1907 John Korda-2 and the Cleman investigation

Stevens Point Journal
30 March 1907
AN INQUEST WILL BE HELD.
Body of Mrs. Joe Clements [sic] Will Be Exhumed and Cause of Death Investigated.

In order to clear up the mystery surrounding the death and burial of a woman and child in the town of Alban, mention of which was made in Saturday's issue of the Journal, a coroner's inquest will be held, probably on Friday or Saturday of this week. This has been determined upon as a result of the inquiries and investigations made by Sheriff Guyant and Under Sheriff Neumann last Saturday.
Joe Clements, a Polish farmer, lives about a mile and a half southwest of the village of Rosholt. He is about fifty years of age and has lived there many years.
Upon arriving at Rosholt Messrs.Guyant and Neumann found that it was from his home that the woman and child are alleged to have mysteriously disappeared. They also found many of the villagers laboring under a high state of excitement over the affair. When the sheriff arrived a number of men gathered around him and commenced to tell what a desperate man Clements was. One of the stories was that Clements had barricaded his house, and with the aid of his sons would probably shoot anyone who approached the house. When asked what desperate things Clements had ever done none of them seemed to be able to tell, but the belief that he was a bad and desperate man seemed to be almost universal. One man said he would not go down to the house for a thousand dollars.

Nevertheless at about 1:30 o'clock Guyant and Neumann started down to the Clements home. They were followed by a number of villagers and by the time the church, about forty rods from Clements's home, was reached, the number had been increased to about a hundred, but the crowd, no doubt considering discretion the better part of valor, remained in the vicinity of the church and left the two officers to pursue the balance of the journey alone. When Mr. Guyant first knocked at the door of the house he got no response. Peering through the window he saw a couple of little girls on the inside, and a little later two boys and Clements came out the back door and around the house and met him. The man was unarmed and apparently was frank in giving answers to all the inquiries made by the sheriff. When asked in regard to the death of his wife, he said she died about two weeks ago, that he had buried her in his wood lot, just where he wanted to be buried and he would go and show the sheriff the grave. The wood lot where the burial took place is about half a mile from the house. He said his wife was sick with a cold about two weeks and that her hair got twisted up. He had not called a doctor for the reason that he did not believe in them and he didn't have her buried according to the rites of the church for the reason that he did not believe in the church and did not want to have anything to do with it. The nearest neighbor lives about thirty rods away and when asked if he called any of the neighbors when his wife was sick he said he did not, that he had no neighbors and no friends. It seems that the woman who is now dead was Clements's second wife and that when they were married some of the neighbors charivaried them and he said he had not spoken to any of them since.

The story in regard to the death of the child was not investigated very closely. That is a matter that will be brought out at the inquest. According to the report of neighbors the child who is said to have died and been buried with the mother, was three or four weeks old.

At the inquest the body of Mrs. Clements will be exhumed and the whole affair will be carefully investigated. For burying his wife without first procuring a permit Clements has subjected himself to a fine, even though it is shown that the death was due to natural causes.

*****************************

Stevens Point Journal
6 April 1907
THE ALBAN INQUEST.
Mrs. Clements and Child Die of Pneumonia.
Clements is Jailed for Violating Law.

The inquest to ascertain the manner and cause of the death of Mrs. Joseph Clements, which was commenced at the farm home of the family in the town of Alban last Saturday forenoon and concluded in this city Monday afternoon, resulted in the jury finding that the woman died of tuberculosis of the lungs, followed by an attack of pneumonia.

The inquiry also developed the fact that during her illness the woman had only such care as the members of the family could give her and that she and her baby, aged about one year, died early in the morning of March 13 and were buried the same evening in a wood lot on the farm by her husband and two step-sons, and that none of the neighbors or anybody outside of the family were notified of the deaths of the mother and child.

The party that went from here to make the investigation consisted of District Attorney George B. Nelson, Justice G.L. Park, Dr. E.H. Rogers, Dr. D.S. Rice, Sheriff Frank Guyant, Under-sheriff Emil Neumann, James Alcorn, stenographer, and A.E. Bourn, John Leahy, Robert Maine, J.S.[?]ipe, John Corda [John Korda-2] and Lon Meyers, the six last named having been summoned as jurors. Burt Cushman had charge of exhuming the bodies.

The Catholic church in the town of Alban is located a little more than a mile southwest of the village of Rosholt and the Clements farms of 80 acres is the first one south of the church. The farm buildings consist of a good sized house and barn and the house is painted white and the barn is red. The family now consists of Mr. Clements and three sons and four girls. The boys and three girls are children of his first wife and the other girl, now about three years old, is the child of his second wife. Everything about the barn and house was in good order but the latter is meagerly furnished and the little girls were thinly clad and without stockings, and some of them wore no shoes.

When the party that went from here reached the place they found Mr. Clements and his sons working in and about the barn. When Sheriff Guyant told Clements the object of the visit, that they had come to exhume the remains of his wife and child and hold an inquest, and that they wanted him to take some shovels and show them the grave, Clements replied that he had but one shovel and that he wanted to use it that day in his work in the barn. However, when the sheriff insisted, Clements put the shovel on his shoulder and led the party across the field about a quarter of a mile to the wood lot in the rear of the house. The grave he pointed out was not rounded up in the usual way but was level with the ground. In response to inquiries Clements sid that the heads of his wife and child were to the south and that the bodies were not enclosed in a coffin or box. What was the use? A coffin or box would rot and whe a person was dead he was dead and that was all there was to it. Besides, he had been to a good deal of expense, the church had cost him a good deal, and in his present financial condition he could not afford either a box or coffin. As soon as he had pointed out the location of the grave Clements started to go back to the house. When told that he was expected to stay there while the bodies were being exhumed Clements said he wanted to get his coat. A cold wind was blowing at the time and he said he might take cold. The sheriff got a robe and told him he might put that around his shoulders, but this he refused to do, saying that he “was no Indian.”

The exhuming of the bodies, which was immediately commenced, was witnessed by about a hundred people who had quickly gathered around. The grave was about four feet deep and when the bodies were taken out it was found that they were but little decomposed. That of the mother was clothed only in a shirt and dress and that of the child in a little slip or single garment. The two bodies had been laid side by side, but not even a cloth had been placed over their upturned faces before the sand was shoveled in upon them. As the bodies laid there on the ground, after being taken from the gravek, with the long black hair of the mother partly covering the body of the baby, the scene was one which made women weep and men turn away, but if the father and husband felt any emotion or regret he gave no outward sign of it. The bodies were placed in a wagon and taken to the village of Rosholt, where later an autopsy was held by Drs. Rice and Rogers.

Following the proceedings at the grave, the jury repaired to Clements's house, where the testimony of his three sons was taken, a brief synopsis of which follows:

The boys were kept apart so that they could not communicate together or hear the other's testimony, and the first witness called was August Clements, who is 13 years old. He said his step-mother died March 13. He slept up stairs; go up about 7 o'clock. First saw my mother after she was dead on the bed in this room. That was in the morning, about 8 o'clock. Went to school that day. Saw my mother before I went to school and knew she was dead. My father first told me mother was dead; and he said “mother is dead.” They buried her that day in the evening, about 8 o'clock, it was not dark, they did not take a lantern. Father and my two brothers buried her. They hauled her down, pulled her on boards. She had been sick about two weeks, was in bed about two weeks. Ate very little while she was in bed. She coughed when she was sick; coughed a lot. Sometimes she spit blood. We gave her something to eat; also some medicine for her cough. (Did not have any of the medicine but he said they had the bottle. When told to get the bottle went to the cupboard but could not find it.) Mother was cold when she was sick. The little girl was sick a week. She died the same night my mother, burried her the same night. The baby coughed. Baby cried all the time. Father and mother never fought. I do not go to church, father does not go, but mother used to go, did not tell anyone at school that mother was dead. I was afraid the people would laugh at me. My father told me not to tell tham at school that mother was dead, told me more than once. Got the medicine that mother took from Myer's drug store. When they buried mother I was here. Father and one of my brothers carried her out. They made a boat of boards and pulled her.

John Clements, aged 21, said he came down stairs at about 6 o'clock in the morning of March 13 and his father told him his mother was dead. Mother was sick and in bed more than a week. She coughed, got pain in her legs, said she could not stand on her legs; was in bed about nine days. We gave her some cough medicine, got the medicine about two weeks before she died. I helped bury her. We dug the grave the same day she died, in the morning. Buried her between 6 and 8 o'clock the same evening. Even if we called the neighbors they would not come, they are all mad at us, afraid to come. Father did not tell me not to tell people mother was dead. (This witness also went to the cupboard to get the medicine bottle but could not find it.) I bought some medicine and father some. Mother vomited blood at times. My little sister died the same night. Didn't bury mother in the day time because we didn't have time, had to do the washing. I was sick, too. All helped to take care of mother when she was sick. Mother had chills and was cold at times. Baby coughed a good deal. Mother's hair twisted. Don't know as men have twisted hair. Didn't get a coffin because father said no use of buying a coffin. Did not bury her in the church yard, because they would not bury such people there. Father owns 80 acres, does not owe anything that I know of. Buried mother on the same night of the day she died.

Philip Clements, 18 years old. Was here when mother died. She died March 13, towards morning. First he said she was dead when I came down stairs about 6 o'clock. I saw mother was dead, I was surprised, did not expect she was going to die. She had been sick a little more than a week. She had lame feet. Was in bed over a week before she died. She laid in bed, coughed, not very hard. I sat up with her until 12 o'clock, and father stayed in the room. Have not had doctors when the children were sick,k doctors don't do any good. Mother had chills; didn't go outside during the winter, stayed in the house because she was cold when she went out. She helped a little with the housework and helped wash, last time about three weeks before she died. Had chills when she was in bed and we used hot [word?]. We gave mother enough medicine. My brother bought one bottle and my father one bottle. Mother spit blood sometimes when she coughed. Baby died the same time as mother. Baby was over a year old and nursed, while mother was sick. Don't know what sickness mother had; she had twisted hair. Didn't know what to do when she had twisted hair, tried to comb it out but it didn't do any good. Didn't think she was going to die when she had twisted hair. She told us her mother had twisted hair, don't know how long before she died. Mother couldn't talk much the day before she died. Could not speak very loud. I went with father and my brother when we buried her. Buried her in the evening. My brother and I dug the grave. Didn't put her in a box because we were sick and couldn't make a box. Didn't go to Rosholt and buy one, because we were sick and couldn't very well go. Didn't tell her father she was sick because when she was sick twice before we told them and they didn't come near. Put dress on mother after she died. The two oldest girls were a little sick at the time she died. Father never told me not to tell my mother was dead. My mother never went to church. No one was here when the baby (now dead) was born. Mother never was strong before or after the baby was born. She was strong when she was first married to father. She had a cough all this winter. Did not go out doors this winter. Father and mother never had any quarrels. Mother did not work in the field last summer, we didn't want her to do this work, because she was not strong enough. We all filled the grave up, father and us two boys.

Nick Sarnowski, live [sic] at Polonia. Mrs. Joe Clements was my sister. She had been married about four years. Was about 21 when she was married. Last saw her about a month ago. She was not sick then. Appeared to be well when I last saw her. She cooked the dinner the day I was here. She never said anything to me about the way she was treated. Never said her husband was mean to her. Never heard of any trouble she had with her husband except the last time she was at her father's she told her father she hardly wanted to come back here and stay. First heard of my sister's death last week, Wednesday. Her husband told me, here in this house. I was here in this room and was going out to go and he said “I will tell you some news; it is not much news; my wife has left me, she is dead.” I had been there about 15 minutes before he told me. I asked him when she died and he said about a week ago. I wanted to know where she was buried but I did not dare to ask him. Before that when I said anything he got mad.

The inquest was concluded at the office of Justice Park Monday p.m., at which time the testimony of Drs. Rogers and Rice, who conducted the post mortem, was taken. The doctors stated that they found the body of the woman greatly emaciated and that in their opinion the remote cause of death was tuberculosis and the direct cause was an acute attack of pneumonia. They found a slight bruise on the nose and onter on one of her arms, between the elbow and shoulder, but neither of these could have contributed to her death. The baby, they said, died of pneumonia.

The jury found that “the said Mrs. Joe Kleman, (the way the name is spelled in Polish), and Amelia Kleman (the baby), came to their death by pneumonia.”
Mr. Clements told a Journal representative that the baby died a little before the mother and that the deaths of both occurred at about 5 o'clock in the morning. He also said that he kept the bodies three days before burying them, while all of the boys testified that they were buried in the evening of the day of their death. The boys said the burials took place between 6 and 8 o'clock. The sun set on March 13 at 3 minutes after 6 o'clock.

The people of that neighborhood evidently regard Clements as a dangerous man and they have little or nothing to do with him or he with them, but so far as we could learn no one could point to any desperate thing he had done. They say, however, that some stock and a hog were killed an it was claimed he had killed them. Also that because he had some trouble with threshers, he did not cultivate part of his farm last season, but let it grow up to [seeds?]. Also that after some of his crops were destroyed by hail, when he saw another storm coming up he took his gun and shot up towards the clouds. Some of the men in the village said that in his dealings with them he was always honorable, treated them in a friendly spirit and appeared to be rational.

__________________

CLEMENTS ARRESTED

As soon as the post mortem was concluded at Rosholt last Saturday Clements was arrested and brought to the city. The formal charge against him was “that he did bury, prepare for incineration and remove from the place where death occurred a human body, to-wit, his wife, without first having obtained a permit so to do from the health officer or his deputy in the town of Alban, in which said death occurred, or from the town clerk of the town of Alban, contrary to the provisions of sections 1024 and 4608h of the revised statutes.” To this charge, when arraigned before Justice park Monday a.m., Clements entered a plea of guilty and was fined $50 or sixty days in the county jail. Clements paid his fine Tuesday and was released from jail.

___________________

In the testimony of two of the Clements boys, given at the inquest held over the remains of their step-mother, they spoke of her having “twisted hair.” Mr. Clements also stated to the writer that his wife had twisted hair. Probably most Journal readers never before heard of this form of sickness but it is said that there is a wide spread belief among Polish people, especially among the older ones, that there is a form of sickness, one of the outward symptoms of which is shown by the hair becoming twisted; also that there is a belief that in cases of this kind the hair must not be combed out or cut off, lest very serious results, possibly death, may follow. The doctors say, however, that this is a mere superstition: that the hair of most persons, if they lie in bed several days, particularly if the hair is long and is not properly cared for, will become matted or twisted together and this, they say, is all there is to the twisted hair theory.

****************

Stevens Point Journal

13 April 1907
THE INCIDENT IS CLOSED

The various incidents connected with the death and burial of Mrs. Joe Clements (or Kleman), and baby, in the town of Alban, have now been closed, at least so far as prosecutions are concerned. Clements was arrested for the second time last Saturday, charged with burying his baby without a permit. Monday, in Justice G.L. Park's court, he pleaded guilty and was fined $10 and costs, the whole amounting to a little less than $20. Both were paid and he returned to his home.

The warrant was issued by Justice Clarke but the case was taken before Justice Park on a change of venue.

************************

Checking the census data before and after the incident we find the first name Joseph Cleman's wife: Johanna. We also find there is a daughter Ellen (missing in the 1910 census) and compared to the contemporary press accounts, there seems to be an extra son Louis (listed in the 1910 census). Incidentally the 1900 US Census gives the name of the first wife Francis (born in Germany/Poland in 1865) and lists the children (John, Phillip, August, Mary, Rose). It looks like Joseph was committed to an insane asylum (as they called psychiatric hospitals of the time). I'll leave it to others to resolve the fate of this family.

1905 June Wisconsin Census
Alban Township, Portage County, Wisconsin

Joseph Cleman, 54 year old farmer.

Wife: Johanna (23 years)
Sons: John (18 years), Phillip (15 years), August (12 years),
Daughters: Mary (10 years), Rosi (7 years), Hilda (5 years), Ellen (4 years)
Son: Louis (1 years)

1910 US Census

Alban Township, Portage County, Wisconsin

Joseph Cleman, 60 year old widower, farmer.

Sons: John (25 years), Phillip (22 years), August (20 years),

Daughters: Mary (15 years), Roxy (12 years), Mathilda (10 years)

Son: Louis (8 years)

1920 US Census
Wood County Asylum in Marshfield, Wood County, Wisconsin

Joseph Cleman listed as a 70 year old patient born in German-Poland.

1907/08 John Korda-2. Two brief mentions.

Stevens Point Journal
21 November 1908

DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S REPORT.

George B. Nelson, district attorney, submitted his annual report to the county board. It showed that the disbursements of his office out of the fund known as the district attorney's fund, for the year were $26.6ß, as follows: R.M. Morse, for transcript of testimony in a criminal case, $10.60; John Korda [-2], interpreter, $1; F.E. Halladay, drawing special map in criminal case, $15.

*************************

Gazette
(Stevens Point)
10 April 1907
Kleman Pays Another Fine

On complaint of John Corda [John Korda-2], Joseph Kleman of Rosholt was again arrested Saturday, the charge preferred against him being that he had buried his child without notifying authorities of its death and securing the proper permit. Kleman had walked all the way from this city to Rosholt, a few days before, after being released from the county jail by paying the fine imposed for having buried his wife under the same conditions, and when the sheriff's deputy served the warrant, Kleman was quite seriously ill at his home. He promised to come to town Monday and was granted some leniency. He appeared before Justice Carpenter and was fined $10 and costs, amounting to nearly $20 in all, which he paid. Kleman will now be permitted to follow "the even tenor of his way" unmolested.

1908 John Korda-2 and the case of the runaway girl

Stevens Point Journal
21 November 1908

SHE IS A ROMANCER.
Grewsome [sic] Story Told by Stella Luty in Milwaukee Proves to Have Been Untrue---There Has Been No Murder.

The story told by Stella Luty in the juvinile [sic] court in Milwaukee was not correctly reported in the Milwaukee papers. They stated that she said her father's name was Joseph Luty. As a matter of fact she gave her father's correct name, which is Martin Luty. What she said in Milwaukee in regard to her father selling his farm near Necedah and moving to Junction City and purchasing a farm about a mile and a quarter west of the village in 1907 was also true, but what she said in regard to her father being a heavy drinker and that he had killed her fifteen months old brother, and threatened to kill her mother; that her mother had gone to Chicago, but finally came back and told the father if he wanted to kill anybody, to kill her and not the children; that he had threatened to kill Stella because she didn't work hard enough and that she had to hide in the corn crib to save herself and that her mother had given her $5 to go to Necedah and live with the family on their farm, has been shown to be a string of falsehoods. In the Milwaukee story she even went so far as to give the name of the priest who she said buried the child her father was alleged to have killed.
District Attorney Geo. B.Nelson and Deputy Sheriff Merrill Guyant went to Junction City Wednesday afternoon to investigate the matter, taking John Korda [-2] along in the capacity of interpreter. They first visited the office of town clerk and the Catholic church at the Junction to see if there was any record of the death and burial of the child. None was found, and then they went to the Luty home. Here they found that the father had gone to Milwaukee to bring the daughter home. The mother and her six daughters were there, however, and the mother talked freely and with apparent candor in regard to the matter. Stella's story in regard to the sale of the Necedah farm and the removal to Junction City was corroborated. The only boy, they ever had, she said, died on the Necedah farm nine years ago and there had been no deaths in the family since they came to the Junction. She also denied having had any trouble with her husband or that she was afraid of him or that he had ever threatened her life, or that she had ever gone to Chicago, either alone or with any of the children. Stella, she said, did not want to help the other children in the ordinary duties imposed upon children on a farm and about three weeks ago stole $6 from the house and took the train at the Junction for Necedah. The parents traced the girl to the latter place and both went down there to bring her home. They found she had left Necedah, but they could get no further track of her until her story was published in the Milwaukee papers. The mother said that herself and husband lived peaceably together and that her husband is not a hard drinker. Mr. Nelson has informed the Milwaukee authorities as to the facts in the case.

*********************

Gazette
5 January 1910

From Portgage County District Attorney's financial report of 19 November 1909.
“November 19, 1908. Order No. 8, in favor of John Corda [John Korda-2] for services as interpreter in State v. Martin Luty investigation, $2.00.”

1909 John Korda-2 misc. Leo Korda-2 too

Stevens Point Daily Journal
31 August 1909
Eagles, 2--Married Men, 1.

In one of the most interesting games of baseball seen at the Eagles park this season the Eagles defeated the Married Men by the score of 2 to 1, in 11 innings. The pitching of John Korda[-2] was the feature of the game. He allowed the Eagles only two hits, but three errors in the eleventh were responsible for the winning score. Mosey pitched good ball and was supported nicely. Korda had 14 strikeouts to his credit while Mosey had 9. Korda saved the married ones from a shut-out by making a three-base hit and stealing home a moment afterwards, also tieing the score in the eighth inning. The line-up follows:

Eagels. Married Men.
Kurszeski ...............c...............L. Korda [Leo Korda-2]
Mosey....................p...............J. Korda [John Korda-2]
A. Jaworski.............1b.............F. Landoski
Ceplina..................ss.............S. Prychla
Kosmatka...............2b............P.Waldoski
G. Jaworksi.............3b............W. Drewcyzsnki
Criss.......................1f.............J.Korbal
Hintz......................cf.............F.Falkiewicz
Povaloski................rf..............J.Lesavage

************************

Stevens Point Journal
30 October 1909

Miss Matilda Zelewski of Plover and Bernard Kedrowski of Stockton were married today at high noon by Justice J. B. Carpenter at his office. The subscribing witnesses were George A. Sutherland and John Korda[-2].

******************

Gazette
(Stevens Point)
1 December 1909
THE INQUEST CONCLUDED

Jury Finds That Jos. Melczynski Came to His Death by a Shot Fired by His Son, Frank.
The coroner's jury selected last week to hear evidence concerning the death of Joseph Melczynski, alleged to have been fatally wounded by a shot gun in the hands of his son, Frank Melczynski, in the town of Dewey on the evening of Friday, Nov. 19th, met at the court house Tuesday morning and after listening to several witnesses, rendered a verdict in accordance with the evidence.
The first witness was Mrs. Helena Melczynski, widow of the deceased, who gave testimony through John Korda[-2] as interpreter. She stated that her husband was shot at about 9 o'clock on the night of Nov. 19th, and died at nearly the same hour the following evening. The shot penetrated his left leg above the knee. The circumstances relating to the quarrel which preceded the shooting were related substantially as follows: "I was putting pieces of cloth into a basket when Frank asked me where I got the pieces and I told him I bought them in different cities where I had been at work. He said I stole them and repeated the accusation several times. I then went into the bedroom and he followed a moment later. My little boy, Vincent, also wanted to come to the room, but Frank told him to get out and tried to shove him through the doorway. I then went into the front room where my husband was and started to put into the basket some dishes that Mr. Melczynski had brought from Chicago. Frank said these were also stolen. I told him to get out of the room, when he swore at me in English. I then picked up the round of a chair and threw it at him, striking him on the right arm. Frank jumped towards me, when my husband got up from the rocking chair where he was holding the baby in his lap, when Frank swore at his father and told him that he would kill him, too. Frank then ran to the kitchen and took the gun that stood in a corner and attempted to shoot me over his father's head. I stepped to one side, when both Frank and his father ran towards the door leading outside. About that time the gun was discharged. Joseph had no weapon in his hands." The witness further stated that the father had never whipped his son and that Joseph did not strike Frank at any time that evening. When her husband was shot, Mrs. Melczynski laid him on a quilt or blanket on the floor and ran to a neighbor's house and summoned help. When she returned to her own home Dr. Daniels was there attending to the wounded man.
Leo Jeski, who lives about 25 rods from the Melczynski home, was next on the stand. He has been living in that vicinity for two months. He heard somebody cursing, followed in a moment by a shot. A little later somebody came towards his house, whom he recognized as Mrs. Melczynski. She was greatly excited and said that her husband had been shot by his son Frank. Jeski then summoned several of the neighbors, two of whom drove to Knowlton and notified a physician and also the sheriff's office in this city. When the witness went to Melczynski's house he found the man lying on the floor and much blood scattered about the kitchen. The wounded man was conscious and talked with him.
Dr. D.S. Rice of this city testified that he was called to the Melczynski home the next day, and went up in company with Dr. C. von Neuperet, Jr. Found the wounded man in bed. He was very pale, but able to speak. The physicians prepared for an operation and carried the man to the front room and put him on the table, where chloroform was administered. An opening was found in the front part of the leg on the thigh. The wound from the outside was about the size of a small pebble, but the physicians made an incision and found a hole at least two or three times as large. The bone was fractured and muscles torn and cut up like pulp. A number of fine shot were taken out, also pieces of bone. Both Melczynski and his wife protested against amputating the leg. Loss of blood as a result of the shot caused death. In the witness' opinion amputation would not have saved his life. A post-mortem examination was made the Monday following, when it was found that several small veins were ruptured. His vital organs were in normal condition.
John A. Berry, sheriff, said he first learned of the shooting about 11:30 o'clock Friday night. In company with Undersheriff Sutherland he drove to the Melczynski home, arriving there about 2 o'clock. Dr. Daniels and several neighbors were there. Melczynski was lying on the floor. A gun was found in the kitchen and produced in evidence as the weapon with which the murder was committed. The sheriff made a search of the premises and discovered Frank beneath some hay in the barn.
District Attorney Nelson read an ante-mortem statement made by Melczynski, describing the quarrel which preceded the shooting. The jurors then rendered a verdict that the deceased came to his death from gun shot wound inflicted by Frank Melczynski.
The young man is now in jail and will undoubtedly remain there until the March term of circuit court. He has retained Byron B. Park to defend him.

1909_John Korda-2

The Gazette

(Stevens Point)

8 December 1909

An Unfortunate Stranger

Sheriff Berry, accompanied by John Korda [-2], took a stranger, who gave his name as Claude Bergeron, to the Oshkosh asylum on this morning's Soo train. He appeared at the Soo passenger station on Monday and acted very queerly, calling for a ticket that he claimed was on file for him and making other demonstrations, and was finally taken in charge by the police. He is a young man about thirty years of age and at times said his home was in Chicago and at other times spoke of living at Eau Claire. He was examined as to his sanity by Drs. Rice and Walters at the county jail, last evening, and papers committing him to the asylum were executed.Bergerson was very boisterous and ugly yesterday and at one time it took four men to handle him, the sheriff's officials being obliged to place handcuffs upon him in order to control his actions.

**********

Stevens Point Journal
11 December 1909

[Wednesday]

...Claude Bergeron, the man picked up by the police at the Soo station as the result of a formal examination by Drs. F.A. Walters and D.S.Rice, has been transferred to the Northern asylum. Nothing new as to the history of the man, or of his legal residence, has been learned, but it is believed he is the victim of some drug habit. He was taken to the asylum by Sheriff Berry and John Korda[-2].

**********

Note: In 1910 Dr. Walters became mayor of Stevens Point and presided over Common Council hearing of the saloon cases in which John Korda-2 served as interpreter. Dr. Rice amputated John Korda-2's right thumb in January 1900.

1910 Saloon Cases. Remaining Characters.

Attorney representing the Stevens Point chapter of the W.C.T.U.

Rufus B. Smith, lawyer for the W.C.T.U. From Madison, Wisconsin. Born March 1, 1846, died Tuesday June 1, 1926 (Appleton Post Crescent, 1 June 1926) Direct descendant of Stephen Rogers who came over on the Mayflower. Served in the Civil War (second connecticut heavy artillery according to Eau Claire Leader, 11 April 1915), enlisted in New Haven, Connecticut. Eyewitness of “Sherman's ride when he was escaping wounded from the battlefield.” Ancestral birthplace, Litchfield, CT. City attorney for four terms, president of Dane County Bar Association, council for the Dane County Humane society. Circuit Court commissioner for fifty years. [Biographical information and picture from “Rufus B. Smith Observes 80th Birthday Monday”, The Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, Feb. 27, 1926]

**********

For the Defense:

David Irving Sicklesteel. Born in Chatham, Ontario (Stevens Point Journal, 16 Jan 1909) around 1868. Studied law for five years, called to Ontario bar in 1894. Immigrated from Canada 1896. Ran for County Judge and State Senator as Republican (losing both times). In that primary (1910) he had campaign costs of $1330.27 of which $253.30 for refreshments receiving 3118 votes, meaning it cost him almost 43 cents per vote. This sum is slightly more than the salary and mileage for four years in that position would have been (Stevens Point Journal, 17 Dec 1910). 1912 ran for district attorney in Stevens Point. Died January 1, 1915 (at time of death he was the District Attorney, Stevens Point Weekly Journal, Jan. 8, 1916 list of deaths in 1915). Unfortunately the issues of the local papers for the first week of 1915 were not in the collection on-line so I have no information on the cause of death. (Those interested can order copies from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point library's Obituary Index.)

Saloon Cases. Fate of the Stevens Point Mayor

Note from Irwin Collier-0 [your blogger]:

Just a reminder that the Saloon Cases involved John Korda-2 in only a minor role as a court translator. I looked for stories in the daily press that would give us some insight into political life in Stevens Point in 1910 as well as details of the particular case. At the risk of providing yet even more story about someone NOT in the Collier-Bober family, I find the details of the death of Mayor Walters touching and very sad. There in the depth of the Great Depression, after eight months of unemployment and a wife on her deathbed...

Stevens Point Daily Journal
31 January 1934

DR. WALTERS, FORMER MAYOR,
ENDS HIS LIFE
Shoots Self in Head in Room at the Wisconsin
Veterans' Home

Dr. Frank A. Walters, for many years a practicing physician in Stevens Point and mayor of the city for three terms, ended his life Tuesday afternoon at the Wisconsin Veterans' Home, near Waupaca, according to word received here by local friends today.

Bullet in Brain

Dr. Walters shot himself in the head with a small revolver, while seated in a chair in the old hospital building, according to information received here. He was found by Dr. Hofmeister, the physician at the Veterans' Home, after he failed to appear for the evening meal. He was dead when found, a bullet having entered his mouth and lodged in the brain at the base of the skull.

In Locked Room

The room of Dr. Walters was locked when the discovery was made and it was unlocked by Dr. Hofmeister, who found the body of Dr. Walters in the chair. In the room was found a note written by hand containing the names and addresses of his son and daughter.

Wife Critically Ill

Mrs. Walters is critically ill with pneumonia and is a patient in the new hospital at the Veterans' Home. Because of her serious condition she has not been told of her husband's death.
Dr. and Mrs. Walters were visitors in Stevens Point the past weekend. He came here to attend to business matters and also visited among friends. Mrs. Walters was ill with a severe cold while they were here and contracted pneumonia on Sunday, following their return to Waupaca.

Former Staff Member

He was a former member of the staff of the Wisconsin Memorial hospital at Madison and had been unemployed the past eight months. He came to the Wisconsin Veterans' Home from Madison on January 10. Dr. Walters was said to have been despondent over financial reverses. He entered the home as an inmate, to which privileges he was entitled as a former soldier, but expected later on to become a member of the staff.

Active in City Affairs.

Dr. Walters, who was about 70 years of age, practiced his profession in Stevens Point for nearly 10 years. He took an active interest in the civic affairs of the city. He served as mayor from 1910 to 1914 and from 1916 to 1918. During his first term his administration was active in promoting the return of the Wisconsin Central railroad division from Abbotsford to Stevens Point. During the Welsby administration he served as a time as alderman from the First ward. He was also a candidate for mayor in 1912 and in 1926, and was a candidate for congressman during the war period. Dr. Walters held a commission as major for a time in the army medical corps during the World war. In earlier years he was located in the West.
Dr. Walters is survived by his wife and one son, Albro of Chicago, and one daughter, Mrs. Clare Belden, formerly Miss Helen Walters, who is supervisor of music in an industrial school at Lapeer, Mich.
Funeral arrangements are not known.

**********

Stevens Point Daily Journal
2 February 1934
DEATH CLAIMS MRS. WALTERS
AT VET'S HOME
Doctor's Wife Dies Without
Learning of Her Husband's Passing

Mrs. F.A. Walters died at 6 o'clock Thursday evening at the Wisconsin Veterans' Home, near Waupaca, two days after the tragic death of her husband, Dr. Walters, former mayor of Stevens Point and for many years a practicing physician here, who ended his life Tuesday afternoon at the same institution by shooting himself in the head with a small revolver.

Not Told of His Death

Mrs. Walters was caused by double pneumonia and her condition had been so grave since the time of Dr. Walters' death that she was not told of his passing. Relatives and friends at her bedside withheld the information from her. As her condition grew worse she lapsed into a coma, but in moments of partial consciousness she asked for him. She was unable to recognize any of those around her.

Double Rites Saturday

Double funeral services are to be conducted at 1:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon at

the Veterans' Home, followed by burial in a Waupaca cemetery. Arrangements for burial in the Home cemetery could not be made, it was understood here, because formalities as to membership in the institution had not been completed.
Among friends of the Walters family who have been at the Veterans' Home this week, since the death of Dr. Walters, were Mrs. Glenn Watkins, 1116 South Michigan Avenue, and Mrs. H.S. Card, 1004 Main Street.

Devoted to Each Other

Although Dr. Walters was reported to have been despondent over financial reverses and the lack of employment during the past eight months, local friends believe that his act was prompted by his conclusion Tuesday that his wife could not live. He was devoted to her and they were never apart, the friends recalled.
Mrs. Walters, who was born in Illinois, was about 65 years old. She came here as a young woman and had spent her entire adult life in Stevens Point up to the time she and her husband left Stevens Point a few years ago.

Son, Daughter Called

Dr. and Mrs. Walters were in Stevens Point last week-end and Mrs. Walters, at the time, was suffering from a cold, which had developed into pneumonia. Following the death of Dr. Walters, their son and daughter, Albro Walters of Chicago and Mrs. Helen Belden of Lapeeer, Mich., were summoned to Waupaca.

**********

Stevens Point Daily Journal
6 February 1934

OBITUARY
Double Funeral Services

Double funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock at the chapel of the Wisconsin Veteran's Home near Waupaca. Rev. E.B. Batle [spelling?], chaplain at the Home, conducted services and burial followed in a Waupaca cemetery.
Mrs. Walters death occurred at the Home hospital Thursday evening, following the tragic death on Tuesday of her husband, Dr. Walters, former practicing physician here for many years and a former mayor of the city.
Military rites were conducted at the grave, arranged by a guard of honor. World war veterans, members of the Home, were pallbearers.
Dr. Walters was born at Fond du Lac county on July 25, 1865. He moved to Montana with his parents at the age of eight years. The family remained in the west a few years and returned to Wisconsin and located at Ripon. Dr. Walters received his medical education at the Hineman Medical School of Chicago. After his graduation from this institution he came directly to Stevens Point, and with the exception of one year spent at Wasau, lived here continuously prior to four years ago.
Dr. Walters served as Mayor of Stevens Point for three terms, from 1910 to 1914 and from 1916 to 1918. He also served as alderman from the First ward for a time. He held a commission as captain in the medical division during the World war and was stationed at Fort Sheridan.
Dr. Walters has one brother, Fred Walters, at Seattle, Wash.
Mrs. Walters was born at Dixon, Illinois on August 14, 1866. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Behrens and at the age of 10 years she moved to Chicago to live with an older sister. Her marriage to Dr. Walters took place at Chicago, about 42 [first digit uncertain] years ago. One brother, Ed. Behrens of Chicago, and one sister, Mrs. B. Markwald, also of Chicago, survive.
The couple are survived by one daughter, Mrs. Helen Belden of Lapeer, Mich., and one son, Dr. Elbro Walters of Chicago.
Relatives from away who attended the funeral were the son and daughter and the latter's husband and Mr. Behrens and B. Markwald and son, Louis, of Chicago. Many friends from Stevens Point attended the funeral services.