South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-26
CAPT y STRBETER
DIES IN CHICAGO,
WELLKNOWN HERE
Older Residents Recall Squat
ters Trouble With
Police.

with The report Of the death n
"Cap" streeter in Chicago. old resi-
dents OF South Band recall the days
81 1905 and 1907 when The famous
old squatter puoted hs boat uD
and down tho 81 Joseph river be-
tween Howard and sprinsbrooN
parks
With the memories of the scene
Of the boat vending i-s way up and
down The river also comes the recol-
lection OF the long time Dc was am
ChOred just above the Grand Trunk
railroad bridge and the difficulties
The fiery old man got into with the
police.
The captain first came to South
Bend from Chicago. He built his
boat and began running a regular
passenger line plying between the
city. with his landing az Howard
park. and Springbr0oE. At first his
boat rides We're popular with pleas
ure seekers who enjoyed the novelty
OF riding by boat 20 Springbrool1
rather than by street car. Then the
captain began 20 sell liquor on board.
IL - said. and the attention OF the
police was called 10 the matter.
Faces Horse Pistol"
Officer George Parker. armed with
a warrant for the arrest of Capt.
Strceter. proceeded TO his boat land
ing iu Howard park 10 take him into
custody. The captain greeted him
on the gang plank with "a morse
pistol that was several sizes larger
than "A six-shooter He intmated
that II Mt. Parker attempted to
come aboard TO serve the warrant
he would blow his head of. He fur
Their said that only the United States
government had jurisdiction over
him as long as he was anchored in
government We tors
Not being familiar with the laws
governing rivers and harbors and
not caring particularly about the at
titude of the hostile old captain on
the business end Of the horse pfstoi.
Officer Parker beat retreat 70 find
out just where he stood. To make
his argument good. Capt. Streeter
pulled his boat out into the middle
OF the river and anchored. Here he
remained for a long time. with the
police always having one eye on him
10 catch him ashore
Finally Arrested.
Finally their vigilance was re-
warded and the old fighter was
caught on land and lodged in the
Jail. He deded the police and state
laws 20 do anything with hin and
stirred up considerable noise with
his arguments. 1t is believed that
his case did not come up for trial
however. and that 10 was settled out
side of court
At any rate ne resumed his resi-
denCe on his house boat and took up
his landing place just above the
Grand Trunk bridge. Here, just Op-
poslte his boat ne built a little
shack on land and the place be-
came one Of the curiosity spots Of
the city. After a while reports and
complaints about the boat and its Oc-
cupants again got the old man into
hot water and he was again lodged
in the hands of the law. He extri-
Gated himself. but was I'm trouble of
some sort more or less of the re-
mainder Of his stay In the city.
Winter came on and the captain
took up his residence at the T.afay-
cite hotel Sometime during the
winter his boat caught fire and burn
ed 90 the waters edge at it's moor
fngs- Either "hOboes," or sparks
from a passing train above IL were
thought TO be responsible. From
that time the movements OF the cap
tain faded from local llmelight and
were only recalled at various times
when his fights with the Chicago DO
lice and courts brought him again
10 the front page of the papers.
Picturesque Character
9 H n G. a 1f U. Jan e5-ffCNart 90