Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-02-16

| hCub cndFdcJer at tfeSton. uleU u"
nights ago at the engine house of the
L. Ii. ~ q. He was picked up off the
streets in the afternoon and carried
into a grocery store and then con-
veyed to the engine house, where his
death occurred. The cause cannot be
stated with accuracy He had been
drinking and did not regain conscious
ness after falling on the street. Sui
eide is suspected by some on account
of suggestive remarks made by the
deceased during the afternoon.
Judge Smythe created sensation in
in the district court at Burlington by
directing f. L. Dankwardt to appear
before him to answer the charge OF at
tempted bribery. Dankwar3t has gust
lost a case in which he was sued for
large amount of money for damage
caused from blasting operations. Dur
| ing the trial everyone was mystited
! by Judge Smythe summarily dismiss
/ ing one of the jurors and continuing
the case with eleven men. 1t now de-
velops that Dankwardt is charged
with having approached this juror
verdict.
| Further investigation of the home
and farm buildings of Arthur Court
ney, at Mt. Pleasant. shows the entire
farm to have been used as a fence for
stolen booty. Cellars disclose piles of
! clothing and groceries of every descrip
| ton, much of which has been identified.
Bicycles lie covered over with hay in
| the barn lofts, and cattle and farm
machinery, none of which belonged to
| Courtney. have been discovered on the
| place. Earhart, the farm hand, has
made confession, in which he stated
| that Courtney had stolen thousands of
dollars worth of live stock and goods
| from neighbors during the last
eighteen months.
The First National Bank of Griswold
telegraphed the comptroller of the
treasury a few days ago that its
! cash reserve was below the legal re-
| quirement. and received word to close
| the bank and await the coming OF the
! bank examiner. The bank is capital
| lied at $50 900 with Theodore Brown
| president sand cashier. The deposits
have been gradually withdrawn the
| past few months until there was but
| $40. 600 OF deposits in the bank. Sew
eral business firms in Griswold are
ha. nf
| loss to depositors is thought OF, as the
! liabilities of stockholders is ample to
satisfy all claims. even without taking
| into considerable the assets of the
bank
The recent fire at Walford. Linn
county, has caused very mystifying
| condition of affairs. Both Grocer
Novak and Farmer Murray are missing
and it was certain their remains were
in the ruins. The day before the fire
a load of charcoal was placed in the
cellar beneath where Novali slept. and
this continues to burn despite efforts
to quench the fire. One BODY has
been recovered and while the ruins
have been completely overhauled the
other is missing. 1t is possible the
other was completely destroyed. The
body is claimed by the relatives of
both Novak and Murray. Novak
carried $33, 900 life insurance and the
companies decline to pay. There is
emphasized talk Of foul play.
George Crissinger, a farmer living
near Homestead. in Iowa county. and
only a few miles south of Walford,
reports that Frank Novak. the sup
posed murderer Of Edward Murray.
stopped at his home on the. Sd
and got his breakfast. He was dressed
in a hunting suit and carried a double
barreled shotgun. He talked with the
women folk at the house for about
hiding in that vicinity, and it is
believed he will be captured in short
time. Sheriff Metcaif has wired Gov.
Drake asking him, in view of the
enormity of the crime, to offer
reward for the capture of Novak.
Benton county has offered reward of
$500. 1t is proba BILE that the Murray
family will also offer large reward
Tor his capture.
The general store of Novak & Ia
bollrtsky. at Wolford, little town
about twelve miles southwest of Cedar
Rapids. was discovered TO be or fire a
few nights ago. The alarm was quick
" given. but before the people had
turned out, the fire was so far under
Roadway that there was no checking
the progress Of the flames, and both
store building and the bank of Wal
ford, which adjoined. were completely
guttcd by the flames, causing loss of
forty or fifty thousand dollars. par
tally covered by insurance. Frank !
Novak, one of the proprie;ors, slept in !
room in the store, and on the night !
of the fire had for companion a |
young fellow named Edward Murray. !
The bodies of the two were found in |
the room. Many believe the fire was |
the result of incendiarism to cover a
greater crime, as Novak was known |
to have $500 on his person the night