USA > South Dakota > Jerauld County > A history of Jerauld county, South Dakota > Part 12
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Arrangements-L. N. Loomis, Theo. Roth, of Wessington Springs. L. H. McCarger, of Alpena, Sam Marlenee of Waterbury, J. E. Sullivan, of Lvndale.
Invitation-R. J. Hughs, Crow Lake ; Chas. R. Manwareing, Alpena ; Geo. Corkings, Woonsocket Spring; and Chas. Hopkins of Waterbury.
Reception-C. E. Thayer, J. T. Johnston and Wm. Mundie.
Floor Managers-G. N. Price, C. E. Hackett, W. J. Williams and Allan Ranson1.
The commissioners about the 10th of December ordered a steel cell that, when put together in the county jail, should cost not to exceed $1,025. The building formerly used as the office of the register of deeds, was moved on to the hill near the court house and in it the steel cell was placed.
At the close of the year 1885 the county treasurer and register of deeds, issued a statement of warrants issued and taxes collected since the organization of the county. The statement was as follows:
1884, warrants issued
$6,539.17
1885, warrants issued $6,819.96
Total $13,359.13
1884 and 1885, taxes collected $4,271.27
1884 and 1885, taxes due .$5.478.73
Total
$10,200.00 Warrants in excess of resources $3,159.13.
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On the 6th day of November, 1885, Mr. James A. McDonald drove his steam threshing machine engine up the grade over the Wessington Hills about 11:30 A. M., and when he reached the top of the hill beyond the grade he stopped and opened wide the whistle. It was the first note of its kind ever heard west of the foot hills in Jerauld county.
The story of Jerauld county business houses will not be complete without at least mention of Ed Leon, oldest traveling salesmen for Shenk- berg Co., Martin Jaquemai, salesman for Hornick, Hess & Moore. whole- sale druggists since 1887, and Geo. Rew, for Knapp & Spencer, a whole- sale hardware firm, all of Sioux City. During near to a quarter of a century they have travelled over the prairies of Jerauld county, in heat and in cold ; in sunshine, and in storm ; by livery team, by stage coach and by railroad train ; always a good word for the county, a pleasant smile and a cheering word for their customers, these men of the grip have been through all that time a force for the development and welfare of the ter- ritory over which their work carried them. With the exception of the Austin failure at Waterbury, in 1887, when Leon's house lost between · three and four hundred dollars, these men have not sent in a bad order, nor their firms lost a penny in the county.
Late in the autumn of 1884, a move was set on foot at Woonsocket, as an incident of the Sanborn county county-seat fight to get an act passed by the legislature that should meet at Bismarck in January, 1885, dividing Jerauld county, and attaching its three eastern townships to Sanborn, and to compensate Jerauld county for its loss of territory, the scheme com- prehended the annexation of Buffalo county to Jerauld. The move aroused quick and furious antagonism in both Jerauld and Buffalo coun- ties. A meeting was held at Alpena in January, attended by men from all parts of Jerauld county, and Mr. O. G. Woodruff, of Alpena, was sent to Bismark to lobby against the bill. The move failed and the county boundaries were not disturbed.
A meeting for the purpose of organizing a farmers' alliance was called by a notice published in the county papers Feby. 13th, 1885. The call was signed by Mr. C. W. Hill, of Chery township. An organization was perfected, having an alliance in each township with a central county council. For several years this society was of immense assistance to the farmers of the county in selling produce and in obtaining supplies. At this time I have been unable to get any trace of the records of this organization.
The stock holders of the Jerauld County Fair Association met at Wes- sington Springs, January 6th, 1885, and elected, B. G. Cummings, presi- dent ; H. E. Merwin, vice-president; Allan Ransom, secretary, and S. H. Melcher, treasurer. The board of directors was composed of Richard
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Vanderveen, J. M. Corbin, O. G. Woodruff, H. Blowers, W. R. Day, M. W. Nesmith, M. W. Young, H. A. Miller, E. S. Waterbury, W. J. Williams and W. T. Hay. The executive committee was composed of C. W. Hill, J. F. Ford, L. N. Loomis, W. I. Bateman and H. W. Lowder.
The legislature that adjourned in the fore part of March, 1885, by an apportionment act made the eighth council and representative district to consist of Jerauld, Sanborn and Beadle counties.
Before the 1885 session of the territorial legislature had adjourned it was apparent that another effort was to be made to divide the territory and induce congress to admit South Dakota into the union. Provision was made for a constitutional convention and $20,000 appropriated out of the territorial treasury to defray the expenses there of.
In Jerauld county the statehood movement of 1885 was taken seri- ously by the politicians of both parties. The county was accorded two delegates in the constitutional convention which was called to meet at Sioux Falls in September. A county convention was called for June 20th and S. F. Huntley, of Harmony township and Albert Gunderson of Wessington Springs nominated to represent Jerauld county. Two days later C. W. Hill announced himself an independent candidate for the position of delegate to the constitutional convention. In his announce- ment Mr. Hill declared for the "initiative" in legislation, in the same form in which it was adopted into the state constitution in 1897. He also advocated the pure food law as it passed congress twenty-one years later. The election of delegates occurred June 30th, Mr. Huntley received 237, Mr. Gunderson 181 and Mr. Hill 54 votes.
At no time in the history of the county has temperance work been carried on more energetically than during the few months prior to the special election of November, 1885. The experience of 1883 led the pro- hibitionists to determined and systematic work all over the proposed state. From the beginning they had the campaign in Jerauld county well in hand and practically controlled the election. The result was not as decisive as was anticipated because of the small vote polled.
This time both prohibition and minority representation were submitted to the people to be voted on with the constitution. By the middle of October a full set of state legislative and judicial candidates had been nominated. For the purpose of this election Jerauld and Aurora coun- ties were placed together as a senatorial district, while Jerauld stood alone as a representative district.
A senatorial convention held at Plankinton, October 26th, nominated E. V. Milles, of Jerauld Co. as the Republican candidate for senator. For representative, S. F. Huntley, of Harmony township, was nominated at
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a convention held in Wessington Springs, Oct. 17th. At the same time O. G. Woodruff, of Alpena was nominated for county judge.
The Democratic party of the proposed state refused to have anything to do with the election for state and county officers under the statehood movement. Yet Mr. J. W. Harden of Franklin township became a demo- cratic candidate for the legislature and M. C. Ayers announced himself a candidate for county judge.
Anticipating that prohibition would be submitted to the people of the proposed state the temperance workers became active early in the season. On July 4th, 1885, the band of hope, a childrens temperance organization, had a membership of fifty-one in the county. The work of extending this society was carried on by Mrs. Nettie C. Hall, president of the county W. C. T. U. July 17th, forty-five members of the band of hope met at the school section east of Wessington Springs and were taken to Woonsocket for a pleasant day with the organization there. Meetings of the county W. C. T. U. were held at different parts of the county. One meeting was held at Waterbury, another at Alpena and one at Wessington Springs. July 26th a band of hope was organized at Dale center school house, an- other at school house No. 4 in Chery, on Aug. 2nd.
A Sunday School was organized at the Nelson school house in Anina township, July 5th, with A. Hodgson Supt., E. Moon, Ass't. Supt., and Ida Kellogg Sec. and Treas. In the same township a W. C. T. U. Society was formed in the latter part of October with Mrs. A. D. Cady president.
In Viola township a W. C. T. U. was organized in October. Mrs. Susan Smith, president.
A Band of Hope was organized in Wessington Springs, July 5th, under the superintendency of the Pioneer W. C. T. U. Mr. John Kugler was engaged to make twenty wooden guns and thirty wands for the chil- dren and to drill them in certain movements. The members of the band were supplied with caps and the society had two flags that they carried on all gala occasions.
During the County Fair exhibition in September the members of the W. R. C. and the Pioneer W. C. T. U. maintained a "temperance home" on the fair grounds.
On the 20th of September the W. C. T. U. celebrated the centennial of temperance work in America.
At Alpena a local W. C. T. U. was organized July 22, Mrs. Daniel Kint, president; Mrs. R. Davenport, vice president; Mrs. Wm. Arne, secretary ; and Mrs. C. D. Worral, treasurer. August 16th was a notable day because of the large crowd that gathered to witness the dedication of the M. E. Church building.
In Harmony township a W. C. T. U. was formed early in April.
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On the Sabbath evening preceding election day a temperance concert was held at the M. E. Church, which was announced to be "free and no collection."
Election day came and Pioneer W. C. T. U. established a booth near the polls where hot coffee and lunch were served free to all who would cat.
In the county the vote polled was light. The constitution was elected by 563 to 41. Prohibition carried by 326 to 302, but was defeated in the following townships :
Alpena-38 to 24.
Franklin-42 to 28.
Blaine-57 to 13.
Dale-II to 9.
Viola-20 to 15.
Logan-24 to 6.
Marlar-21 to II.
Prohibition carried the proposed state by 15.552 to 15.218.
Minority representation was defeated in the county by 401 to 185, but carried in the following townships:
Blaine -- 39 to 29.
Viola-16 to 15.
Chery-12 to 9.
Harmony-17 to 8.
For capital Pierre carried Jerauld county by a vote of 494 to 188. In the townships the vote for Pierre and Huron stood as follows :
Pierre.
Huron.
Wessington Springs
50
12
Alpena
2
64
Franklin
36
31
Blaine
38
37
Dale
3
16
Viola
32
I
Anina
42
2
Media
3I
9 I 0-12
Chery
Harmony
25
CO
Pleasant
41
I
Crow Lake
33
I
Marlar
32
00
Crow
50
00
Logan
16
13
-
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In the county the vote for A. C. Mellette, the republican nominee for governor was 517 to 7 for F. M. Ziebach, the democratic candidate.
Robert Dollard, of Scotland, republican candidate for attorney general, carried the county by 518 votes.
For Judges of the Supreme Court the vote in the county was as follows :
Dighton Corson, 518; A. G. Killam, 519; and John E. Bennett, 518.
That is all of the state officers who were elected when the state was admitted in 1889. C. H. Dillon, of Mitchell, was elected Judge of the Circuit Court, but was not a candidate in 1889.
The vote for legislative and county officers was as follows:
State Senator-E. V. Miles, Republican. 495 ; Daniel Webster, Demo- crat, (of Aurora) 73.
County Judge-O. G. Woodruff, 381 ; M. C. Ayers, 261.
Representatives-S. F. Huntley, 405 ; J. W. Harden, 232.
A natural phenomenon occurred in the late summer and early autumn of 1885. Up to that time every lake of a few acres in extent had been dotted all over with cone shaped dwellings of muskrats. In August of that year, though there was abundance of water in the lakes and ponds. the little animals began to emigrate. They left the lakes and for weeks were scattered over the dry land, evidently leaving the country. Before the cold weather arrived they were gone and for fifteen years these fur- bearing animals were absent from the county.
Chapter 16. SOLOMON TRIAL.
Section two of Logan township was the scene of the most tragic event in the history of the county. This chapter will have only to do with that event and therefore will be confined to the NW quarter of the section. This quarter was the pre-emption claim of Joseph B. Reaser, who made proof for it on the 29th day of August, 1883. January 7th, 1886, he deeded it to Wm. S. Combs. It became a part of the Combs & Harris ranch, however, in 1883, and the ranch buildings were placed there. Near the southeast corner of the quarter, in a broad level valley rises a · small hill-ivhat is often termed a "sugar loaf." This hill is about 30 feet in height, and can be plainly seen from all the country surrounding the valey. For a long time in the years 1883 and 1884 it served as a land
.
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mark for people passing back and forth through that portion of the county. A pole 20 or 25 feet lang had been erected on the top of this knoll and from it floated a flag from which the rain and sun at length washed and faded the colors until finally it was only a white cloth, whip- ped and tattered in the wind.
The pole was set in a pit about five feet long, four feet wide and four or five feet deep, around which a dry stone wall had been built. It is reported that the hole was dug by Reaser in the hope of finding some- thing of value in the hill. In the fall of 1883 this quarter was leased by Reaser to Combs & Harris, the lease containing the provision that the lesees should not dig into nor take anything from the hill. The general shape of the hill is round. At the southeast part of the base a hole was dug into the hillside, and into it a shanty, 22×14 feet with 7-foot ceiling, was built. The building contained but one room. To this room there were two doors, one at the south end, swinging out and leading out doors and the other at the north end leading into an underground cave that had been dug back into the hill. There was a half window on each side of the room and one at the south end above the ceiling.
The furniture in the room was arranged about as follows: A safe, or cupboard, stood against the east wall of the room near the southeast corner. A few feet north of the cupboard stood a leaf table. In the northeast corner, and also in the northwest corner, was a bed, made of mattresses and bedding laid upon bed springs, which rested upon the floor. Near the center of the room stood the cook stove, the pipe going up through the roof.
About 30 or 40 yards west of the house was the horse stable, also set into a hole dug in the side hill.
About 25 yards south of the shanty and stable was the corral for the horses when running out.
The road from Waterbury to Crow Lake passed from NW to SE going but a few rods south of the hill.
The ranch contained 800 acres. Combs & Harris, the partners who owned the ranch, came from St. Louis in the fall of 1882 and established themselves on this tract. These men were both frequently away from home and during much of three or four years they operated the place it was left in charge of the hired help.
Many wierd and dark things are hinted at by the old settlers to the things done at that isolated ranch. In the fall of 1885 Peter Rohbe and Ben L. Solomon were employed about the place. Both were men of strong physique and quick tempered. Hard stories are told concerning each of them. Rohbe was a native of Sweden, while Solomon was born and raised at Glenwood, Mills county, Iowa. Card playing, gambling
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and quarreling seems to have been the chief amusement.
One evening a party, including Solomon and Rohbe, were returning from a trip to White Lake. In the darkness they became confused and lost their way. For some time they drove on without knowing in what direction they were going. Rohbe became terribly enraged and threat- ened them all with the direst punishment if they lost him out there on the prairie. They arrived at home safely, however, and nothing came of Rohbe's threats. The feeling between the two men was not at all kindly and on several occasions Solomon was heard to say that he "ex- pected he would have to kill that Swede."
On the evening of the 16th of November, 1886, Z. P. DeForest and A. E. Hanebuth, who lived on claims near to the Combs & Harris ranch, chanced to meet at the ranch shanty for a neighborly visit. In the course of the evening Solomon told some simple story which in no way reflected upon any one present. Rohbe looked Solomon squarely in the eye and remarked, "that is a lie." Solomon's face flushed, but he controlled him- self and the incident passed.
On the morning of the 18th of November, 1885, just about daybreak, Ben Solomon mounted a mule at the Combs & Harris ranch and started along the road toward Waterbury. He did not seem to be in any great hurry, nor greatly excited. He did not whip the mule, but rode leisurely as one on an ordinary ride for a social visit with a neighbor. His ap- pearance was not ordinary. One side of his face was covered with blood which was running from one ear. The top of the ear had been cut off. There were other light cuts about his head and his garments were stained with blood spots in several places.
Back in the shanty which Ben Solomon had just left lying with his back to the floor and his face toward the ceiling, a bullet hole through his right arm, a bullet hole through his heart, and a bullet hole through his head, was the body of Peter Rohbe.
Solomon rode leisurely on until he reached the residence of Lyman Goodrich, on the SW of 35 in Crow township, where he met Frank Engles, who got another animal, and together they rode on toward Wa- terbury.
When they reached the town Solomon inquired for a constable or sheriff. Some directed him to H. P. Jones, the sheriff's deputy, and others mentioned Geo. N. Price, the county constable. In a few minutes Price appeared and Solomon surrendered himself for trial for justifiable homicide. Of course great excitement grew in the community and spread over the county. H. P. Jones, the deputy sheriff, and a number of others, went to the ranch and looked at the corpse. When Jones returned to town he saw Solomon on the street in front of the hotel. "You have killed
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him." Jones remarked. "It is what I intended to do," remarked Ben, without any trace of emotion. That evening O. E. Gaffin, one of the county justices, acting as coroner, visited the shanty on the ranch and held an inquest. The verdict accused Solomon of the crime of murder and he was taken to Wessington Springs and lodged in the county jail.
The county officials who had to do with the trial were, Albert Gun- derson, district attorney ; Chas. W. McDonald, clerk of courts, and J. M. Spears, sheriff. As Mr. Gunderson, though he had been appointed dis- trict attorney by the county commissioners, had not then been admitted to the bar, the commissioners employed Attorneys Dillon & Preston, of Mitchell, to conduct the prosecution. The attorneys for the defense were the firm of Goodykoontz, Kellam & Porter, of Chamberlain, and T. H. Null, then of Waterbury.
The preliminary examination was held before C. E. Hackett, County Justice of the Peace at Wessington Springs.
The legal battle was long and hard. At the term of court called for the 17th of March, 1886, the grand jury was discharged because of a technical error in the selection of names from which it was drawn. The presiding judge was Bartlett Tripp of Yankton, one of the ablest jurists in the territory. Court convened again in July and the case came up for trial. Solomon had been granted the right to give bail in the sum of $10,000. but being unable to get the sureties had remained in custody.
The jury, composed mostly of young men, was finally impaneled and the trial began. It was in the defense of this case that Tom Null first gave evidence of that splendid ability that has since made him one of the foremost lawyers of the state. The jury reported a disagreement, seven being for conviction and five for acquittal. Ben was remanded to jail. The defense then set about securing a change of venue. One of the local papers, the True Republican, then edited by J. E. McNamara, published a full account of the trial and the material part of the evidence. This was done at the instance of the defense. Then affidavits on both sides were taken from a large number of people. D. H. Solomon, a prominent lawyer of Glenwood, Iowa, father of the prisoner, came to Jerauld county immediately after the killing of Rohbe and directed the long and skillful defense. A change in the place of trial was granted and the case sent to Sanborn county. The trial was held in July, 1887, and Solomon was con- victed of manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for two years.
The story of the crime, if crime it was, has, of course never been told by any one but Ben Solomon. In the course of the legal proceedings he told it seven times, and was three times subjected to a severe cross- examination, yet in no particular was any change made in his account of
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the tragedy from that which he gave to the coroner on the evening of the 18th of November, 1885.
This is the story as he told it to the coroner :
"My name is Benjamin Logan Solomon. I am 27 years old. I re- side on the NW quarter of section two 106-67 and have resided there since the 7th day of April, 1883. I am acquainted with Peter J. Rohbe. I first met him about two years ago while he was working for Jacob Norin. I have been intimately acquainted with him since he hired to Mr. Harris, which was about last May or June. Since that time Mr. Rohbe and myself have been hired on the farm of Harris & Combs. The last time I saw P. J. Rohbe was on the morning of the 18th of November, 1885. It was in Harris & Comb's house, after daylight. I can not tell the time exactly, for we had no time piece. When I last saw him he was lying on the floor.
"I arose in the morning as usual, built a fire in the stove and went out and gave the mules some millet. When I left the house Rohbe was in bed. I was gone, I suppose, from 20 minutes to half an hour. When I came in Rohbe was cooking breakfast. Mr. Comb's pup followed me out of the house and went to the stable and followed me back. I entered the house, threw off my coat and hat to prepare for breakfast. I threw my coat and hat on my bed which was in the northwest corner of the room. Rohbe immediately began calling to the dog to get out and kicking him around the stove. I told him if he wanted the dog out to open the door and let him out. He then picked up the dog by the back of the neck and began beating him with a piece of 2x4. When he drop- ped the dog it was bleeding at the mouth and nose. I said, 'Combs will not like this.' He replied, 'I do not give a --- what Combs likes.' As the dog lay upon the floor I thought he was dead. The animal was a full-blooded, red colored water spaniel. I remarked, 'You have killed him.' He shouted, 'I will kill you, too, you - - -. ' He raised the piece of 2x4 and came at me. I ran in on him and wrenched the stick away, and we clinched. I shoved him back upon the table where he had been cutting meat for breakfast. About the time his hip struck the table he let go of me . His hand dropped to the table and he picked up the butcher knife, and began hitting me on the head with it. I broke away and backed into the southwest corner of the room; he followed me with the knife, madder and madder all the time. He was muttering something in a language I could not understand. I saw he was intending to kill me and I picked up the rifle that stood in that corner of the room. I tried to bring the gun to bear on him but he was to close. He struck me with the knife and cut off my ear. When I got the gun around it went off. He paid no attention to it. I jerked the shell out as quick as I could.
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then dropped the gun and backed into the northwest corner of the room and he after me with the knife uplifted. Under the pillow of my bed was a revolver that Mr. Combs generally carried, but this time he had left it. I picked up the revolver. There was an isle between the two beds. When I reached for the revolver Rohbe jumped on to his bed, turned around and struck at me. I fired, but to all appearances he was not hit. He paid no attention to the shot but kept coming towards me. I fired again and backed on the west side of the stove and kept on firing. I backed around to the east side of the south door which was closed. I had no time to open the door. If I could have done so I would have got out of there quick. I was in a box fighting for my life with a maniac. I fired the last shot while I was in the corner by the door. He was so close to me that the flash of the shot burned his face. The bullet hit him near the eye and he fell. I dropped the revolver, went and picked up my coat and hat and going to the stable I took a mule and went to Wa- terbury and gave myself up to Mr. Price, the constable."
The body of Rohbe was buried on the school section, 16, in Crow township. An unsuccessful attempt was once made to "snatch" it, and it is supposed to rest where it was buried.
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