The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1919
Stronghurst Graphic, July 10, 1919
FOUND WITH A BULLET IN HIS BRAIN: A Kearney, Neb. paper sent to Mr. P.T.Lovitt contained the following particulars concerning the murder of his brother Frank: " Frank S. Lovitt, residing at 5th Avenue and 28th Street, was killed some time Sunday night about 10 o'clock being shot to death on 27th Street and Second Ave. A bullet from a thirty-two caliber revolver was sent crashing through his skull over the left temple penetrating the brain. He was still breathing when found shortly after two o'clock Monday morning, but died shortly afterward without regaining consciousness. The body was taken to Miller's undertaking establishment and in inquest was started by county Attorney Sinclair to establish, if possible, who was responsible for the killing.
There is little room for doubt as to Lovitt being murdered. When found he lay across the walk with his head resting on the S.H.Burrows' lawn. In one hand he carried a carton of ice cream and an umbrella lay a few feet distant. A thirty-two caliber pistol with one chamber discharged was also found on the walk near the body, apparently thrown there by the party firing the shot which killed Lovitt. Search of Lovitt's clothing disclosed another pistol, a thirty-eight caliber weapon fully loaded. There was nothing about the dead man's clothing to indicate that an attempt had been made at robbery. Lloyd Reynolds and Bob Carlson were the first men to report finding the body and they reported immediately to the police.
From what could be learned the shooting took place some time about 10 o'clock Sunday night. At the inquest the exact time is expected to be established as it is understood certain witnesses will appear who heard the fatal shot. At that hour a heavy storm was raging, high winds were blowing and it was raining hard. This, to some extent, muffled the shot.
It is also expected that at the coroner's inquest witnesses will appear who saw the Lovitt body lying on the walk long before the hour the police were notified. These people, returning home from church, saw what one member of the family took to be a drunken man lying prostrate on the walk. They were passing on the south side of 27th. As there was some doubts in the identification of the figure and other members of the party took it to be a tree stump blown down by the storm, no investigation was made. This evidence, will however, aid in fixing the exact time of the killing.
The police are quietly working on the theory that Lovitt was deliberately murdered by parties unknown and they are running down all minor clues that have developed up to this time so far without making any arrest. That Lovitt carried a loaded revolver is taken, to certain extent, to indicate that he feared that at some time he would be in need of a gun and that possible threat had been made on his life. If such is the case, he is not known to have ever communicated relative to it with his friends.
The dead man is survived by his wife, five daughters and one son. He had been employed of late at the F.H.Gilerest Lumber Co. and for years was assessor of the Second Kearney District. Funeral arrangement had not been made up to noon today."
MAKES MONEY ON DEAL: Another record for real estate deals in this vicinity was made through the agency of A.S.McElhinney when the south half, excepting the southeast 40 acres, of Section 19 in Township 8N4W, four and a half miles south of Stronghurst, was sold by Calvin W. Thompson to L. Young of Polk County, Iowa for $87,775. There are 270 acres in the tract, which makes the price paid per acre, $325.
Mr. Thompson bought the tract a few months ago from J.W.Stine for $65,000 and he, therefore, cleans up nearly $23,000 on the deal, besides getting this year's crop from which he will possibly realize several thousand more. The new owner of the farm, which is one of the best to be found in the corn belt of Illinois, expresses himself as well pleased with his purchase stating that he considers the price very reasonable when compared with those prevailing in the best farming sections of his own state.
WEDDING BELLS: Miss Dell Marie, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F.V.Brokaw was married at Atlanta, Ga. on June 30th to Mr. David H.Blanchard of that city. Mr.Blanchard recently returned from 2 years service with the A.E. Forces in France and is at present employed in the drug business. The couple will make their home in Alexander, Ga.
1894 GRAPHIC: Conductor George Thompson, son-in-law of C.P.Davidson of Stronghurst, was seriously injured by being struck by a switch engine in the R.R.yards at Ottumwa, Ia. Will Holmes, son of Rev.Chas. Holmes of Raritan, had his foot crushed to a pulp at Surrey, Ill. when he fell with is foot across the rail in front of a moving Santa Fe passenger train.
He was brought to Stronghurst where the foot was amputated by Dr. Harter, Taylor and Hooper. Seven year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur McKeown had his lower jaw broken, his nose crushed and the teeth of his right upper jaw driven up almost in an eye as the result of being kicked in the face of a colt which was running loose in the barn lot where the lad was playing. Evangelist A. F. Houser opened a series of revival meetings at the opera house on Sabbath evening July 8th.U.S. troops had been called out to quell the riots growing out of the great railroad strike which gripped the country; and in Chicago a number of the rioters were shot down by special officers of the Michigan Central road. The chinch bug was proving a serious pest to the growing corn in this locality.
HE IS MAD! A citizen of the north side of Stronghurst came into our sanctum with wrath in his eye and with considerable fervor of speech began to state his opinion of a village administration which permitted weeds to flourish in such profusion along the streets as to create the impression with the wayfarer thereon that he was traveling through an African jungle. We gathered from the gentleman's remarks that communication between his residence, (which is in an outlying district) and the village proper) was in danger of being cut off and that he held us largely responsible for the prevailing conditions.
Although somewhat dazed by the sudden verbal onslaught, we managed to get our guards up and as soon as an opening presented itself, we informed the gentleman that we were no longer responsible officially for neglect on the part of the village to fulfill its duties and obligations to the taxpayers thereof and that he would have to search the jungles for another goat.
While the symptoms of our visitor became less violent on receiving this information, he still insisted that as the publisher of the village paper, a duty was laid upon us to see that the interests and rights of its citizens were not trampled upon by a village council, the members of which appeared to loose sight of the fact that the limits of the village extended some little distance from the business section. He then requested that we inform the proper authorities that if they would cut down the dense growth of vegetation along the thoroughfare leading from his residence to the more closely built section of the village, he would allow the amount of the expense entailed to be added to his taxes for next year; that is, provided there was no public fund from which it could be met.
As a quasi public servant, we feel that we have now done our duty to all concerned in the matter and will feel no haunting sense of accountability if some jumble tragedy occurs to disturb the peaceful existence of the people of Stronghurst. (Guess they didn't have Letters to the Editor in those days; one just showed up in person and spoke your piece.)
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Frank Lauber was down from LaFayette, Ill. to greet old friends.Miss Rachael Stine had her tonsils and adenoids removed at the Burlington Hospital and is recovering nicely.Misses Florence and Anna Barnes of Kansas City are guests at the home of Myra and Jennie Fort.Orville Hamilton and family of Roseville stopped in town to chat with friends before making their way to the banks of the Mississippi for a day's outing. Misses Marjorie Thompson and Ethel Hartquist are chaperoning a party of 12 Stronghurst girls, members of Miss Thompson's Sabbath school class, during an outing of several days at Willow Beach, Dallas City. About 20 little girl friends of Dayle Grandey helped her celebrate her 8th birthday at her home in the west part of town. A young son, the third to be born to them, arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Peasley last Sunday afternoon. Miss Anna Kershaw departed for New Jersey to visit relatives. Mrs. J.B. Pollock, a former resident of Media Township who has lived in Oakland, Iowa, since 1875, died at her home there on June 24th at the age of 77 years.
Some of the new playground equipment has arrived and been installed in the village park where youngsters are enjoying the benefit thereof daily under the supervision of Miss Frazer. Ruyyard Kershaw left for Camp Roosevelt, Muskegon, Mich. where he will take military physical training with the high school contingent in the R.O.T.C. W.C.Regan and family left by auto for a visit of several days with relatives in Peoria County. They were accompanied by Mr. K.E.Yoa-kam, who will spend a few days with his mother at Brimfield, Ill. Richard Nevius of Long Beach, Calif. is here visiting relatives. He was accompanied as far as Colorado by Mrs. Nevius, who will visit relatives in that state. Harry Reed and wife and Harry Marks, all of Burlington, were arrested last Sunday at East Burlington by Sheriff McDill on the charge of illegal liquor selling and lodged in the county jail at Oquawka. The trio are said to have been dispensing booze from a cabin boat on this side of the river.Dist. Supt. James of the Illinois Anti-Saloon League will occupy the pulpit of the Stronghurst U.P. Church next Sabbath. M.E.Beardsley and family went to Kansas City to visit his brother Charles.
A DOOR YARD PICNIC: Mrs. Will Ross and Mrs. Ed Links decided that the people of this neighborhood ought to have a "Fourth of July" picnic and that under the grand old maples in the Links door yard was the place to have it and that the late afternoon and evening would be the best time. By counting in a few from Stronghurst there were about 60 ready for supper and such a supper anyone looking at the long table piled up with good things to eat would decided that the women of this neighborhood had forgotten there ever was such a thing as Hooverism. Brother Catlin, the Bedford preacher, asked a blessing. Everyone was furnished a tray, a paper plate, sauce dish, a fork and told to help themselves and in a short time the table looked as though a cyclone might have passed over it. From another table was served ice cream, lemonade and hot coffee. The only stranger attending was Mrs. Frink of Los Angles, Calif., a sister of Mrs. Quint Nelson. She and her mother are spending the summer at the Nelson house for the benefit of baby Frink.
After supper the group enjoyed fireworks and helping Mrs. Link's new Edison sing "America" and the "The Star Spangled Banner."-Mrs. Ellen Finch
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs. Will Pendry, Jr. are the proud parents of a little daughter born at the Burlington Hospital and named Thelma. An ice cream social will be held on the church lawn on July 12th; the public is invited. Miss Rose Nice of Sperry, Iowa, was in town laying plans for a Chautauqua to be held some time in August.
LOMAX LINGER-INGS: The Eureka Glee Club gave an entertainment at the church Thursday evening to a good house. Joe Walker, who is suffering from a slight attack of malaria fever, is improving. Quite a number attended the celebration at Dallas City and the races in Burlington on July 4th. The wheat cutting is almost completed and other grain nearly done. Raus Goodman returned home from a training camp in Georgia.
MEDIA MEANDER-INGS: The Rev. James Harper Littell of Virginia, Ohio, will preach at the United Presbyterian Church for the next two Sundays. About one month ago he gave a very interesting talk at a Community Club social and many wished to hear him again. He spent a great deal of time in France on the battle front during the war. John G.Gibson is reported to have sold his property in town to Emery Eberhard.
The Santa Fe Railroad is cutting down expenses along their line in a way that seems likely to curtail the service given the towns which do not have the interlocking system of switches. They have taken down the signal boards here at Media, shortened the hours of the agent spending at work giving him a Sunday holiday and also reducing his pay. It is understood that they are doing the same at all of the small stations along the way.