Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-14


| damaging it. The Madisonian print
ing establishment is almost a total
wreck. The building is two story
brick on the west side and is owned by
Col. Cummings
Peter Moller has filed his answer in
the sensational divorce suit at Sioux
City recently commenced against him
by his wife. Jennie f. Moller. He
makes a sweeping denial of all charges
against him and accuses Mrs. Moller
on the other hand, of immoral conduct,
naming Frank II. Harlow, railroad
man, as correspondent. He denies that
he has wasted his wife's money, but
says she and her parents are living in
a house which he built. AS to the
claim that he has indiscriminately
charged her with improper conduct,
he declares that he has always resented
such allegations and knows of no one
who has spoken SO unkindly of her as
her own father, John Pierce, who, he
claims, dictated the petition against
him. He demands the custody of his
| children and asks that tho action
against him be dismissed.
The Northwestern National Bank of
Sioux City, which has been carrying
the city warrants some time, recently
refused to cash the warrants issued
for lighting the city, and announced
that it would discontinue carrying
warrants until the city reduced
expenses. The president of the bank,
| Abel johnson, was formerly city
treasurer. and he has been looking
over the city books. He found that
the monthly pay rolls are on the
increase and the debt growing. He
notified the city officials that they
would have to reduce expenses or his
bank could not stand back of the city
any longer. The city auditor is pre-
pairing a statement showing that the
city is not spending as much money as
ii is taking in, and but for the old
debts of the city. would be gaining at
the rate of about SIS, 900 "a month.
Minnie Kiel, 1s-year-old daughter of
Mrs. Sophia Kiel, a widow living about
seven miles south of Bellevue, was
murdered few evenings ago. She
left home to go to a dance. She did
not return and the next morning
search was begun. Her body was
found in a meadow through which her
path lay. 1t was terribly mutilated,
and it was at first thought that she
had been gored by bull. Investiga-
ton proved that the pasture contained
nothing but yearling heifers and
this theory was exploded. A rough
rock was found which fitted the wounds
on her head. A leaf of a tree was al
so found which had blood and hair up
on it. 1t was found that while there were
evidences of a terrible struggle there
were no marks of cattles hoofs in the
vicinity. The coroner's jury returned
"a verdict of murder by some one un-
| known.
A very sad case of suicide happened
near Hopliinton few days ago. Mrs.
Mary Marian wrote note to her hus-
band saying that she intended to
drown herself and her 2-months' -old
baby, and going to the Maquol1eta riv-
er, which is about mile from the Mer-
Ram home, threw her baby into the
river and then followed herself. The
bodies of mother and child were found
few hours later, and. the coroner S
jury brought in verdict of suicide,
insanity as the cause. Ever since the
birth of the baby the mother has had
an idea that the little one could not
live, and the constant worry caused
temporary insanity. No one drea med
of the possibility of her doing any
thing violent, although she was
watched AS closely as they could watch
her, but she arose early in the morn
ing before any one was astir and went
out as above stated. Mrs. Merriam
was woman about % years of age,
and leaves husband and three chill
dren without mothers care. The
and impressive.
For several months past, creameries
in the vicinity of Cedar Rapids have
been robbed of butter, from time To
time. A quantity was taken frem the
Central City creamery and the goods
disposed of in Cedar Rapids and
Marion. Later, butter was taken
, from Atkins and West Branch, and
about three weeks ago the Robins
creamery was broken open and several
: tubs taken. The latest robbery re-
ported was at Lafayette, where the
: Farmers creamery was broken into
and ten or eleven tubs, total of
nearly 700 pounds, were carried away.
The officers have made an important
; arrest, the person apprehended being
! J.. A. Durham, who is engaged in
} peddling butter about the city of
Cedar Rapids. For some time nc
operated milk and butter depot. He
has been suspected on several occasions,
but until now sufficient evidence has
never been obtained to warrant his
. arrest. 1t is believed that Durham
has associated with him at least half
, dozen persons, who are not only
, engaged in stealing butter, but take
. chickens, veal and other varieties of