Iowa Old Press

Davenport Daily Republican
Davenport , Scott , Iowa
May 12, 1901

Minister Makes a Fortune

            DeWitt, May 11 – Many people in DeWitt remember the Rev. Oliver, the Methodist pastor, who occupied the pulpit at that church here some years ago. After leaving DeWitt he invented the Oliver typewriter and was successful in organizing a company and placing his patent on the market. He accumulated a large fortune through his typewriter business. The general agent of that concern, who was in this city Wednesday, informs us that a short time since Mr. Oliver disposed of his interest in the company for the sum of $65,000 and a large slice of the company’s stock. Mr. Oliver has accumulated through his fortunate venture a snug competence of about $300,000.  

Pills Poison Baby.

            Williams, May 11 – The 2-year-old child of James Fell, who resides three miles from this place, was fatally poisoned by strychnine. Mr. Fell had been using strychnine pills and had the larger portion of a box of them remaining. In some unaccountable manner the child gained possession of the box and devoured its contents, dying in convulsions from the effects of the poison.  

Damages for Dead Hogs

            Corning, May 11 – John Black, an Adair county farmer living near Fontanelle, and who attained some newspaper notoriety lately by capturing a tramp whom he held for Pat Crowe, is the plaintiff in a big damage suit against Banker Widner, of this city. In 1898 Black purchased of Mr. Widner some 200 head of young cattle which had been shipped here from New York . They were represented to be healthy and Mr .Black put them on his feed lots and fields along with his other cattle. Pneumonia soon developed and 84 head of the original purchase have died with the disease, and these in addition to the others to which the disease was communicated, has caused the loss of 146 head. Mr. Black fixes the loss of the cattle and damages done him otherwise at $11,000. The prominence of the parties to the case and the character of the suit will attract wide attention throughout the state, and especially among stock raisers.  

Trailing Bogus Check Worker.

            Des Moines , May 11 – Special officers of the Des Moines State Bankers’ association and the police departments of ten Western cities are exerting every means in their power to apprehend and secure the arrest on the charges of fraud, of Fred C. Kaufman, of Des Moines , who is now a fugitive and whose whereabouts are unknown. They credit Kaufman with working bogus draft games on some of the shrewdest concerns in the West. So far as is known he gathered in something over $800 in 17 days. Complaints have been lodged against Kaufman in all of the cities where he succeeded in getting money and the police departments of those places are endeavoring to locate him. No case can be made against him in this city. The Iowa Bankers’ association is also assisting in the search. Among those who have been victimized by Kaufman is the firm of Neff & Spaulding of Davenport , which cashed a draft for $50.  

Submitted by: CJL, May 2007