The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.19
Stronghurst Graphic, April 19, 1917
MURDER AT GLADSTONE: A Negro section hand whose name could not be learned is dead and another Negro is being held in the county jail at Oquawka charged with the murder as the result of a shooting scrape Sunday night near the C.B.& Q. Station at Gladstone shortly before 6 o'clock. The slain man had been employed by the railroad for about a week on the section and the alleged slayer was employed in the same gang.
Particulars of the brawl are difficult to obtain, but is seems the two men had been quarreling and that when the stove in the shack of the murderer's victim was turned over the slayer pulled a .38 caliber revolver from his pocket and began firing. Two bullets struck the man, one squarely between the eyes and the other about an inch lower. Death was instantaneous as both bullets are believed to have penetrated the brain.
The slayer was captured by the town constable within a few minutes after the shooting and the authorities at Oquawka were notified. The sheriff left at once for the scene and the murderer was hustled to the county jail.
Coroner Kaufman impaneled a jury for an inquest and the investigation of the circumstances surrounding the affair was begun last night.
In the meantime the slayer is being held in jail awaiting the action of the grand jury. Whether any witnesses could be found is not known. Monmouth Review
HOT ELECTION: A very lively interest marked the village president and three village trustee election and when it was over, 301 citizens had registered their preferences for the offices. While there were two distinct tickets in the field labeled "citizens" and "independent" respectively, it was generally understood that these names represented no particular or distinctive policies and party lines were completely ignored; the contest being waged for or against the various individuals on each ticket.
Considerable bitterness was displayed in the contests because of personal animosities which had arisen, but the day passed without bloodshed and after the result was known, the greater portion of the electorate soon settled down to a normal condition of mind.
The results as shown by the unofficial returns were as follows: village president-C.H.Curry, 95 men, 42 women-total 136; A.H.Kershaw, 67 men, 96 women-total 163; village trustees: C.H.Davis, 75 men, 90 women-total 165; Lloyd Rhykerd, 77 men, 50 women-total 127; F. Lazear, 47 men, 35 women-total 82; J.I.Wolf, 95 men, 69 women-total 164; H.H.Rankin, 77men, 57 women-total 134; G.Q.Fort, 97 men, 91 women-total 188.
According to these figures the winners were A.H.Kershaw for village president and G.Q.Fort, C.H.Davis and J.I. Wolf for village trustees. (Note the women elected the new village president.)
1892 GRAPHIC: The incorporation of the village was being strongly urged by the editor of the paper to solve the drainage problem and others that had arisen. (Build a town on a swamp and you will have water.) Twin babies, a boy and girl arrived at the home of Mr. And Mrs. Lon Lant on April 18th. Blind Boone, noted violinist, gave one of his popular entertainments at the Stronghurst Opera House. Bert Lant left for Chicago to take position as a pharmacist at the drug store there.
Sam Jones, an assistant at the Coquellitte Implement House, was the victim of a robbery when $27 was extracted from a pocket book which he had been careless enough to leave lying under his pillow on leaving the hotel in which he was boarding.
***OBITUARY***Mrs. CLARENCE SIMPSON: Mrs. Simpson, formerly of Stronghurst died at her home in Little York April 12th following an illness of over a year. She was the daughter of Mrs. A.M.Schroeder and most of her life was spent in this vicinity. Something over a year ago he family moved to Little York from Burlington, Iowa. She underwent an operation for cancer almost a year ago and her condition since had been more or less serious. About four weeks ago she passed into a state of unconsciousness from which she never rallied.
Laura Louise Schroeder was born at Burlington, Ia., July 24, 1877. She was married to Clarence Simpson and they were the parents of three children: Vera, Dorothy, and Francis, all at home. She united with the Methodist Church at Olena, Ill. About 17 years ago.
Besides her husband and children she is survived by her mother, Mrs. A.M.Schroeder of Stronghurst and four brothers and one sister: Oscar Schroeder of Stronghurst, Ed Schroeder of Media, John and George Schroeder of Arcadia, Neb, and Mrs. J.F.Dowell of Stronghurst.Funeral services will be held at the Methodist Church with the remains taken to Stronghurst for interment.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Mrs. Minnie Peterson is recovering from an operation for gall stones at the Lutheran Hospital in Moline. After a few weeks spent with relative and friends here, Tunis Foote has decided to return to Colorado where he recently disposed of his real estate holdings. It is now his intentions to take up one of the new 640 acre homestead claims in the vicinity of Steamboat Springs. Train No.8 which passes Stronghurst at 3:30 p.m. has each day for some time carried a car load of volunteers from the West to the Eastern training camps.
If these young patriots prove as valuable in their country's defense as their spirits are buoyant at the present, the Teutonic allies will certainly have something to reckon with when these young Americans get into action. So far Stronghurst has furnished its quota of volunteers for its country's defenses. Nine young men have now enlisted for service and not a single "slacker" his made his appearance.
LOOKING FOR DISEASE: Dr. P.H.Cooney of Springfield is looking after the cases of small pox. He informs us that no new cases have developed in the village since last week and the town will probably be entirely free from the disease in a short time. Three family here are still under quarantine, but schools, churches and all other public gatherings have been permitted to open.
AREA HAPPENINGS-OQUAWKA: Mrs. Wm. Wiegand leaves Tuesday on the boat for her new home in Muscatine. Harry Russler of Stronghurst was paroled to the court; he must report once a month. (He stole an automobile.)
Oquawka's new library is nearly completed. The directors appointed are the following: Mrs. Wm. Boden, Mrs. John Kessel, and Miss Martha Moir. E.L. Davenport caught a number of young wolves while hunting which he will get good bounty on. The Steamer Helen Blair made its first trip to Burlington and will continue to do so throughout the season.
CARMAN: The dog poisoner was busy again as A.C. Babcook had two of his dogs poisoned, Robert Gillis two and one for George Marsden. Mr. Clair Dixon and Mr. Lee Stewart had an auto accident while returning from Monmouth. The car hit a rough place in the road and landed the boys into the bank near the farm of Chester Gibb of Biggsville. Although they didn't escape injuries, they were not seriously hurt, Mr. Dixon having twenty stitches taken in his face, being cut from the glass in the windshield.
OLENA: The church and the village school remain closed on account of the quarantine placed on several homes. Those quarantined are the Thomas Huston home, Irvin Burrell home and the Jesse Hicks home. Mrs. Jack Jones passed away at her home in Biggsville; the Jones family lived in Olena many years before moving there. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Watson decided to spend the summer in the village occupying the Fouts property.
Arthur Biddenstadl is attending an automobile school in Kansas City. Mr. Waterman and son of Hopper have been doing some papering at the Clas Carlson home.
GLADSTONE: Ralph Galbraith was taken to the Burlington Hospital where he was operated on and doing as well as could be expected. Samuel Duncan was on the Chicago market with a carload of hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Meyers of Biggsville moved to the James Warner place. Mr. Jake Sitz moved to the Art Dutton place on Griswold Island.
Roy Chester, a colored laborer, 28 years old, was shot and killed near here between 5 and 6 o'clock last Sunday evening. Chas. Braden, also colored, is being held for the murder. Both men ere employed in a repair crew on the railroad and the shooting occurred in a bunk car where the men lived with a number of other Negro laborers. The village authorities were immediately notified and Branden was arrested while he apparently waiting at the station to board a train. (Note the disparity of names of the accused; they are copied as written from the paper.)
Constable George Furnald made the arrest and the man was taken to the county jail at Oquawka. The remains of the victim were sent to Burlington for further disposal by the authorities. Both men were married, the wife of the victim living in St. Louis. Dr. Kaufman of Oquawka held an inquest over the dead man before removal of the body. The murder was the result of too much booze.