Iowa Old Press

LeMars Sentinel, Thursday, May 10, 1894, Page 4, Column 3:

TRIED TO BURN A SCHOOLHOUSE.
An Old Man Caught in the act of Setting the Fire at Seney.

     J. L. Briton (sic--Britton), of Seney, was brought to LeMars
yesterday morning on the charge of incendiaryism in setting fire to the
schoolhouse in the village of Seney.  Monday night near midnight W. H.
Kennedy, who lives near, saw a bright blaze suddenly start up at the
school house and he ran over there and put the fire out for it had only
started under one corner of the building.  He heard some person running
away in the darkness, but did not try to ascertain who it was as he
thought the most important thing to do was to save the building.  On
Tuesday night Kennedy and Jonathan Alderson kept watch.  Another attempt
was made to burn the building, but this time the man did not get away.
They caught him and put out the fire afterwards.  A large cloth soaked
in kerosene had been stuck in under one corner where some bricks were
out of the foundation and then set on fire.  It was quite a surprise to
the community when it was learned who had been caught.  There have been
a great many fires of doubtful origin in that neighborhood in the past
year or two.  Alderson and Kennedy guarded their prisoner until morning
and then turned him over to Sheriff Boyle.

LeMars Sentinel
May 17, 1894

The Benj. Major Attachment Case

The attention of Judge Gaynor in the district court has been occupied
ever since last Thursday in the trail of an attachment case in which
Frankenthal, Freudenthal, et al were the plaintiffs and Benj. Major
defendant.  The plaintiffs attached the Major stock last July for a debt
of $1,418 and by reason of it the store was closed ten days.  Major put
in a counter claim for $5,000 damages.  It was hotly contested suit.
The plaintiffs counsel were I. S. Struble of this city; Capt. Chase, of
Sioux City, and D. K. Tenney, of Chicago.  The attorneys for the defense
were I. J. McDuffie and Sammis & Scott.  The jurymen were as follows:
Peter Miller, Reese Harris, Isaac N. Jeffers, A. Blecker, Fred Jacobs,
C.J. Darville, Michael Gobel, D. Erickson, John Lehner, T.W. Sweeney,
Harry Nason and Anton Wentz.

The case was submitted to the jury at 5 p.m. yesterday and after a short
deliberation they returned with a judgment of $3,698 for Major.  This is
a great victory for Major.  This not the case that was decided in
Major's favor last winter.  He has now won both cases.  The second trial
of the first case will probably not be reached this term.  Major's
friends were congratulating him on his success last night.

A Railroad Suggestion
Editor Sentinel:  A suggestion is harmless and I would like to call the
attention of the projectors of the LeMars & Yankton railroad to the fact
that if they want to make the line pay with local traffic it will be
better to cross the Big Sioux at or near Akron and then bear north of
west crossing the Chicago & Northwestern at or near Wakonda.  From there
due northwest to the Chicago, Minneapolis & St. Paul.  You will notice
that it would take all the grain and livestock from LeMars to the center
of Hutchinson county, South Dakota.  The Illinois Central railroad has
an immense advantage over the other roads on account of its being such a
direct road to Chicago.  From Scotland or Olivet the Illinois Central
can strike for the hills if it wants to.  Whichever Dakota road gets
their first will be well paid.   J. L. Varnum, Centerville, South
Dakota.

Obituary.
C. J. Young, born in Cicero, N.Y., April 2, 1835, died in LeMars May 9,
1894.

Early in the rebellion he enlisted to defend the stars and stripes in
the 8th Iowa regiment and again in the 33d Illinois Veteran regiment. He
was taken prisoner at the battle of Shiloh and for months suffered in
southern prisons.  April 10, 1864, he was united in marriage with Miss
Sarah Guthrie.  Twenty-one years ago together they came to this county
and settled a little west of LeMars, bravely facing the hardships of the
early settlers.  He has gone to meet four children gone before to the
better world, leaving a wife and two sons to miss him from their earthly
home.  The funeral services were conducted by Rev. G.W. Carr and held at
the M.E. church, of which he was a member for seventeen years.  The
Grand Army of the Republic gathered at his late home in large numbers
and bore the remains of their soldier brother to the church and
cemetery, honoring him called above with a soldier's burial, using their
very unique service.  The Woman's Relief corps were also present to give
aid and sympathy.

Enterprise of M. A. Agnes
Register:  Akron people generally will feel jubilant over the fact that
we are at last to have an opera house worthy the size and importance of
the town.  It will be no imposing structure but for utility and
convenience will be all that can be desired.  M. A. Agnes has purchased
the old Methodist church and will move it onto his lot just east of the
old Powell house, where he will add enough to make the building eighty
feet long, and fix it up in a practical manner to accommodate a large
audience.  A fine twenty foot stage will be built, and hereafter some of
the best theatrical troupes which were turned away from the town, on
account of there being no hall in which to show will regularly make
dates here.

The lack of a suitable hall has long been a reproach to the town and Mr.
Agnes should have the thanks of the community for furnishing us with
one.

MARRIED

ZIMMERMAN-KOENIG---On the evening of May 16, at the brides home in
LeMars, by Rev. Emil Mueller, Mr. William Zimmerman and Miss Lilly
Koenig, both of this city.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.G. Koenig and has grown to
womanhood in this vicinity.  The bridegroom is of the firm of Zimmerman
Bros., dealers in agricultural implements.  This worthy couple have, the
good will and esteem of all within the radius of their acquaintance, and
in this their new relation all will wish them many a happy year of
married life.

HILLEBRAND--BECKER:--In Elgin township, May 16, by Rev. Rolfing, Mr.
Fred Hillebrand and Miss Minnie Becker.
     The bridegroom is the oldest son of Dr. Hillebrand and wife of this
city.  The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Heye Becker, whose farm
home is near the village of Seney.  Among those present at the wedding
were Mr. and Mrs. Becker, of Moville and Miss Chase of the same place.
The wedding party was made up chiefly of immediate friends of the Becker
and Hillebrand families.

ACCIDENT OR MURDER.
Herman Petersen Shoots His Niece and Then Suicides.

Tragedies are coming thick and fast. The last one occurred ten miles north
of Remsen just over the line in Sioux county last Monday afternoon.

Herman Petersen shot and killed his niece, Annie Hansen, and later killed
himself.

It appears from the reports that Petersen and Annie were the only ones at
home. Annie's father and mother and her two little brothers had gone to
Remsen for the day. The first that anyone knew of the affair Petersen
called at a neighbor's and told that he had accidentally shot Annie. The
hired man accompanied Petersen back to Hansen's home to see if the statement
was true. The girl's corpse lay on the floor where she had fallen when the
revolver bullet crashed into her brain. She was washing the dinner dishes
when she was shot and some of them lay on the floor by her side.

Petersen went out to the barn after the neighbors began to gather and shot
himself through the head. He seemed to be afraid of being lynched.

Petersen was about twenty-eight years of age and the girl was about ten
years younger. It is reported that he shot the girl because she would not
marry him, but this is not credited by the relatives who cling to the theory
that it was an accident.

The inquest was held by the coroner of Sioux county, but developed nothing
new. The double funeral was held at Remsen yesterday.