Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-02

| Wnero you Represent tno WuIe-
hauled street car and the up-to-date
electric palace, fittinsIy hlls the
comparison Of the two copies OF
the Daily Courier. When we lett
ottumwa you didnt even have
mu'e-prope'lsd street car
One OF those pictures represents q
quartet OF Daggetts, not one OF whom
/ I recognize. Can these be the descend.
ants OF William Daggett Of the Old
hardware firm Of Daggett & Edgerly
That reminds me OF George and Chris
Haw, dealers in hardware. Are they,
or either Of them, yet alive?
! In the notice Of my stepmother, 10
this same expansion issue. somebody
made a mistake in saying that my IA.
theirs family went to Ottumwa In 1883
ten years earlier than we did NIL
crate from st. Louis to Ottumwa. ana
three years before was born, and
still wildly remember the slow, dis
NAL, cold trip made by ox-team from
Keokuk to Iowaville, and that was
seven years Of age. 1t was 1S4S when
we landed in Ottumwa. That article
also stated that the Indians were all
gone. Another error. for there was a
| tribe encamped on the hill that now
remember as the head OF Wapello
street (perhaps that's not the name OF
| the street. At any rate. it was the
street upon which e. B. Washburns
residence fronted, and the Widow Geb.
hart, mother Of Martin, Of SADIE and
Ellen) lived on the corner OF that and
! Fourth streets. Many days we boys
|! would visit that camp and watch the
Young bucks shoot with bows and ar
rows at flve-cent silver pieces that the
more affluer1t would stick up on stumps
of trees-invariably Pumping the piece
and send 1t singing away on IN the
grass, which the archer watched with
eagle eye and went unerringly ana
picked it up. The old-timers Will re-
member that the citizens OF Ottumwa
gave the tribe big dinner can
plainly see Mrs. Hendershott going
around Offering Indian after Indian
pie, while my mouth was irrigating
full head on for just one bite; but we.
too were filled no after the Indians
were all served. I'll bet you that A. G.
Leighton can tell you the story Of what
the old chief said to Mrs. Hendershott.
who kept urging him to eat pie, and
| which cannot ask you to print! In
dams. why they were as plentiful as
! blackbirds. We boys learned from them
to he quite proficient In the use OF
bows and arrows. but could never rival
an Indian. Ny fathers wood-pile, of the
very best hickory, always supplied us
with material to make bows and ar.
rows.
Now I'm going to revive name that
I doubt not has escaped the memory OF
most Of the old timers-John Spalta.
Remember him? Pock-marked face. a
fine young Dutchman who run groc-
cry, I believe: then there was Adam
and Jake Schworm-grocers. There
was Upp Minteer. George Clark, VIM.
Fetzer. Bill and John B. Ennis. John
Coyan, who was a son-in-law of John
Potter, consequently brother-in-law Of
Tom Potter.
Peter Utecht, druggist, remember
him? do and hope that you do, for
Pete was another good souled Dutch
man. Doctor Douglass was most al
ways found about Petes druggery.
docs wife was the soul OF vivacity ana
great favorite. She set the town agog
with a night blooming cereus and a
century plant. Folks used to gather at
their home and sit around all night to
see the latter when 1t bloomed.
The town was startled one day when
desperate named q think john
Scott Smith, shot and killed a fne
young man who was deputy snerin'
or policeman, do not remember which
nor what his name vast appears to
me that he was nephew of Sheriff
George Derby. AL Vannaman was city
marshal. Smith was captured and on
his way to the city hall that was then
in city building just about opposite the
old court house on Market street-aft-
erwards the site I believe, o.. Grimes,
wagon shop-a mob took Smith from,
the clutch Of Vannaman and his ali,
and dragged him to lamp post that
stood in front Of the hall door to which
| they hung him. I saw 1t all. At first l
and Vim. Neass stood on dry goods
box in front Of Grimes and until the
culprit and officers struggled through
the desperate mob and got into the
MAYORS office. DR.. w. L. Orr was then
mayor. The preliminary trial was post
poned and the prisoner ordered re-
manded to the Jail, on account of the
perilous position and temper of the
crowd. Vannaman cleared the way and
had his prisoner well up in front 81
Millard's lumber yard office when the
crowd bounced upon them anu III HIS
struggling vannaman's clothing was
nearly torn off. Just as they left the
hall DR.. Orr, Rev. Mr.. Knight (McEi,
roy's successor) and myself stepped
out upon the balcony almost directly
over that lamp post. ! saw plainly the
real ring leaders and the man who &C
tually put the rope over Smiths head;
I saw George Devin frantically cuttins
away to sever that rope, but all III
vain, Smith was strung up and huns
to death l was subpoenaed as wit
ness and can yet feel the sting OF the
taunts of my fellow townsmen upon
the testimony that gave that could
not name any particular person active
lin the mob work. although I positively
swore that saw the whole affair. TO
this day do not know who 1t was that
put the rope about Smiths neck nor
any one who helped pull him up. Why
Because I was most intently looking at
the miserable victim and only him. In
a general way ! knew every man IN
that mob, but when 1t came to specify
ing any one in particular did not dare
to do it-not from fear but simply be-
cause 1 couldn't swear to the identity
of but two individuals-Smith the vic
thine and George Devin. his attempted
succor. When the minister and DR.. Orr
swore to the same effect the attendants