1900 John Korda-2's house moved by tornado. Flying outhouses.

Stevens Point Journal
14 July 1900

PRANKS OF A TORNADO
Houses Moved from Their Foundations and Trees Blown Down

The wind storm Saturday afternoon was far more serious in the northern and eastern part of the city than was at first suspected by those who were down town at the time.
It was a veritable tornado and did a great deal of damage, not all of which can be reckoned in dollars and cents, for the destruction was confined largely to shade and forest trees.
The line of greatest destruction passed in a southeasterly direction over the northeastern part of the city, passing north of St. Peter's church, south of the Normal and finally spending its fury near the Christian church on Minnesota avenue.
The first serious trouble caused by the wind was the displacement of the house of John Korda[-2] at the corner of Fourth avenue and Division street.
Mrs. Korda [Antonia Kluck-2] and her two small children [John Korda-1 and Edward Korda-1] were at home alone in the house at the time and she was so very much frightened that she did not realize what was happening until the storm was over. The house is 16x24 feet, one story in height, recently built, and was supported on stone pillers[sic]. The wind lifted it up and dropped it down again six feet south and three feet east of its original location. The plastering was badly cracked, and the whole frame loosened and knocked out of plumb. The center pillar came up through the floor and the chimney, which fell on the roof en masse, broke a hole through the shingles and roof boards and cracked a rafter.
John Frosz, who lives up on the hill on Prentice street, had three loads of hay cocked up on his meadow, but the wind carried it away and spread it over the neighboring farms.
The storm swept on, felling trees as it went, sometimes splitting off great limbs or the tops and again tearing them up bodily by the roots. A chimney was blown off the roof of Mrs. G.N. Doty's residence on Main street. Several lights of glass were blown in at the residence of John Dignum, next door. Mr. Dignum, who was permanently injured in the tornado at Star Lake two years ago, was very much alarmed at the threatening appearance of the clouds and expected a repetition of the catastrophe that destroyed the lumber camps at Star Lake in 1898. Several trees were blown down in the yards of W.H. Skinner, Mrs. N. Boyington, N. Gross, T. Clements, B.L.Vaughn, H. Cartmill and on the Normal, Third ward and high school lawns. Some windows in the corridor of the Normal were blown in and smashed.
The steam boat, Island City, which has been reposing on the tops of four kerosene barrels east of the Normal for the past year, was blown over and considerably racked.
The greatest destruction occurred in the block east of Michigan avenue, between Clark and Ellis streets.
The house on the corner of Clark street and Michigan avenue was badly twisted. Extending back from the main part is a long wing, the rear half of which is used as a woodshed and had no floor. The door was open and the wind, rushing in, lifted the shed from its foundations and twisted it around until it was a foot out of plumb. The house was occupied by the Winkler and Knute families. In the next house lives George Hubbard. Here the wind got under the shingles and tore great patches of them from the roof. A large barn, old but reasonably substantial, that stood in the rear of the the lot, was blown down and completely wrecked, together with some furniture it contained. Several outhouses in the vicinity were lifted up and carried some distance. One was carried over the top of a shed next to it at a height of ten feet. A group of jack pine trees that stood back of the Hubbard house on lots owned by J.F. Stewart and J.L. Jensen was attacked by the wind and fourteen of them were uprooted. A large oak in J. F. Stewart's yard, a foot in diameter, was broken off near its base. Further on the wind tore down large sections of the Fair ground fence, Athletic park fence and tore about three yards of shingles off Mr. Patterson's house near the Christian church and also blew down half a dozen pines in that vicinity.
The storm presented a wild scene at the time and many were very much frightened, especially the women who were at home alone. The wind was preceded by a great roaring noise high up in the air and as it rushed on, it gathered up the dust, sand, paper and branches of trees and whisked them high in the air.
The board roof of G.E. Culver's wood shed was lifted up and scattered in pieces over the adjoining lots for a distance of 150 feet. The roof of Dr. W.F. Atwell's carriage shed was also blown off and broken up. So far as known no persons were hurt.
Millions of dead branches and live twigs and leaves were torn from the trees and scattered broadcast. A number of people who were hurrying home had narrow escapes from the former. Probably a total of nearly a hundred trees in the city were either blown down or denuded of some of their limbs.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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].

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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.

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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]

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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.

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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.

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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.

1910, Saloon Cases, Mayor Walters

Stevens Point Daily Journal
23 May 1910
STATEMENT FROM THE MAYOR
His Opinion Regarding Certain Phases of the Clean-up of Stevens Point.

To the Citizens of Stevens Point.--

Owing to the lateness of the closing hour Thursday night [19 May, 1910] I did not make the statement at the council meeting I had stated I would, and am glad I did not for I have changed my mind. When I entered the campaign for the mayorality I stated that I should try and right some of the bad features of this city, such as a few of our saloons that were disgracing us; that the dissolute women would have to be kept out by the proprietors of these bad saloons; the "Black List" observed; the boys kept out and the midnight closing observed. All this I told a member of the W.C.T.U.; also that I should not interfere with the present custom as regards Sunday closing, as the majority of business men did not seem to favor the same; and who says I promised more is misinformed or deliberately misstates.

After election came these trials for "revocation of license." Even if guilty, according to the popular version of the affair, these men were trapped against all the rules of fair play, as matters had been run fast and loose, more loose than otherwise.

According to the above mentioned version, two were trapped by a neighbor's son because they knew he was not addicted to the use of liquor. Two more were caught, after others had failed to bite, by reason of being told an old cripple, whom they had helped keep out of the poor house for years, was sick with cramps and wanted some brandy. Two others were caught or blamed, for both of them positively state they did not sell the boy liquor, by a boy who would pass for twenty-one anywhere, and he has since stated he got the liquor on the south side, but accused these parties because he could remember their names easier than the real culprits.

Seeing that it was going to cause all manner of trouble and hard feelings and as I proposed to personally give attention to righting matters, as sent forth above, I felt I had a right to ask the members of the W.C.T.U. to withdraw the charges and give me a free hand. Their leader sat shaking her head all the while I was talking, and if a person can use their reasoning power while in such an attitude or frame of mind, then I am badly mistaken. I offered to make matters right to suit them, other than the Sunday observance, in ninety days or I would contribute $50 to their fund to get detectives here and clean up the town in such a manner that all wrong doers would be caught and no one could feel that they were trapped and the rest let go.

I also told them of a much less expensive and less troublesome manner in which they could accomplish this than to force the trials already started but their "Legal Advisor" advised it was not a cause for revocation of license, but I respectfully refer him to the Wisconsin Statutes, section and city ordinances, chapter 1558.

However, I had decided that if the testimony would permit to let the matter go to the courts and then no one could say I had acted arbitrarily and then go on with the matter of cleaning up the town as outlined above; but this being damned if you do and a whole lot worse if you don't is too much of a good thing; I have had enough when a man, who could, or did not get within gunshot of the aldermanic chair on a vote of his immediate neighbors, sits in the audience and sneeringly comments on what I do; and another, whom I am creditably informed offered to give $1 to the fund that I offered to give fifty dollars to, goes to a popular loafing place of a certain crowd, that spends their spare time playing cards, and roasts me to a frazzle because I do not act according to his light; and another, who tried to get me to give him inside information that would have enabled him to cut in under competitors' bids to the extent of one hundred and fifty dollars on a public job, also flays me because I spoke disparagingly to the ladies of the W.C.T.U., which I did not do as they had nothing to do with the procuring of information used in these trials and no one had the right to infer that I meant them or that I did not know the party of whom I did speak was not in the room, in view of the fact that my feet had been trampled on in the haste of those getting water for her. I have started out to do what I stated I should in the start, and if anyone thinks I have not the nerve to persist to the bitter end once I make a start, I respectfully refer them to Herr Kobela, late of the Hotel Polski.

If any one thinks this is an easy matter they should have been with Mr. Hafsoos and me one day when we called on Herr K. and gave him fair warning, and with me again one night about 1 a.m. when I again read the "riot act" to him. Then a few nights later when I was called about midnight and informed there had been a fight because of a dissolute woman in the resort; and when I called Mr. Hafsoos and, with the police, made a raid. The police could not have accomplished it alone for there are seven ways to get in this resort and eleven to get out. Then if anyone thinks it a pleasure to find a poor creature in woman form, cowering in a dark place like a hunted animal and when she is led to the light to find she is a poor girl, known to have been a good girl but practically forced to marry before sixteen years of age and know as I did that she was beaten and abused by the wretch her parents forced her to marry and later deserted by him. To know she practically never had a chance to be much but what she is and then have her cry and beg for mercy like a frightened wayward girl and yet know one's feelings must be steeled if anything is to be learned and any good accomplished. Then to go to the jail with a drunken lot and have one of them threatening to kill you if you put him to work on the streets, and finally get to bed about 3 a.m., and I am sure you never would have considered it easy.
Then two days later to have two more wayward women in jail and both crying and begging for mercy and know that one of them was a good girl till the wretch she married practically ruined her and was the direct cause of her forming these habits and know that the other two has two children at home, one only a baby and yet steel your heart because you know they are past the stage of being trusted and that to get testimony against others they must be "sweated" and then go to the home of the one and as she sits with her babe in her arms and the little boys playing about the room and after her defiance is broken down and she is weeping like a child and bemoaning the fate that ever caused her to live and realize that she also had practically never had a chance for her life and has none now with her husband and realize that under the same circumstances you would have been no better and yet persist till she breaks down and tells tales of shame that would put the dives of China Town to shame and makes a sworn statement that would send certain "procurers" in this town to Waupun. I say if one can do this and not have a "lump" come in their throat, meantime, they are harder hearted than I think.

Then a few nights later to get word that Herr Kobela is up to his old tricks and start out and meet a wayward woman and another who has been to the resort after her husband, who was carousing with the woman first mentioned, and place them all in jail, the innocent one as well that she might not by chance let it be known we were out for trouble, meantime hear her sob and plead to be let out that she might go to her baby and steel one's feelings to do what seemed best for law and decency, then go and round up Kobela about midnight and then raid two other resorts before going to bed. If anyone thinks it is easy, try it. The police can't do it alone. Mr. Hafsoos cannot attend to all the real dog scares and family rows and have time to do all this unaided.

Then while most people were in church some of us were "sweating" another wayward one and a good deal the same scenes were enacted. Then the next day or so to have to go [to] the wretched home of a "posted" man and "sweat" him till he finally gives up; all this and much more is what it means to put things in this town right and if anyone thinks I am not just "stubborn" enough to go ahead, once I start, I refer them to our wood haulers.

Had each one of these licenses been revoked, and no one at the head of affairs in this city who would take personal supervision, in less than two months matters would have been at the same old stage. We have a few reckless auto drivers for whose misdeeds the others must also suffer, so among our saloon men are a few reckless ones, and in no time unless there was someone to hold them in check, the others would be obliged to meet this reckless competition to a certain extent.

I had made the above start and considerable more but have had enough and unless the members of the W.C.T.U. have the courage to admit their former leader and her imported legal advisor put them wrong and will call off these cases and give me free hand I am done with the saloon question and shall not concern myself in the least regarding the same any more than to do what little has to be done from my office and devote my energies to cleaning this town up. We have cleared the tin cans as never before and are not through. I shall rule that what is an offense to the sight is a nuisance as much as though an offense to the sense of smell and these old and useless pieces of fences, sheds, dead trees, brush and waste heaps are going to be cleaned out. A special policeman is going to do the posting and anyone not heeding the same will have their places cleared and the same charged to their taxes. We may be beaten on some deals by people who rather fight than clean up but they will have to help the lawyers to live and we will get the cleaning done anyway.

We are also going to keep the streets as clean as possible and also get the ones leading to the country macadamized unless something unforseen happens and thus have it so that if a farmer comes to town and "loads up" he won't have to have assistance to get out of town.

However, if this is not enough I am willing to give a rear[?] approach to a commission form of government in that if the people will get together and appoint anywhere from three to thirty-three of what they feel are the representative people of the city as a commission to advise me I will not make a move contrary to the majority of this commission.--F.A. Walters, mayor.

**********

Note the May 24-25 editions of the Stevens Point Daily Journal are incomplete and I cannot find the letter from “Anxious Inquirer” that the Mayor is answering in the next piece.

Stevens Point Daily Journal
26 May 1910
MAYOR EXPLAINS
Replies to Anxious Inquirer and Puts Saloon Cases Up to City Attorney and Courts.

Editor Journal.--Replying to "Anxious Inquirer" [I] will say that had he not been so anxious to get into print with his hysterical criticisms he might have take[n] time to noten [sic] the place where I stated that I had concluded that if the testimony would permit that I should pass the matter up to the courts etc. That strikes me as tolerably explicit. As to the "farcical" part of the proceedings or my part in them, if such was the case, I may haveen influenced by the information received from the best of legal advice, as soon as I found these cases were to be passed on to me, that the proceedings on the part of the plaintiff's attorney were the most farcical bit of pettifogging legal work they had ever seen.


As to the "pity and contempt" etc., it strikes me that we would have been much more to be pitied had we disregarded the legal aspect, vide Mr. Owen's article, of which we had been advised, and simply decided on the merits of sentiment. As to "insulting the ladies," it takes quite a stretch of imagination to declare I insulted the members of the W.C.T.U. and as for the other statement I stand ready to back it in the courts if any one wishes to be vindictive.

As to my not doing a "self-respecting judge credit" I plead "extenuating circumstances," for I am sure no judge was ever placed as I was. The latter would have known that he was expected to act along the lines of the legality of the proceedings and that he would not be criticised for not acting according to the sentiment of the plaintiffs. In passing let us look at this. The case up for writ of mandamus is on the strength of our overruling the plaintiff's demurrer as to letting the accused testify. The law says they shall be summoned and show cause why their license shall not be revoked. What chance have they to show this and what is the use of summoning them if they are not allowed to testify?
The "seven line paragraph" he alludes to expressed my sentiment, which happened to be the opposite to his and thus displeasing to him, and had nothing to do with my decision in passing it up to the courts. In this I chose to take the less dangerous stand as regards my own trouble in case of being on the wrong side of the legal aspect of the case.

I do not feel I have upheld the "bad" but protected myself and am sure if I am wrong the court's decision will answer just as well in satisfying the law and punishing the guilty as though coming a bit earlier. At any rate I did not see fit to lay myself liable for the sake of making it cost the defendants a few week's business, as the sentiment of the plaintiffs seemed to demand.

As to the "rambling," etc., it took a little rambling to do what was described and naturally the description would be somewhat of the same order.

As to being on "earth" I have been here with both feet firmly planted and doing work all the time, even to the extent of putting two of our worst "bads" out of business and in such a manner there is no possibility of a legal quibble embarassing [sic] the situation, at least so the defendants' attorney has advised them.

As this is positively my last appearance in print in this matter, out of pity for a long suffering public, I shall have to ask "Anxious" to come from the protecting care of his nom de plume, that I may call in person, if the above does not satisfyl. Respectfully Yours—F.A.Walters.

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Stevens Point Daily Journal
May 26, 1910
GIVE SECURITY FOR COSTS.
W.C.T.U. Women Forced to Give a $250 Bond in License Cases.

The W.C.T.U., through one of its individual representatives, has been compelled by the saloon interests to furnish security for costs in the revocation case. The order was secured from Judge Murat by Sicklesteel & Pfiffner, attorneys for Klish Bros. A bond of $250 was requested and the same will be filed tomorrow probably by Mrs. Carrie I. Howard, personally backed by the Union. The women are game and evidently mean business for sure in these cases, and it is understood that it is not the women alone but that they are backed by some of the leading citizens in this movement.

In this connection, it might be appropriate at this time to explain, there is nothing personal in this case so far as the W.C.T.U. is concerned. It is entirely a matter of principle and the particular principle just now is that the sale of liquor to minors and posted persons in Stevens Point must stop. There have been various prosecutions in the courts on various occasions but the proprietors came into court, paid their little fines and the sale went merrily on. It paid better to pay fines than to obey the law. There came a time when it seemed no longer good policy to put off revocation proceedings until "next time".

The claim that these cases were "underhanded snap proceedings" is wholly untrue, except in possibly one case. On the morning of [Wednesday] Feb. 2, A. H.[?] MacMillan, a posted person, took his own life while terribly drunk. In the death notice, the personal feelings of his family were thrust aside and the truth was stated plainly, stated so plainly that several saloon keepers "stopped their paper" and it was certainly apparent to all that there was to be a "hereafter." The virst violations after that in these alleged "snap cases" came on [Tuesday] Feb. 8 and the others followed after from day to day. The ladies of the W.C.T.U. have been criticised for securing an outside attorney. The ladies claim they visited several local attorneys and met with such indifference, so much cold water, such parleying with the main issue, and such a dearth of pointed advice that they were afraid to trust the cases in local hands. It may have been the result of a wrong impression but that is the reason Mr. Smith of Madison was engaged.

The ladies are free to admit that Mayor Walters interviewed them before and after election in an effort to have the cases quashed, but they were in the fight, not for political reasons, but to stop an illicit business which in their opinion, had already been tolerated too long in Stevens Point, and they failed to see why the mayor should interest himself, personally, on the negative side of an important moral problem. They declined to be cajoled into dropping the cases.

1910 Saloon Cases, Newpaper Accounts

The Gazette
18 May 1910

LICENSE NOT REVOKED
Two of the Six Cases Against Saloon Keepers Tried and Defendants Declared Not Guilty

Two of the cases against saloonkeepers of this city occupied the attention of the council for several hours last Thursday [12 May, 1910] and Friday [13 May 1910] evenings, an adjournment not being taken on the latter date until 1 o'clock Saturday morning. The prosecution on Thursday evening was against Albert and George Klish, charged with selling liquor to Hyman Fisher, a minor between the age of 13 and 14 years. The prosecution on behalf of the local W.C.T.U. was represented by Rufus B. Smith, a Madison attorney, while D.I. Sicklesteel appeared for the defense and W.F.Owen was present to look after the interests of the city. The first named attorney read the affidavits from records in justice and circuit courts, to all of which Mr. Sicklesteel interposed a general denial. Mr. Smith objected to the introduction of evidence of any kind, and read extracts from a lengthy brief which he had prepared to support his contention. Mr. Sicklesteel read court decisions supporting the defendants's side of the controversy, and asked that the demurrer made by the attorney for the prosecution be overruled. This was done on motion of Ald. Schenk by a vote of 8 to 2, those voting no being Scribner and Sparks.

Mr. Smith said he would introduce no testimony, would not cross examine witnesses or make an argument. Geo. and Albert Klish were examined separately, both denying that Fisher had been in their saloon or that he had secured liquor of any kind from them. They had plead guilty because they had been advised this was the cheapest and best way to get out of the difficulty after their arrest. To questions submitted by City. Atty. Owen, the witnesses denied making alleged admissions to Judge Webb in circuit court.


The attorneys submitted written resolutions for the consideration of the council, who went into executive session, and declared by a vote of 7 to 5 that the defendants were not guilty. Those who voted for the defendants were Abb, Altenberg, Firkus, Heffron, Port, Schenk and Urowski; for the prosecution, Cook, McDonald, Redfield, Scribner and Sparks.

Friday evening [13 May 1910] the case against Julius Retzski, charged with selling liquor to Carl Dake, a minor, commanded the attention of the mayor, council, attorneys and many spectators, and ended in a tie vote, 6 to 6, which was decided by Mayor Walters, who voted in favor of Retzski, declaring that he was not guilty of the charges preferred and that his license should not be revoked. The vote was the same as that of the evening before, except that Altenberg left the defense and went over to the prosecution.


Chief of Police Hafsoos swore that he arrested young Dake in an intoxicated condition on the 11th of Feb., that he visited the Retzski saloon on the following day in company with Dake, and that Louis Retzski, who at that time said his name was Julius, admitted that he had sold liquor to Dake. Louis appeared in Justice Park's court, plead guilty to the charge and paid his fine.
J.W.Dake, grandfather of Carl, was called, but could not remember or state positively how old the young man is. He stated that the latter had gone west four or five weeks ago, presumably to take up a homestead.

Julius Retzski when called created a mild protest from Chief Hafsoos, who supposed that the young man who entered the plea of guilty was the only and original Julius and had never been informed to the contrary. Julius is the father of the young man who appeared in court last February, and he gave his testimony through an interpreter, John Corda [-2]. Julius said he is a saloonkeeper and farmer, his farm being in Carson, and showed that the license taken out in 1909 was in his name and paid for by him. His sons, Max and Louis, are employed as his bartenders, and for their work are given their support and spending money. He did not sell any liquor to Dake and does not know him.
Max Retzski stated that he was employed in the saloon on the 11th, but did not sell or give any liquor to Dake and did not known (sic) who he was until the day after.

Louis Retzski reiterated the above statement and also stated that he was the one who had plead guilty in justice court, paying the fine and costs, as he did no want his father to know anything about the affair. He was advised to enter a plea of guilty by his friends, who told him it would be much cheaper than to hire a lawyer and fight the case.

At the conclusion of the testimony, which was a long drawnout affair, owing to continual objections to testimony being admitted or answered by counsel on the opposite sides, especially by the attorney for the prosecution, nearly an hour was taken up in arguments by Messrs. Smith, Sicklesteel and Owen, at the conclusion of which the council and mayor, acting as jury and judge, rendered their decision as stated. D.J. Leahy has been acting as court reporter or stenographer.

Mrs. McMillan, matron at Mercy hospital, whose husband committed suicide a few months ago, was present as a witness in the event that she should be called upon, but this was not a case in which she was directly interested. A number of other ladies, members of the W.C.T.U., have also attended each meeting of the council in which any action was expected or taken. Before going into executive session Ald. Schenk remarked that he thought that women who would hire minors, boys outside of their own families, to go to saloons and secure beer or liquor of any kind, that they might secure evidence against a saloonkeeper, are as bad as the saloonkeeper, and both the boys and women should be punished. Mayor Walters stated that as Mrs. McMillan knew the character of the man she married before their marriage he did not think she was entitled to as much sympathy as she would otherwise be.

City Atty. Owen, who was present in the interest of the city, as advisor of the mayor and council, presented some legal points that he thought had been overdrawn on both sides, and consequently may have been misunderstood. When presenting some facts that seemed directly in favor of the prosecution, Mr. Smith attorney for that side, made objections, directing the reporter time and again to note his objections, and at the conclusion of Mr. Owen's remarks thanked him for the "excellent argument he had made for the defense." Mr. Owen did not fall, but said he felt as though a feather would knock him down.

The hearing in other like cases will be resumed this evening.

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Stevens Point Daily Journal
19 May 1910

BUT YOUR CAN'T CHANGE IT.

Members of the Common Council
Are of the Same Opinion Still
on Saloon Question.

At an adjourned meeting of the common council held Wednesday [18 May, 1910] night three of the saloon cases were temporarily disposed of. These were the cases of Strong Bros., Peck Bros. and August Kotlewski. In all three cases the council voted to acquit the defendants of the charges made against them. In the case of Strong and Kotlewski the vote of the aldermen was a tie, the mayor deciding in favor of the saloonkeepers. In the case of Peck Bros. the vote was 7 to 5 in favor of the defendants. The vote stood the same as in the first two cases.

The first case on the calendar was that of Nowak & Sheppreaux. Mr. Sicklesteel filed a physician's afidavit signed by Drs. von Neupert, declaring Nowak to (sic) ill too (sic) appear in court. By mutual agreement the hearing of this case was put over until the last. At the conclusion of the other three cases Mr. Smith, attorney for the complainants, asked that this case also be called at this time, as he was a long way from home and he did not anticipate the general result would be any different. He asked as a special favor that the case go on. Mayor Walters replied that "we" recently had some favors to ask of Smith and he did not feel disposed to grant them. Therefore he could not see wherein the council was under any obligations to Smith. The council then insisted on adjourning at once, until 8:45 tonight. The hour is set late because of the Business Men's banquet tonight. While the fact was not mentioned by Mayor Walters today that the reason the council was so insistent on adjourning was that there were other legal matters of importance that demanded immediate attention and which in fact were not disposed of until 11:45. It is understood that the matters referred to were in connection with the tax equalization litigation between the city and county.

At the outset of the hearing Wednesday night Mr. Smith offered to adjourn the hearing of the four remaining license cases for two weeks, or until the regular meeting in June in order to give time to get a hearing on mandamus proceedings, in the circuit court. Mr. Sicklesteel wanted the postponement to be indefinite, as, he said, he knew it would be impossible to dispose of the mandamus proceedings before the next council meeting. Mr. Smith refused to agree to any such form of postponement and the mayor decided the trial should go on now.

In the Strong case Frank Strong was the only witness examined. He pleaded guilty on two separate counts in Justice Park's court. The minor to whom he sold in one case was Irving Fitzmaurice and in the other it was Eldo Timlin. Timlin is a very conspicuously crippled boy who lives opposite the Soo line station and spends a great deal of time on the depot platform. litigation between the city and county.

At the outset of the hearing Wednesday night Mr. Smith offered to adjourn the hearing of the four remaining license cases for two weeks, or until the regular meeting in June in order to give time to get a hearing on mandamus proceedings, in the circuit court. Mr. Sicklesteel wanted the postponement to be indefinite, as, he said, he knew it would be impossible to dispose of the mandamus proceedings before the next council meeting. Mr. Smith refused to agree to any such form of postponement and the mayor decided the trial should go on now.

In the Strong case Frank Strong was the only witness examined. He pleaded guilty on two separate counts in Justice Park's court. The minor to whom he sold in one case was Irving Fitzmaurice and in the other it was Eldo Timlin. Timlin is a very conspicuously crippled boy who lives opposite the Soo line station and spends a great deal of time on the depot platform. The witness has been driving hacks and baggagewagons for his father N. Strong, sr., for upwards of 15 years previous to going into the saloon business a short time ago. On the stand Mr. Strong denied that he ever knew Eldo Timlin. He also denied ever having sold him or the Fitzmaurice boy liquor.

When the original Kotlewski case was under review in the municipal court, the defendant admitted in court so the record states, that his father-in-law, acting as his bartender, sold the liquor to Martin Moses, a posted person. The chief of police testified that he went into Kotlewski's saloon on Feb. 25 and found Moses standing at the bar with a half filled glass of beer in front of him. The only other customer in the saloon was a man who sat at a table 10 feet away.

On the stand Kotlewski denied admitting that his father-in-law sold liquor to Moses. He denied that Moses had ever been "posted" in any manner in his saloon. He denied that he ever sold him intoxicants in any manner, and asserts that the half glass of beer Hafsoos referred to belonged to the man sitting over at the table.

A remarkable feature of the defendants' testimony in all these cases is that, even though absolutely innocent, all profess to have believed it cheaper to plead guilty and pay a heavy fine and costs than to attempt to establish their innocence.

Mayor Walters wishes it stated that at the close of this trial tonight he will make a formal explanation of the stand he has taken in these cases and will outline his new policy for the regulations of the saloons of Stevens Point. In view of the circumstances it is expected there will be a large attendance at the meeting tonight.

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Gazette
(Stevens Point)
25 May 1910

ALL FOUND NOT GUILTY

All Saloon Keepers Charged with Selling Liquor Contrary to Law Are Acquitted

The council held adjourned meetings on Wednesday [18 May, 1910] and Thursday [19 May, 1910] evenings last. On Thursday evening the cases against three saloon firms, Strong Bros., Peck Bros. and August Kotlewski, were disposed of, all being acquitted of charges preferred against them.

Mr. Smith, of Madison, attorney for the W.C.T.U., who are prosecuting the cases, stated that the case against Shepreaux & Novak was first on the calendar. Mr. Sicklesteel their attorney, stated that Mr. Nowak was ill at home with rheumatism, presented a letter from the Drs. von Neupert to that effect, and asked that this case be placed at the foot of the calendar, which was done by mutual agreement.

Mr. Smith made a proposition that the hearing in the four cases before the council be adjourned until the first Tuesday in June, and that a writ of mandamus be asked from the circuit judge. Mr. Sicklesteel objected to a continuance to any specified date as Judge Webb will be busy with jury cases for at least two weeks, but would consent to adjourn these cases indefinitely.

Not being able to agree, the council proceeded to the trial of Frank and Nelson Strong, Jr., charged with selling liquor to Irving Fitzmaurice and Eldo Timlin, minors. After reading the records in court where these parties had plead guilty and paid a fine, Mr. Smith announced that his case would rest.

When Frank Strong was called to the stand, Smith objected to any testimony being introduced by the defendants, as their admission of guilt is conclusive and cannot be impeached or denied, and that anything to the contrary is incompetent and immaterial. The witness was allowed to answer in his own behalf and testified that he does not know Fitzmaurice or Timlin and never sold them liquor. At the conclusion of his testimony the council was a tie as to revoking the license, 6 to 6, the vote in favor of acquitting Strong Bros. being as follows: Ayes--Abb, Firkus, Heffron, Port, Schenk, Urowski. Nays--Altenberg, Cook, McDonald, Redfield, Scribner, Sparks. Mayor Walters decided in favor of the defendants.

The case of Peck Bros., charged with selling liquor to Carl Dake, a minor, was next called, Mr Smith making the same objections to testimony being introduced, but both defendants denied selling or giving liquor to Dake or knowing who he was. One of them, like all the other defendants, had plead guilty and paid his fine, as he "was advised to do so, because it would be cheaper than to hire an attorney and fight the charge." The council by a vote of 7 to 5 voted to discharge Peck Bros., Alterburg voting in their favor.

Aug. Kotlewski was charged with selling or giving liquor to Martin Moses, a blacklisted person, and Chief Hafsoos testified that he entered the saloon, found Moses with a partially filled glass of beer in front of him, and that Kotlewski later stated that his father-in-law had given Moses beer. This testimony was denied by Kotlewski, and at the conclusion Scribner moved that his license be revoked, which was seconded by Redfield, but the council was again a tie, the vote being the same as in the Strong case, and the mayor decided that the saloonkeeper should continue to do business at the old stand, corner S. Second and Clark streets.
Friday evening the one remaining case, that in which Shepreaux & Nowak are chrged with selling liquor to Hyman Fisher, a minor, was called. Mrs. Philomena MacMillan testified that in company with Mrs. Lee Betlach and John Donahue she went to the vicinity of the saloon, gave Fisher a bottle and ten cents and told him to go in and buy brandy. Fisher went in the front door, while Donahue entered at the rear. She had retained the bottle and contents, which she said contains brandy and produced the same in court. The witness testified that Shepreaux called on her later and offered $20 if she would drop the prosecution against him:; that he admitted selling the stuff to Fisher, and said that he couldn't support his family if she persisted in her determination to prosecute him.

When Shepreaux was called, Smith made the same objections to having him give testimony as he did with other witnesses on the previous evening, but no material questions were asked the defendant by the attorney on either side. Mr. Smith, attorney for the prosecurtion, after the testimony was closed, delivered a strong temperance lecture of about twenty minutes, denouncing the liquor traffic generally. All dealers, he said, are criminals and law breakers, some worse than others.

During the trial of all the six cases against the saloonkeepers, no evidence has been introduced by the prosecution to show that the complainants, members of the W.C.T.U. are or were residents of Stevens Point, and Mr. Sicklesteel, representing the saloonkeepers, gave his opponents a surprise that appeared to them like a flash of lightning from a clear sky.

The case of the state ex rel Mason vs. C.E. Boles, city clerk of Grand Rapids, et al., tried before the circuit court for the county of Wood, Hon. Charles M. Webb, presiding, was an action brought by Mason and Johnson, saloonkeepers of the city of Grand Rapids, for a writ of certiorari to reverse the decision of the common council of the city of Grand Rapids revoking the license of the said Mason and Johnson, for permitting gambling in their premises or appendages thereto. After the hearing of the case the council revoked the license and for the purpose of reviewing the decision of the council, the matter came up before Judge Webb. One point of the case before Judge Webb which is important in the Shepreaux case, Mr. Sicklesteel said, was the question as to whether or not the failure on the part of the plaintiffs to prove the allegation that they were residents of the city was material and that for want of such proof that the council did not have power or authority to revoke the license. Judge Webb in passing upon this point said, "The statutes referred to in effect provide that no person other than a 'resident' in the city can make the complaint necessary to set this proceeding in motion. The complaint in the present case alleges that the complainant was such resident. No evidence was offered at the trial tending to prove that fact, if it was the fact. Plainitffs (sic) in error urge that failure to prove the fact of such residence, constitutes a failure to prove a jurisdictional fact, without which the prosecution cannot stand. I have concluded to adopt this construction of the statute as the proper one, and so hold."

Notwithstanding the above clear-cut decision on the part of Judge Webb, and which Mr. Sicklesteel had kept "up his sleeve" for several days, the vote again stood a tie as to the guilt or innocence of the defendants, same as in the Strong case, and Mayor Walters again gave the defendants the benefit of his decision.

Before adjourning Mayor Walters said he believed the ladies of the W.C.T.U. were ill advised in bringing these cases to trial, and that the defendants had been trapped against all rules of fair play.