The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: Sept. 25, 1924
HIT IN THE HEAD: An accident which many feared it might be fatal occurred on the Joe Jacobs farm northwest of Olena Wednesday morning. Mr. Joe McCartney, employed as butcher for the Co-operative Meat Market in Stronghurst was engaged in butchering a cow there when the accident happened. The derrick on which a quarter of beef was suspended toppled over and the gambrel struck Mr. McCartney on the head, felling him to the ground and rendering him unconscious. The unfortunate man was carried into the Jacobs home and medical aid summoned. Everything possible was done for the relief of the injured man, but up to this printing, he had not regained consciousness. While there are no visible marks on the head to show just where the blow fell, it is the opinion of Dr. Marshall, the attending physician, that a concussion of the brain resulted and that the chances for recovery are slight. The injured man was removed from the Jacobs home to his own home where loving care can be done.
WEDDING BELLS: PALMER-HOUTCHENS: Mrs. Rettie Houtchens who has been making her home with her daughter, Mrs. G. I. Sawyer on the Fort farm west of Stronghurst, and Mr. T. B. Palmer of Media were united in marriage on Wednesday at 11 am at the M. E. parsonage with the Rev. R. C. Myers officiating. The couple was unattended and the only witnesses were Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Bert Putney, a neighbor. Following the ceremony, the happy couple left for the home of the groom in Media.
JONES-HEADLEY: Miss Veda Headley, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Headley, and Mr. Harvey Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Jones of Carman were united in marriage at Burlington, Iowa on Sept. 24th. The bride is well known in Stronghurst where she graduated with high honors from high school. The groom is a highly respected and industrious young farmer in the Carman neighborhood.
HE WAS SHOT DEAD: Freddie Hoskins, the 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. William Hoskins of Dallas City and employed as mail carrier between the Dallas City post office and the railroad stations there was instantly killed last Sunday by the accidental discharge of a shot gun in the hands of his chum, Willie Crossley.
The tragedy occurred on the Mary Wibble farm in Durham Township where the Hoskins family consisting of the father and mother, the son who was killed, three daughters and a son-in-law reside. The Crossley lad had gone for a day's outing, picnic and nutting trip. After the picnic dinner all of the party except the two lads started out to gather nuts. The boys amused themselves for a while shooting at targets after which the Hoskins youth climbed into one of the autos in which the trip to the farm had been made. Young Crossley was standing with one foot on the running board of the car, having trouble in extracting a shell, which he thought had been fired from the breech of the gun he had been using. The shell proved to be a loaded one and was exploded when Crossley's finger slipped on the hammer which had been pulled back. The charge of the shot struck young Hoskins in the neck, tore through the jugular vein and neck arteries and lodged in and near the back bone. Crossley at once ran for help and the members of the party were soon at the scene of the shooting. It was soon evident to all that the victim of the accident was beyond mortal aid and that death had been practical instantaneous.
The members of the party returned to Dallas City where the body of young Hoskins was placed in charge of an undertaker and the county coroner notified. The finding of the coroner's jury which was empanelled later in the day was that Hoskins " death had resulted from a shot gun wound, said gun being accidentally discharged while in the hands of William Crossley, aged 14, and that there was no blame attached. The facts as given above are gleaned from the Dallas City Review.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. Chas. Dixon and daughter, Darlene of Carman and Mrs. Clyde Anderson of Stronghurst left for Truman, Minn. to care for Mrs. Clarence Moreland who had been hurt in an auto accident. Gus Thorell has sold his farm of 80 acres just north of the Old Bedford church to Jesse Walker at $250 an acres. There will be a public dance given at Tucker's pavilion at Olena on Friday evening, Sept. 26th Music will be by Bennie Murch's orchestra of Burlington, Ia. (Who knew that Olena was such a social Mecca!) Mr. and Mrs. Frank Painter are spending a few weeks in Montana near the town of Regina at the home of their daughter, Mrs. May Felton. Abe Magee is having quite a serious time with his hand as blood poison developed and he has had to have the hand lanced two or three times. At present the hand is showing signs of improvement.
The entire stock of the F. A. Warren Clothing Co., formerly the Keef Clothing Co., LaHarpe's oldest business institution, is being closed out at public auction. $28,000 of bonds of school district No. 71, Dallas City, were sold last Saturday by the school board to a Davenport, Ia., bond firm at a premium of $985.00. The bonds draw 5 % interest semi-annually. Proceeds of the bonds are to used in the erection of a new school building. Hartquists Brothers shipped out five car loads of cattle of their own feeding for the Chicago market. The wind last Sunday afternoon blew a great many apples off the trees which will be quite a loss to those having large orchards. Mrs. Mary Kern, the obliging telephone operator, leaves for a four week vacation where she will visit friends and relatives in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. L. A. Norman, former cashier of the Smithshire State Bank, has accepted the position of cashier of the First National Bank of Biggsville; he has had experience in the baking business sin Monmouth and St. Louis.
Often heard is the remark that someone has been handed a "lemon." L. A. Wilson was handed a real honest-to-good lemon weighing one pound, picked fresh from the tree by Mr. and Mrs. Will Ogden on their recent trip to California and brought home with them and presented to their friend. The old adage, "the proof of the pudding is the eating thereof" may be applied to the pie made from the lemon; it was fine! Mr. and Mrs. Ferdie Lovitt and son of Montana are visiting the gentleman's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marion Lovitt of Terre Haute who plan to return out West with them.
Mrs. Amanda Johnson of Roseville recently completed her 59th trip between her home and the Pacific coast. As a result of these trips, 56 over the Santa Fe route, she is said to have become as familiar with the country along the way as the trainmen. Mrs. Johnson is 86 years of age, but is said to be remarkable alert both mentally and physically, and successfully manages several farms near Roseville. She has spent the winter months in California ever since the year 1885 when she first made the trip with her husband. Mr. J. W. Stine recently sold his residence in the west part of town to Mr. Fred Johnson for $5,000. The Lybarger Bros., Jo Beckett, Will Reedy, Arthur Roach and Maurice Lee of the south country have been shelling and delivering their last year's corn crop to the local elevator. Mrs. Ella Bowen accompanied Mr. and Mrs. G. Bowen of Terre Haute to Burlington where the elder Mrs. Bowen was operated on by Dr. Dixon for the removal of polypus in the nose; she is doing nicely since the operation. The contract for the new grade school building to be erected at Biggsville was let to Robert Fusch of Monmouth. It will be two stories and constructed of hollow tile with brick facing. All the latest approved facilities will be included in the interior which is hoped to be completed and ready for occupancy by the first of next year. R. T. McDill, who is vacation from his duties as guard at the Joliet penitentiary says that he had the pleasure of assigning the two notorious criminals, Leopold and Loeb, their cells in the "solitary" the first evening of their stay at the institution; he did not take the trouble to ask whether they wished a room with or without a bath. (These two wealthy young men attending the University of Chicago were convicted of killing 14 year old Bobby Frank in Chicago-a sensational murder trial.)
NEW AT THE MOVIES: Something entirely new in motion pictures will be shown in Burlington, next week. It is a colored picture, a full length photo play made entirely in natural colors, "Wanderer of the Wasteland," by Zane Grey. "The Wanders of the Wasteland" are men who seek their freedom and fortune in the American desert. This photoplay will be shown at the Rialto Theatre, southeastern Iowa's most popular playhouse for five days starting next Sunday. There is not a black and white scene in the entire picture.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Students who left last week for Knox College in Galesburg include Miss Madeline White, Harold Renwick, John McHenry and Lloyd Gibb. George Jamison has been suffering with blood poisoning. Mr. Bernard Liby has secured work in the Q shops in Galesburg and will move to that place as soon as he is called. Mrs. Chas. Whiteman, who has been confined to her bed the past two weeks from a nervous breakdown, is reported as much improved. The tea held at the home of Mrs. Eliza Beebe by the cemetery society was well attended and $20 realized. Miss Bernadine Mickey was in Stronghurst working at the telephone office. Bower McGaw, who has been in poor health the past summer, is reported to be improved after a two weeks rest in bed. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Woolsey. Frank Stevenson has returned from a vacation in Idaho.
MEDIA HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE: Some more students enrolled at the high school which brings the enrollment up the highest it has ever been in the history of the school. Quite a number of new books have been added to the library and about $400 worth of new equipment has been put into the laboratory. Herman Dixon has been employed as coach for the athletic work and the girls will play basket and volley ball. A new volley ball and net arrived Monday. The new gymnasium which was built this summer is completed. The building has floor space of 40 x 60 and the room is electrically lighted. It has bleachers on the north side sufficient to seat a large crowd. The furnace will be installed within a few days. The Community Club has donated the use of their piano so that everything is in good shape for the fall and winter sports.(?) This is Media's year for the County Athletic meet and arrangement for it is already being made. The Senior, Junior and Sophomore classes are to entertain the Freshman class at a "kid" party Friday evening in the Academy auditorium. Every member of the Freshman class is to be present or a conveyance will be sent for them.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mrs. Gayles Heap is improving at the Burlington Hospital. Mrs. Bev Adair, who has been seriously ill for some time, is able to be up again although she is still weak. Mr. and Mrs. Otis Smith and family returned from visiting relatives in Virginia. Mrs. A. L. Beall attended and gave a report to the county Sunday school convention in Oquawka. Herman Dixon is treating his residence and barber shop to a new coat of paint. The E.G. Lewis Seed Co. has begun picking seed corn and report it being of large size, well matured and excellent quality. Thomas Howell is having a pipe less furnace installed in his home as well as cement walks laid from the side doors to the street walk (fancy for a rural village).