The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic Sept. 21, 1923
DIES OF DIPTHERIA: Pauline Wallin, seven year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Wallin, Burlington, Iowa died Tuesday afternoon at the home of her parents. She had started to school last week and attended but a day and a half when she was taken ill. All care that loving hands could bestow and aided with the best medical skill obtainable could not stay the ravages of the disease and she was called to that home of eternal joy and peace.
She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, August 19, 1915 and passed away Sept. 20, aged 7 years and one month. Besides her parents, she leaves a brother Burton and a baby sister Gloria. The body was brought here and placed in the family crypt at the mausoleum. Services were held there this afternoon. (The Wallin family once had a garage in Stronghurst.)
HENDERSON COUNTY BIBLE SCHOOL CONVENTION: The Henderson County Bible School Association will hold its annual convention at the U.P. Church at Biggsville on Sept. 29th. A member of the county executive committee tells us that he believes that because of the nature of the conditions and problems to be discussed that this will be by far the most important convention that has been held in recent years. The convention will open with a devotional service followed by an address on the subject "The Signs of the Times" by Dr. Glover of Chicago, who was a medical missionary to China until his health forced him to return home. In the afternoon Dr. Rezner of Biggsville will speak on the subject "The Bible in the Bible School" followed by Mrs. Florence Patterson of Oquawka speaking about "What the Bible School Owes to the Community." Mr. Geo. N. Burnie of Chicago will offer "How Should the Bible School Plan their Campaign?"
In the evening Mr. Geo. N. Burnie and Mr. Fred C. McMillan of Des Moines will be featured. Mr. McMillan is one of the biggest laymen of the U. P. church; he recently returned from a tour of inspection of the foreign mission fields. A basket lunch will be enjoyed at noon and in the evening the Biggsville ladies will furnish supper.
***OBITUARY***MRS. JOHN DIXON: Mrs. John Dixon of Biggsville, a lifelong resident of Henderson County, was found dead in bed Monday morning by her husband. Mrs. Dixon had been ill for several days although her condition was thought to be improving and relatives were not particularly alarmed because of the improvement shown. Heart disease was said to be the cause of death. Mr. Dixon went to his wife's bed this morning when he got up and thought she was still sleeping. A little later he returned and discovered that she was dead. A physician was summoned, but found that death had occurred some time before.
Mary Rodman was born near Olena Jan. 22, 1858 but spent the greater part of her life at Biggsville. She was married to Mr. Dixon Feb. 27, 187i. She is survived by her husband, two brothers- Joe Rodman of Galesburg and Henry of Lake View, Iowa; two sister, Mrs. Jennie Waits and Mrs. Lillian Smith; and five sons, Harry, Pearlie, Clyde, Herman and Louis, all of whom live at Biggsville. One daughter died in infancy. Funeral services ere held at the M.E. Church with interment in the Biggsville Cemetery.
OFF TO COLLEGE: Stronghurst is furnishing a large quota of young men and women for the different colleges and universities throughout the country. The following is the list of names of the students and the schools they are attending, as near complete as we are able to give it: Ruth McMillan and Marjorie McKeown, Genevieve and Myrtle Adair-University of Illinois; Evelyn Hartquist and Ethel Brokaw-Northwestern University; Dorothy McMillan and John Stine-Columbia University, Chicago; Mary Dixson-Knox College; Gail Brook, Louise Rankin, James Sanderson, Harold Bainter, Arthur Forbes, Orville McKeown and Delford Putney-Monmouth College; Maxine Main-Burlington Business College; and Esther Marshall-Tarkio College, Tarkio, Mo.
WATER SHORTAGE: The city pump is out of commission so that we cannot pump the required amount of water for ordinary consumption. We, therefore, respectfully ask all who are using water that they use as little as possible. It will require a week or ten days to get the needed repairs and we must conserve the supply in the tank for fire protection. If this order is not obeyed the supply will be shut off entirely. Let there be no sprinkling of lawns or streets or washing of cars. We have a hole in the well pipe of the pump so that very little of the water pumped goes into the tank and with continued use it may quit altogether.-Geo. Dixson, Water Commissioner
CHANGES IN TOWN: A new restaurant is to be opened soon in the Morgan Building by Charles Wheeling and Orville Boyd. The place is now being remodeled to meet all requirements of a first class eating establishment. D.I. Pennington of Bushnell, Ill. has leased the NeVon Hotel from H.N. Vaughn. Mr. Pennington is an experienced hotel man and will conduct a first class establishment. The Mudd Motor Co. has just received another car load of new Ford cars and they will be delivered as soon as they can be assembled.
BURLINGTON MURDERER CONFESSES: George Leroy Spees, the suspected murderer of John Shurtz, Burlington farmer, was traced to his home at Indianapolis, Indiana by officers working on the case and there arrested. At first he denied any connection with the case but was taken back to Burlington where he finally made a full and complete confession of his guilt and named Mrs. Shurtz as accessory and instigator of the crime. He stated that he fired the charge that robbed Shurtz of his life at midnight Tuesday and that the woman lying in a bed within two feet of her husband's couch when the shot was fired, pulled a blanket over her head and breathed a sigh of relief. Spees states that the woman "tempted him and he fell." He told the officers where they could find the sawed off shot gun with which he committed the deed and following his directions they recovered it.
ASSAULTED ON STREET AT DALLAS CITY\: In result of an argument on Oak Street at Dallas City, L.M. Loomis was struck in the face and knocked down by Harry Royse. Royse was later arrested and made to give peace bonds. The trial was held today. (Swift justice in river city)
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Another nice shower is greatly aiding farmers in plowing and seeding a large acreage of wheat being sown in the neighborhood. Mr. Leslie Lyons who has been badly afflicted for the past several months is reported not quite so well. Mrs. Holcomb of Montana is visiting her Illinois relatives; she holds her age well for a lady of 74. Prof. Lant has rented property in Gladstone for the school year and the family expects to locate there about Oct. 1st. Those from the neighborhood entering Stronghurst High School are Misses Nellie Johnson, Golda Davis, Mitta White and Pauline Marsden-all are freshmen except Miss Johnson who is a sophomore.
On last Thursday a number from the Olena neighborhood were invited to the well appointed farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Justice near Biggsville, Ill. The day was spent in tacking comforters for Mrs. Frank Hicks who is an invalid and unable to do but little work. Silos of Mr. Lyman Ross and Chas. Heisler were being filled by a crew of men these past days. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Fox motored to Fort Madison Sabbath day and spent the day with their son, Orville, who is attending Business College there. Mr. Wilbur Davis who was confined to a hospital in Aberdeen, N.D. with a bad case of diphtheria has been able to return home but shows the effect of his sickness. Wm. Hicks shelled and marketed his last year's corn crop. Quite a few of the farmers were hauling hogs for the Chicago market. The demand for peaches had been exceptionally good this fall and many from here cleaned up and finished market their crop the past few days. Mrs. Thrush, south of Stronghurst, is reported quite sick again and her daughter, Mrs. Ross Lant of Burlington is at home helping to care for her.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Charles Mears returned from Wisconsin where he had been looking after his land interests. Mrs. Amy Rathborn was taken suddenly ill and Dr. Tombaugh of Burlington was called to care for her. The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Cleek passed away and the funeral was held in the home of her father, Steven Graham with interment in the Biggsville Cemetery. Cecil Christy returned from Revere, Iowa. Mrs. Lyle Graham returned to her home at Oskaloosa, Iowa.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: The high school teachers and students enjoyed a picnic supper in the Heap woods east of town. Miss Waneta Howell has been assisting Co. Supt. Beall with his office work in Oquawka. Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Drain will start for Los Angeles, Calif. to spend the winter leaving on No.5 of the Santa Fe. Mrs. Joe Campbell took her daughter, little Miss Caroline, to the Monmouth Hospital where she was operated on for appendicitis. Some excellent music is being received by radio at Hamilton's restaurant. Mr. Jefferies of Burlington delivered a new Underwood typewriter to the Commercial department of the high school. The Academy board has purchased a new Remington and a second hand Underwood as so many are taking commercial work this year.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Miss Mable Pearson left for Kalamazoo, Mich. where she will take up school duties. Bert McDill of Wichita Falls, Tex. visited the home of his uncle, D.C. McDill. Dr. Auld of Chicago spent the weekend with his sister and family, Mrs. J.Y. Whiteman. Robt. Mickey has gone to Galesburg where he has a position in the C.B. & Q. freight house. Mrs. Combs and daughter Leota of Kalamazoo, Mich. were guests at the J.E. Pearson home. The Community Bible Class will meet Thursday afternoon at the parlor of the U. P. Church. The Henderson County Sunday School Association will hold a picnic at Jink's Hallow east of Oquawka. A program has been arranged for the day of music and games both for ladies and gentlemen; there are always swings and a shallow pool where the youngsters can paddle in water.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Miss Evelyn Fort has returned to Monmouth where she will teach in the college conservatory. Dr. and Mrs. I.F. Harter, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Ivins and Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Kaiser are attending the State Fair at Springfield. Frederick, Herbert and Herman Fitz have all left for Bloomington, Ill., where they will attend Wesleyan College this year. A boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt at Lomax on Sept. 16th; Mrs. Wyatt was formerly Daisy Billiups of this city. Virgil Putney left on No.5 for Revere, Mo., where he will work for the Western Union Co. who has a gang of linemen working at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Elzie Gilliland are again residents of Stronghurst; Elzie resigned his position in the Bryan store at Terre Haute and has accepted a position with the Western Utilities Co. as local manager here.
Charley Berg, Carl Dillon and Perry Simpson drove over to the John Shurtz home near Middletown and the latter took some pictures of the home and other scenes of the most atrocious murder ever committed in Southeastern Iowa. The Burlington Hawk-Eye yesterday morning contained a picture of Mrs. Shurtz and a man said to be John Waymack of Raritan. The picture showed the latter with his arms around Mrs. Shurtz. The picture when shown to the confessed murderer, LeRoy Spees, induced him to sign the confession. It was then, for the first time, that he felt convinced he says that the woman for whom he had killed a man had used him merely as a cat's paw and he decided to throw himself upon the mercy of the law. (See last week's paper for the details of this case.)
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Putney of Kansas City, Mo. are visiting at the home of his brother, Bert Putney and at the John Peterson home in Olena. Mrs. Geo. Roberts of Lawton, Okla. is visiting at the home of her sister-in-law, Mrs. Clara Clarke. O.O. Miller who underwent an operation for appendicitis some few weeks ago is able to be out again and will leave for his home in Nebraska soon. Mrs. Bertha Powell of Oakland, Iowa and her daughter, Mrs. Cinderson and her daughter are visiting at the La Harpe C. H. Davis home; Mrs. Powell is a sister of Mr. Davis. A. Mr. Mills of La Harpe has purchased the tonsorial fixtures in the former Morgan barber ship and will open a shop above the A. E. Jones store.