Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-29
West Point Alleged Extortionist
Had Preliminary Hearing.
MYSTERIOUS LETTER CUTS A FIGURE
Epistle Was Addressed to Banker and
Said the Writer Would Burn His
Home Unless $500 Was Forthcom-
ing-other News of the State.
Fort Madison.

Fort Madison.
The preliminary hearing of George
Wolfe, the West Point printer, charg-
ed with attempting to extort money
from Mr.. Kriekenbaum the West
Point banker, has been finished and
taken under advisement by Justice
Stemple before whom the case was
tried. Wolfe was charged with hay-
ing written letter to the banker de-
handing that he leave $500 under a
bridge near West Point The letter
stated that the bankers house would
be burned if the terms of the letter
were not complied with. There is said
to be some similarity between the
handwriting of Wolfe and that con-
tanned in the letter received by Mr..
Kfiekbaum.
veo.
Monday evening the creamery at
Weo was destroyed by fire. everything
about it being consumed by the
flames or ruined The fire was caus-
ed by defective flue and was uncon-
trolable by the time it was discover
ed SO any attempt to extinguish it
was useless. The loss is about ST.
600. The creamery was the property
of stock company composed of farm
ers in and about Veo.
Sioux City.
1t seems now that bit of misrep-
resentaticn was used by the ardent
friends of Frank Shercleff, the Pol
lock diamond robber to secure his pa
role from Gov. Shaw. The latter stat
ed it was represented to him that
Judge A. Van Wagenen, of Sioux City
who tried and sentenced this desper-
ate criminal, favored his parole.
Judge Van Wagenen enters vigorous
denial to this claim. He has never
in any way given sanction to the eff
forts to get Shercleff released. He has
been approached again and again to
attach his signature to petition or
to state orally even that he thought
there might be no harm and lot OF
3 good in the mans parole. but he has
persistently refused any representa-
ton to the governor he declares, thai
he sanctioned the movement for pa
role was false and unauthorized.
Mt Ayr
This city was thrown into furore
of excitement Tuesday nisht when ar
attempt was made to- burn Johr
Horne's drug ste Il lated on the
west side of sauare. The anne;
were discovaeu about 1880 in the
evening and extinguished before muci
damage mad been done. Kerosene
had been plentifully used, a pile o
paper and excelsior being saturated
and placed under the stills and arount
Z the corner OF the building. The wine
favored the fire-bug and but for thu
timely discovery the building and al
the west side business portion of thu
square would have been wiped out
A tin can containing kerosene wa
found near the store and another cal
+ in which were some live wood Goals
There is no clue. to the perpetrato
and Mr.. Horne is unable to discoye
the motive of the incendiary, as he ha
few, if any, enemies in the world.
reward will be offered by the bushes
men for the arrest and conviction 0
the guilty party.
Des Moines.
The practical closing of the dea
whereby F,H.Hubbell comes into pos
1sion of t, plant, buildings an
grounds of t, International Distillin
company in Southeast Des Moines
long step, according to business me
in the direction of the establishner
of big brewery in Des Moines by
M Hubbell and his associates.
Mr.. Huhbell states that he bougf
the property as a real estate specul;
ton, because like all his other prope
ties, he could get it at a low price an
he considered it good investmen
But he stated to friend a short tim
ago that he purposed The organizatio
of a stock compan- with big capt.,
to engage in the manufacture
whisky, beer and other spirits at I'll
old plant, and suggested at the tin
that if confidential man. responsib
and experienced could be had to ma
age the plant, he would put in twent
or twenty-five thousand dollars in IL
plant.
CskaIoosa.
Walter Burrell, of the law firm
Burrell & Dewitt, is the next city s
Dh pxy,c pIIcINIEcc