories of these lamentable tragedies.
J. C. COOK, Dodge County Attorney.
CHAPTER XXII
THE CITY OF FREMONT
THE NAME-ORIGIN OF CITY-ENTERING LAND FOR PLAT-MONEY SCARCE-FIRST HOUSES-LOTS DONATED-FIRST EVENTS-CITY'S DEVELOPMENTS - MANUFACTURING IN 1886 - POSTOFFICE - CIVIC SOCIETIES - MUNICIPAL HISTORY - INDEBTEDNESS - CITY HALL - WATER WORKS-CITY BUILDING ORPHAN'S HOME-CLASSIFIED BUSINESS IN 1892-BUSINESS DIRECTORY, 1920-REMINISCENCES- INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS - COMMERCIAL CLUB - POPULATION - THE CITY LIBRARY.
The City of Fremont has a history running back to 1856-sixty-four years ago. This was soon after the great "Pathfinder" Gen. John C. Fremont passed through the country, a little to the south of the present city. That was during the Fremont-Buchanan presidential campaign in which the latter was successful, but in honor of the first republican standard-bearer of the newly formed republican party, the founders of their embryo city named it "Fremont." Military Avenue was the only highway to the place. Fremont was made the county seat of Dodge County in 1860.
ORIGIN OF FREMONT
August, 1856, the first stakes were driven, and an association known as Pinney-Barnard & Co.'s Town Plat Company began its operations, but as the political campaign advanced that autumn, a town had been named Buchanan over in Colfax County (now known as Schuyler) and hence it occurred to the town site members that they should change their company name to "The Fremont Town Company" which they did at a meeting held at the home of Seth P. Marvin, September 23, 1856.
The first stakes were really driven on August 23, 1856, but the full boundaries were not fixed until the 26th of that month. On the morning of that day a town company was organized under the name of Pinney, Barnard & Company, consisting of George M. Pinney, James G. Smith, Robert Moorland, Robert Kittle, John A. Kountz, Seth P. Marvin, and E. H. Barnard. The territory west of the guide meridian had not yet been surveyed, but a military road had recently been located from Omaha to Fort Kearney, so the company adopted this road as their base line and thus laid out Fremont. Military Avenue of today marks the exact line of that road through the city. It varies only a fraction more than three degrees from a true east and west line, as proven by later surveys.
The first platting covered one mile square and was bounded by what is now known as Irving Avenue on the east, and on the south by First Street on which Lincoln Highway now enters the city from the east. This plat was later laid off into lots and blocks, and then parceled out to the proprietors in shares of nine lots each, except 100 lots reserved and set apart, to be used in building up the town. The record reads : "About eighteen lots for church and school buildings; about the same number for commercial purposes; the building of a saw mill, etc., and seventy lots set apart for residences."
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By reason of the financial panic of 1857, the town site owners were unable when the government land was offered for sale, to pay for the full section they had "claimed" and platted the town on, so they con- tented themselves with one-half of the tract or 320 acres. This was in 1859 and the village contained twenty-seven houses.
So scarce was money in the late fifties that the town site men sold Judge E. Wakeley, of Omaha, town lots at 75 cents each, in order to pay up what they had borrowed to purchase the land on which they had platted Fremont.
The proprietors advertised to the world that they would donate two town lots in the new place to any person building a hewn log house 16 by 20 feet, a story and one-half high with suitable doors and windows and to have a board floor and shingled roof. They would also throw in logs in the tree, and fire wood for one year. In a few months Fremont had come to be a hamlet of thirteen houses and a blacksmith's shop.
All historians agree that the first human habitation at Fremont, as made by white men, was the one built in 1856 by E. H. Barnard and John A. Kountz. It was constructed of poles from the islands, thatched with prairie grass. It stood on the site of the present Congregational Church.
The second house was built by Robert Kittle late in the autumn of 1856. He purchased a lot of hewed logs of a man a few miles west of Fremont, and gathered them together at the corner of what is now known as Broad Street and Military Avenue. The roof of this pioneer cabin was excellent, as it was formed of red cedar shingles shaved by Mr. Kittle from logs which he floated down the Platte River. Such trees were found growing on the bluffs to the southwest of town.
Later, little cabins began to appear eastward, on either side of Mili- tary Avenue, and business began to grow in connection with the com- mercial enterprises of James G. and J. Towner Smith, who first did the merchandising in a dugout, and afterward in a log store.
FIRST EVENTS
There usually clusters around the first and important events in the settlement of any township or village, much of unusual interest, and because of this universal sentiment, the following paragraphs of "first events" is inserted in this chapter at this point, before going on with the development of the city to be :
The first house was built by Robert Kittle in the fall of 1856.
The first habitation (the pole and grass shack) was made by Messrs. Barnard and Kountz, the same autumn.
The first child born was Alice Flor, in the fall of 1857.
The first male child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kittle; his name was Fred and the date of his birth was March 28, 1858; he died September 26, 1890.
The earliest marriage in Fremont was Luther Wilson and Miss Eliza Turner, August 23, 1858.
The first death was that of Seth P. Marvin, who was drowned two miles west of town. The next to die was Father Nathan Heaton, October, 1857.
The first National Independence Day celebration was held July 4, 1857. A flag was improvised from goods purchased in New York and brought west by Robert Kittle. It floated from a cedar Liberty pole seventy feet high, "and was planted in loyalty on Military Avenue," the pioneers say.
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Robert Kittle was first to sell general merchandise in Fremont. This stock was a small assortment brought from Buffalo, New York, by Mr. Kittle.
The first railroad service was commenced here in the fall of 1866, over the Union Pacific line.
The first newspaper in Fremont and the county was the Fremont Tribune, established July 24, 1868, and is still the leading paper in Eastern Nebraska.
The first bank was established by "E. H. Rogers & Co." in 1866 and from it came the First National Bank of today.
The first family to "keep house" in Fremont was that of Rev. Isaac E. Heaton, who arrived in October, 1856, and occupied the Robert Kittle house.
The first postoffice was established in 1857, with James G. Smith as postmaster.
The pioneer blacksmith was John Hormel, who had a shop where now stands the Gumpert Department Store on Main Street.
POSTOFFICE HISTORY OF FREMONT
One of the best indexes of any community as to its intelligence and prosperity is to know its postal history. The postal service here has always been large and excellent, even from pioneer days. Fremont was granted a postoffice in the month of June, 1857. That was under James Buchanan's democratic administration. Gen. John C. Fremont being a candidate for the presidency during that campaign and the petitioners for a "Fremont" postoffice being republican, it has been said this fact retarded the establishment of the postoffice several months. At least the long delays finally ended and the office was established with James G. Smith as its first postmaster. No mail route had as yet been established west from Omaha, and patrons of Fremont office were compelled for a time to carry their own mail that distance. In Novem- ber, 1857, Postmaster Smith visited the East and during his absence, Rev. Isaac E. Heaton, the pioneer Congregational minister, served as his deputy. In December, 1858, Mr. Smith pressed by other cares, resigned in favor of Rev. Isaac Heaton, who held the office until December, 1866-clear through the Civil war period, and longer. The history of this office was given in interviews with that grand old man. Rev. Isaac E. Heaton, in the early nineties, hence may be relied upon as correct. He stated that during January, 1868, his residence was burned, with all the papers, books, etc., he had. But upon memory, he stated that in 1862, about 600 letters were mailed each quarter. And in the rush of gold seekers to Colorado, there were 1,600 mailed. During 1864 over $7,000 were mailed through the Fremont office in drafts and money.
July, 1858, the Overland Stage Line started en route from Omaha to California, via Fremont, after which mail was received each week at three o'clock in the morning. December, 1866, Benjamin Turner was made postmaster, the office then being kept on Main Street. Upon U. S. Grant's election as President, the office was virtually tendered to Rev. Isaac E. Heaton, again in these words: "As you have kept the office so long when you had to rise in the night six times each week to open and close mail sacks, would you like to resume the office?" From the fact that Rev. Isaac E. Heaton did not believe it necessary to trans- act postal business on the Sabbath day, he declined the re-appointment at Grant's hands.
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Fremont became a Money Order office in July, 1869. The first order was issued July 14, to Thomas Campbell, on Kenosha, Wisconsin, for the sum of $15. There had been issued 47,975 money orders up to 1892 ; also 16,866 postal notes. The latter system only obtained a few years, since which time money has been transmitted by Money Order altogether, the Postal Note having been done away with. Only sums of less than five dollars were sent by the Postal Note system. In 1891 Fremont's money order business was the third largest in Nebraska and amounted to $52,278.78. As far back as 1892 there were fifteen tons of local newspapers sent from this postoffice. Fremont com- menced its free delivery system July, 1888, when four carriers were engaged and twenty-six mails were received each twenty-four hours. The Fremont office lost by fire, flood and burglary but little in all of its history. Postmaster Paine was robbed twice and sent one
POSTOFFICE. FREMONT
man "over the road" for a term of years, while Postmaster Murray was robbed of a package of registered letters; he also sent one man to U. S. Penitentiary.
The original government postoffice building was erected about 1895 at a cost of $60,000; its location is the corner of Sixth and Broad streets. It was remodeled in 1910 and made about twice its former size ; this rebuilding cost $50,000. During the construction period of the second building the business of the postoffice was carried on in the Morse Block. The work of re-construction was finished and the office again opened up December 1, 1911.
The following is a correct list of regular postmasters at Fremont : James G. Smith, from June, 1857, to December, 1858; Isaac E. Heaton, from December, 1858 to December, 1866; Benjamin Turner, from December, 1866, to December, 1869; Charles A. Smith, from December, 1869, to September, 1870; H. O. Paine, from September, 1870, to October, 1885; James Murray, from October, 1885, to September, 1889; Henry G. Wolcott, from September, 1889, to October, 1893; Thomas Carroll, from November, 1893, to November 13, 1897: Ross L. Ham- mond, from November 14, 1897. to February 28, 1903; Daniel Swanson, from March, 1903, to March 31, 1911; B. W. Reynolds, from April 1,
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1911, to March 31, 1915; Nathaniel W. Smails, from April 1, 1915, to February 28, 1919; Frank W. Fuhlrodt, acting postmaster March 1, 1919, to May 10, 1920; Frank W. Fuhlrodt by appointment as post- master confirmed May 11, 1920.
Hence it will be seen that Fremont has had fourteen postmasters in the sixty-three years of its history, making four years and a half average term.
There are now four rural delivery routes extending out from Fre- mont. The present rural mail carriers are: Orval R. Dixon (tem- porary) ; George Keeler (temporary) ; Frank A. Chilcoat and Gordon Wallace.
The names of the city carriers and substitutes are: Edward Benton, Harry W. Buffington, Fred M. Davis, Viggo A. Jensen, Frederick Moller, Fred W. Moller, Gerald A. Moller, Charles W. Mulloy, Sumner W. Robinson and Frank J. Sasse. Also Adelbert H. Schick (temporary substitute).
The total amount of business transacted during the last fiscal year was $73,593.44 this means from July, 1918, to July, 1919.
Amount on hand in savings department, $1,502.
At the date of June, 1920, there are postoffices in Dodge County as follows: Fremont, Ames, Crowell, Dodge, Hooper, Nickerson, North Bend, Scribner, Snyder, Uehling, Winslow.
SECRET SOCIETIES
Fremont is well supplied with secret societies-the list at a recent date was as follows: Ancient Order of United Workmen; Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; Brotherhood of American Yeomen; Danish Brotherhood; Danish Sisterhood; Fraternal Order of Eagles; Fraternal Union of America; Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Knights of Columbus; Knights of Pythias; Knights of Maccabees: Knights and Ladies of Security ; Masonic Order; Modern Woodmen of America ; Mystic Workers of the World; Royal Highlanders; Royal Neighbors; Tribe of Ben Hur; United Commercial Travelers; Woodmen of the World.
Blanks were sent to the above orders, and wherever they were responded to, a brief history of such society appears in the general chapter on lodges in this work.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
Fremont became an incorporated village May 24, 1859. The first board of trustees were as follows: Theron Nye, chairman; R. W. Hazen, clerk; and E. H. Barnard, treasurer; James G. Smith, E. H. Rogers, and J. F. Reynolds. The first record book was very small and the bill for it was 40 cents. In the June meeting, 1859, it was resolved to make a loan of $400 for which 30 per cent interest was paid annually, the same to run one, two or three years as desired by the village. The minutes of the September meeting were signed by James G. Smith, secretary pro tem.
In May, 1861, the trustees engaged H. A. Pierce to break up the land where now the beautiful city park is located, allowing him $12 for the work. Bids were also received for fencing the park.
In 1865. at the September session the trustees appropriated $68.58 for the purchase of town lots, to be held and used for courthouse and county building purposes.
HON. J. C. CLELAND FOR SEVERAL YEARS MAYOR OF FREMONT, AND FATHER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
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Such routine work constituted the chief work of the board until 1871 when Fremont became a "city" of the second class. The following will show the principal elective city officers from 1871 to the present date-1920:
1871-Theron Nye, mayor; William Martin, clerk.
1872-Theron Nye, mayor; I. C. Crabbs, police judge.
1873-A. P. Hopkins, mayor; E. H. Barnard, police judge; 'Wil- liam Martin, clerk.
1874-John E. Shervin, mayor; C. E. Usher, police judge; James Davis, Clerk.
1875-John E. Shervin, mayor; C. E. Usher, police judge; Check H. Toncray, clerk.
1876-W. A. Marlow, mayor; William Martin, police judge; Check H. Toncray, clerk.
1877-W. A. Marlow, mayor; Check H. Toncray, police judge; J. W. Goff, clerk.
1878-N. H. Bell, mayor; William Martin, police judge; Fred De LaMatyr, clerk.
1879-L. D. Richards, mayor; William Martin, police judge; Fred De LaMatyr, clerk.
1880-L. D. Richards, mayor; James Huff, police judge; J. W. Goff, clerk.
1881-Charles Sang, mayor ; James Huff, police judge; Peter Brun, clerk.
1882-Charles Sang, mayor; George F. Looschen, clerk.
1883-J. C. Cleland, mayor; W. H. Ely, police judge; George F. Looschen, clerk.
1884-J. C. Cleland, mayor; F. W. Vaughan, police judge; J. H. Wheeler, clerk.
1885-C. Christensen, mayor; F. F. Kuen, police judge; F. M.
Claflin, clerk.
1886-B. F. Stouffer, mayor; F. F. Kuen, police judge; G. W. Sellers, clerk.
1887-B. F. Stouffer, mayor; F. F. Kuen, police judge; A. W. Forbes, clerk.
1889-J. E. Shervin, mayor; A. W. Forbes, police judge; C. L. Williams, clerk.
1891-William Fried, mayor; C. L. Williams, police judge; E. D. Percy, clerk.
1893-94-William Fried, mayor; L. C. Holmes, police judge; E. D. Percy, clerk.
1895-96-William Fried, mayor; L. C. Holmes, police judge; W. J. Bullock, clerk.
1897-98-William Fried, mayor; Charles H. Coman, police judge ; John Hyatt, clerk.
1899-1900-Fred W. Vaughn, mayor; Charles Coman, police judge ; John Hyatt, clerk.
1901-02-Wallace Wilson, Mayor; Charles Coman, police judge;
John Hyatt, clerk.
1903-04-Geo. F. Wolz, mayor; J. C. Cook, police judge; S. F. Stiles, clerk.
1905-06-Geo. F. Wolz, mayor; J. C. Cook, police judge; S. F. Stiles, clerk.
1907-08-Geo. F. Wolz, mayor; J. C. Cook, police judge; S. F. Stiles, clerk.
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1909-10-Fred L. Burrell, mayor; Fred C. Laird, police judge ; S. F. Stiles, clerk.
1911-12-Geo. F. Wolz, mayor; Fred C. Laird, police judge; S. F. Stiles, clerk.
1913-14-R. M. Herre, mayor; Fred C. Laird, police judge; C. R. De LaMatyr, clerk.
1915-16-George A. Murrell, mayor; A. K. Dane, police judge; C. R. De LaMatyr, clerk.
1917-18-W. C. Wiley, mayor; A. K. Dane, police judge; C. R. De LaMatyr, clerk.
1919-20-G. M. Hinman, mayor; A. K. Dane, police judge; Fred G. Pierce, clerk.
CITY OFFICERS OF 1920
Mayor, G. M. Hinman; clerk, Fred G. Pierce; treasurer, A. F. Plambeck ; police judge, A. K. Dane ; commissioner of water, lights and sewers, P. H. Larson; city attorney, W. M. Cain; chief of police, M. J. Frederickson; chief of the fire department, Harry S. Morse; street commissioner, T. A. Adams; city physician, Dr. J. C. Agee; city engi- neer, L. M. Roesler ; president of council, J. A. Yager ; board of public works, C. H. Green, E. Sanderson, John Monnich; city councilmen, J. A. Yager; H. C. Meadows, H. D. Muir, Fred D. Drew, F. H. Wallace, H. C. Dahl, Eric Ericson and Z. M. Marr.
INDEBTEDNESS OF CITY
The present indebtedness of the City of Fremont is $311,000, which is in the shape of bonds (original and refunded). These bonds run forty years, but may be paid off at any five-year period. They bear 5 per cent interest ; $107,000 of these city bonds were issued for paying for the intersection of paving work.
CITY HALL, WATER WORKS, ETC.
As late as 1886 Fremont depended on a few shallow street cisterns at different corners from which water was pumped by means of a hand- pump, known as the "Mud-Sucker." This was a strangely and imper- fectly constructed machine but commercially styled a force pump. This pump, a chemical engine and hook and ladder apparatus protected (?) the city from the fire fiend's ravages!
In 1885 the city voted bonds in the sum of $25,000 for water works; again in 1889 $35,000 more in bonds were voted. These bond issues of $60,000 provided the city's first real water system. The purest of living water was procured from more than fifty drive wells at a depth of from fifty to eighty feet. The original stand-pipe is still doing service after all these three decades and more, and is situated at the south side of the city park and is 112 feet high. Another stand-pipe was subsequently erected and the combined capacity of the two is 176,000 gal. The pumping capacity is 2,000,000 gal. a day. In 1892 the city had 91/2 miles of water pipes and mains, while today (1920) it has in excess of forty miles. The Fire department is excellent. It had its start away back when the old volunteer company was organ- ized in November, 1868, as the "Fremont Frontier Fire Company." Later on other volunteer companies were formed and well furnished rooms were given to them in the new city building. Thousands of dollars worth of improvements and fixtures have been showered upon the various companies and the rooms occupied by them. The citizens have always appreciated the services of these firemen.
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Today the city is kept safe by a large fire company of expert firemen who are provided with all the latest fire-fighting machinery extant.
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