Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-25
Remarkable Impromptu Meeting of
Ex-Marshals and Chiefs.
REUNION WAS FRIDAY AFTERNOON
1t Was Brought About by AL. vanne.
man, of Milwaukee, Happening to
Visit the City for Few Hours-A
Most Interesting Gathering.
From Saturdays Daily.I

Z liAoAi Cdtly.
One of the most remarkable i'm.
promptu gatherings there has ever
been in Ottumwa, barring the possible
1ty of doubt when everything is con.
sidered, was that of yesterday after
noon, when all but three of the past
and present marshals and chiefs OF
Z police met and held reunion. Every
year of the city history. since 1867
was represented The "old boys
spent the afternoon in most pleas
3 ing manner, they had a photograph
made, they met at Major Woods room
in the Ballingall hotel, and they also
took time to visit few of the city s
present places of interest.
Vannemsn Did 1t.
1t was all brought about by AL. Van.
neman of Milwaukee, who was a mar
shall away back in the Seventies, >
happening to drop into the city while
3 passing thru from trip in the west
He arrived on noon train, and with.
in half an hour Major Woods came in
from the east. Night Captain John
Gray soon spotted Vanneman, and il
was not long before he had him lined
up before Chief Williams desk at po
lice headquarters. Someone had
seen Major Woods-and Vanneman
William Gray and started to the Balm
gall, correctly surmising that they
would find the major in his room
and who does not know where that
room is?
Former Night Captain Dan Harmon
ex-Chief B. w. Van der Veer, ex-Mar
shall E. B. Davis, ex-Marshal T. B
4 Trotter, ex-Marshal John Slaughter
and eX-Marshal John Gray, the latter
happening to be here from Spokane
Wash, on an extended visit, were
soon found and summoned to the
meeting in the majors room.
There were diligent efforts made tt
locate ex-Marshal Abe Nader and ex
Marshal Ed. H. Kent, but they were
without success. If these two could
have been secured the lineup of the
loving officials and eX-officials would
. have been complete. The third va
cant chair was that which would
have been occupied by former Mar
shall John Robinson, had be been alive
Had Photos Made.
After an hour of talk, such as only
men who have lived such lives as
these men have lived and who have
T seen such times and experienced such
/ experiences as they have, was indulg
ed in, and then it occurred to the mem
bers of the party that it would be vel
to have photograph made, in re
membrance of the very notable ant
decidedly unlooked-for and unusual oc
casion. All went to the Pierce studio
where they posed for 14x17 inch
photograph, the largest size that car
8 be had in Ottumwa.
After this was completed the party
returned to the Ballingall hotel, where
the members spent an hour more il
recounting the past, and in relating in
teresting "reminiscences of their Off
cial lives in Ottumwa. Major Woo
saw that the party was RECALLED will
the choicest of cigars.
Terms of Service.
M Major Wood was the eldest mem
Der of the party, not only in the mum
Der of years he has lived, but in tn
length of time that has elapsed sine
he donned the city's star. 1t was il
1887 that he became marshal, for
was not until 1898 that the offices o
chief of police and night captain wer
created. He served with distinction
to himself and with credit to the city
and there was genuine regret whel
he resigned in 1870. He was succeed
ed by John Gray, now of Spokane
Wash, who had been his deputy TO
two years.
Marshal Gray served until 1874 ant
he was succeeded by Al. Vanneman
who had also been a deputy marsha
for several years, and who held tn
reins of Office for one year-perhap
the most eventful year in the city
history.
E. B. Davis, who had been deput
under Vanneman, and who now live
on Benton street in Ottumwa, SUE
ceeded Vanneman, and he served unit
the time of his resignation in 1877.
B. Trotter was his successor, and h
served for two and one-half years de
livering his Office in March, 1880, t
John Slaughter.
After a year in Office, John Slaugl
.