The Colfax County Press publishes a weekly column entitled Peeking into the Past, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Colfax County Press files, written by Helen C. Evans. A special thank you to the Colfax County Press for allowing me to reprint those articles and Claudia Schuster for transcribing them! The following are selections from that column:
August 3, 1909 - reprinted December 28, 1988George Hagen of the Clover Leaf livery returned from Wyoming bringing with him a car of mares and colts that he has now on sale.
John Petr, who, in the company with J.D. Wolf, has for some time been the owner of the old Frank Koza farm, southwest of town, has sold his interest in the place to Mr. Wolf.
Joseph Krikac has sold the Jos. Maticka farm of 80 acres, four miles north of town, to Joseph R. Molacek for $96 per acre. Mr. Molacek purchased the place for one of his sons.
Will Noh went to Omaha yesterday morning and will return this evening in the company of his wife, who is rapidly gaining strength following an operation for appendicitis. It is deemed perfectly safe for her to return home.
Dr. Frank Petr, who, for the past year, has been taking post graduate work in surgery at Prague, Bohemia, and other hospitals in Europe, sailed from London on the 28th of July for home and is expected to reach Clarkson the latter part of this or the fore part of next week.
Kopac Bros. have awarded the contract to A.C. Chamberlain of Stanton to move the store building occupied by them onto their lots north of the Clarkson livery barn. Mr. Chamberlain is to begin work on the job within a few days. As our readers know, a fine, large, brick structure is to occupy the present site.
John W. Bobisud, a former Clarkson resident, has re-engaged in the drug business in Dodge, having purchased the business formerly conducted by Frank Ritzdor.
J.M Mundil reports the sale of the Rudolph Hamsa farm of 160 acres near Stanton to Dr. S.G. Allen for $80 per acre. The doctor purchased the place as an investment and no doubt it will prove a paying one.
Jos. G.Vosacek has purchased of Jos. Krikac two lots in the southwest part of town for which he paid $600. Later he intends to build a home on the property.
Albert Lodl and wife have a little son since last Thursday at their home in Midland precinct.
August Menn, a resident of Clarkson in the early days of the town, but engaged in the livestock business at Dodge for a number of years, died of cancer of the stomach Saturday morning in Omaha, where he went the day before to enter a hospital in the hope of getting relief. The funeral was held at Dodge this morning.
A few years ago, Dr. F.B. Schultz, Emil Slama and Phil Roether of this place and R.G. McKibben , a former Clarkson citizen now engaged in the grain business at Holyoke, Colorado, purchased a section and a half of land in the neighborhood of that town, paying $5.00 an acre for it. At that time it looked to them like a paying investment, and it has so proven. Last week they sold 320 acres of the tract for $14.50 per acre. Nine dollars and fifty cents an acre profit on a $5.00 per acre investment is going some.
Clarkson markets were: Good milling wheat 88 cents, good milling rye 65 cents, corn 55 cents, oats 29 cents, eggs 18 cents, butter 18 cents and hogs $7.00.
Cruel, wanton brutality, inexcusable and indefensible, is a fitting way to speak of the acts of two men who on Friday last drove a noble team of horses to death. The finger of public scorn, public content and general condemnation points to them as disgraces to modern manhood.
Even the savage displays more love for the brutes that serve him than was manifested by the two men referred to. We lack words to express our contempt for their fiendish cruelty.
Here are the facts; read them and then wonder with us that two such brutes in human form are permitted to associate with men of heart and feeling:
Last Friday afternoon Leo Grotte of Omaha, a traveling salesman for a wholesale liquor house, went to the Clover Leaf livery barn at this place and engaged a team to take him to Stanton. George Murray, one of the young men left in charge of the barn during the absence of the owner, was to drive him over and we understand agreed to get him there in two hours and a half if possible. He took the best team in the barn, a splendid pair of blacks, leaving here at about 4:10 or 4:15 for a 22 mile drive over rough roads, on the hottest day of the season. It was a few minutes after 6 o’clock, less than two hours after they started, that one of the animals dropped dead in the outskirts of Stanton and the other died an hour or two later.
Sheriff Stucker on hearing the facts, placed the men under arrest, having to take Grotte off an out-going train. Threats on the part of the fellow did not deter Jim Stucker for doing his duty in this case, as he has always done in every case as other law defiers can testify. The men are to have their hearing before Judge Cowan on Sept. 13. It is stated that on the latter end of the journey the team was kept on the run, one of the men driving and the other lashing them with the whip. It is a pity that we do not have a whipping post in Nebraska for the punishment of such offenders. There are many lovers of the horse who enjoy the opportunity of applying the lash to these two heartless wretches who murdered a defenseless team of horses. We hope the most severe penalty the law provides will be meted out to them.
August 10, 1909 - reprinted January 18, 1989George Anderson took the contract for putting up a full set of buildings for Frank Barta on his farm 9 miles northeast of Clarkson.
J.M. Mundil reports the sale of the old John Lopour farm near the Zion church to Jos. J. Fillipi for $100 per acre.
Anton Faiman, a former Clarkson businessman, has disposed of his hotel at Dodge, selling the same to John J. Koliha of Schuyler, who is well known here. We understand that Mr. Faiman and his family will soon move to a farm in Stanton county.
On August 9 at 8 o’clock in the morning at the Roman Catholic church at this place, the solemn words were spoken that united Miss Emily Pospichal and Frank Suchan in the holy bonds of wedlock. The happy pair were attended by Frank J. Kucera, a cousin of the groom, Miss Frances Pospichal and Joseph Pospichal, sister and brother of the bride, and Miss Anna Bos.
Mr. and Mrs. John Callelly celebrated their silver wedding, having reached the 25th milestone on their journey through life together.
Their home, a few miles northwest of this place, was the scene of a large gathering of relatives and friends who came to shower congratulations and best wishes upon this worthy couple.Dr. F.J. Petr arrived in Clarkson on his return from 15 month’s stay in Europe, where he visited, received instruction, practiced and did special work in some of the leading hospitals, giving him the best possible preparation needful for the successful practice of his chosen profession.
He comes back looking hale and hearty and says that he much enjoyed his stay in the old world. While in Bohemia he met Dr. Capek, who formerly practiced at this place and in Howells, and had a pleasant visit with him. He says the doctor is staying in his native village and devotes much of his time to caring for his aged mother. He expects to return to America in some future time. Dr. Petr has yet not decided where he will locate.
August 17, 1909 - reprinted February 8, 1989John Bukacek has sold his butcher business and rented the shop to John Sperl of South Omaha, who is to take charge of the same Sept. l. Mr. Bukacek's plans for the futue [sic] are not definite, but he plans to remain in Clarkson.
Charles Renter and family of Leigh are to become residents of Clarkson. Charles purchased the Frank Jirous residence just north of the Dr. Allen place, paying $2,500 for it.
Fred Mundil came over from Linwood for a visit with home folks. He was sick when he arrived here, being threatened with an attack of typhoid fever, and is under the doctor's care.
Anton Vasek, a young Wilson precinct farmer, was overcome with the heat Saturday afternoon while working at haying at the farm of his brother, Adolph. At first it was not thought that he was in serious condition, but the following day he grew worse and Dr. Lowery of Leigh was sent for, but when he arrived the man was beyond human aid and died a few minutes later. His sudden death came as a great shock to his wife and relatives as well as friends. The deceased was 28 years old.
John Chleboun and wife, and their daughter. Miss Emma, and son Earl, returned from their western trip which included the principal points of interest on the pacific coast.
Of course they took in the great exposition held in Seattle and on their was [sic] stopped to visit at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chleboun's daughter, Mrs. Jos. Pechanec at Market Lake, Idaho.About 50 carriages and buggies formed the funeral procession that filed into in town on Saturday morning at the burial of Vaclav Pekny, the youngest son of Frank Pekny and wife, who reside five miles northeast of town.
A Requiem Mass was celebrated at the Roman Catholic church that morning, Rev. Zak having officiated and the remains were laid to rest in the Clarkson cemetery.
It is another case of sudden summoning of a young life before the judgment seat of the Most High. The deceased, a young man of 18 years of age, was in the hay field on his father's farm operating a rake. His younger sister was likewise engaged, and, turning to see how her brother was progressing with his share of the work, saw him down on the ground fastening a tug which had become unfastened. Looking again a minute later she saw him laying prostrate under the rake. She hurried to him at once and he was immediately carried to the house; medical assistance having been hastily summoned an examination of his body showed bruises that proved that he had been kicked by one of the horses in the chest and also the stomach.
This happened on Wednesday afternoon and every care and attention was given the young man who, at first, seemed to rally from the effects of his injuries only to finally succumb to the inevitable at an early hour on Friday morning.
August 24, 1909 - reprinted March 22, 1989Frank Benes and his sister-in-lav, Miss Emma Luxa, took Frank's little daughter, Lillie, aged six years, to Omaha yesterday where the child will undergo an operation for appendicitis at the Wise Memorial Hospital.
Misses Julia Telecky, Bertha Bukacek, Anna Swoboda and Louise Jirovec and Messrs. Julius Zastera and Adolph Dudek are at Schuyler this week attending the Colfax county teachers' institute.
Henry W. Hoff of Midland precinct has for some time been suffering severe attacks of rheumatism, and this morning, accompanied by Ed Noh, he left for Excelsior Springs, Mo., in the hope of obtaining relief.
Yesterday Joseph Krikac and Vaclav Prazak sold the 160-acre place, which they recently purchased of D. Vahle, to Frank and Anton Vrbicky of Howells for $93.50 per acre.
Anton Faiman was here from Dodge yesterday. He tells us that last week he purchased the Dr. Person farm of 160 acres nine miles north of town, having paid $75 per acre for it.
One day last week Louis Faltys sold an 80-acre farm in Thurston county to Frank Fillipi, a former Clarkson citizen. It was owned by Ed. Zvacek who received $75.50 per acre for it.
Louis Faltys reports the sale of a 120-acre farm in Wilson precinct owned by Joseph Cibulka and Anton Dusatko to Vincent Urban for $85 per acre.
Miss Stazie Pojar of Dodge will teach the coming school year in the Brabec district a few miles north of this place.
Last Satruday [sic] Kopac Bros. let the contract for the erection of their new store building to F.W. Woerth of Scribner. The structure is to be of brick, 25 x 100 feet, two stories and basement, and work on the same is to commence as soon as the material can be placed on the ground. When completed this will be one of the best business buildings in town and will give the enterprising firm that own it ample quarters in which to handle their fast-increasng trade.
Peter Zak and Emil Tomes were passengers to Newman Grove this morning to take in the Firemen's tournament and look after the work of putting up the big Clarkson tent which the fire boys up there have rented for the occasion. Mr. Zak will also play with the Leigh band during the tournament.
Tomorrow Gus Muhs will leave for two or three months' visit to his boyhood home in Germany where his father and mother are still living and where he has two brothers and five sisters. It was twenty-six years ago, when a lad of only fourteen years, that he left the land of his birth and came to America where so many of his countrymen were prospering. He came direct to Omaha and after working there for a few years moved to Stanton county, and today he is one of the most successful and most prosperous farmers of the locality in which he lives. He is looking forward with much pleasure to his visit to his old home where a hearty welcome awaits him.
Guests at Nutil Home
Early Easter visitors in the home of Mrs. Agnes Nutil were James and Miss Lillian Brabec of Omaha, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Baumert and Mrs. Ruth Brabec of Howells and Mrs. Bessie Brabec of Clarkson. Mr. and Mrs. John H. Wieman of Howells were additional afternoon visitors.
August 31, 1909 - reprinted April 26, 1989While the W.O.W. exercises and the dance that followed were in progress little Stanley, the only son of John Markytan and his wife, was among the many little people around to take in the sights. He was but 3 years old and tiring of this past-time began to hunt for his father. About three o'clock in the afternoon Robert Noh found him east of the mill near the railroad crossing, put him on his bicycle and brought him back to town. Not knowing whose boy he was and the child not telling him, only saying he wanted his papa, Robert took him in front of Moore & Stodola's store and left him as the child told him that he knew then where he was. About this time his parents began to look for the boy but without success, as one person had seen him here and another there and made the search difficult. When it began to get dark a general interest became manifest in the whereabouts of the little fellow and the announcement of his loss was made on the dancing platform with a request for helpers to conduct a thorough search of the town and surrounding country. A number of men responded and were divided into parties to seek the boy, each party to go in a different direction to and the sound of the town bell was to be a signal that the child was found. Among the searching parties was one made up of Frank Miller and Jos. Vitek who took the territory west of town. A daughter of John Pospichal phoned that while walking to her home northwest of town she saw a little boy on the track leading west of this place, but thought he was a child living in that part of town. The child was known to be carrying a package of small bills advertising the state fair at Lincoln and before long the men found a poster here and another there. This clue led them right along the railroad track and when some distance out they discovered what seemed to be the prints of a child's feet. This encouraged them and they also continued to find posters until fully two miles west of town. It seemed almost impossible that the child could have walked that far or that one of his age could have crossed so many bridges and cattle guards and they had about decided that they had better turn back. While discussing the matter and having made up their minds to go a little further Mr. Miller's dog drew their attention to the child lying by the side of the track. They picked him up in a dying condition, with a severe bruise on the side of his head and one leg badly injured, the cruel work of the east bound freight train which had just pulled into town. When the town bell rang to announce the fact that the child was found, instead of being a messenger of glad tidings it was in reality a funeral knell. The two men tenderly carried the child as best they could, but he died before they had gone very far and they took turns in carrying the lifeless body home. He started out in search of his earthly father and wandered right into his Heavenly Father's arms. He was a manly little fellow, and that he had courage and grit was shown by the difficulties he overcame in his search on Sunday night with no one near him in the darkness but the Angel of Death whose shadowy form his eyes could not discern. A search the next morning of the route he had traveled the evening before revealed the fact that he had taken off his shoes and walked in his stockinged feet which accounted for the strange looking footprints, and he must have carried his shoes until just before crossing the last long bridge as one shoe was found inside the rail on the track and the other just outside of the rail. It is thought, by the appearance of the injuries on his body, that he fell asleep by the side of the track and when the train came rushing by the noise awakening him caused him to jump up just in time to receive the injuries he sustained by being struck by a projection of a passing car. Just how it really happened will never be known. Coroner Eby of Leigh was notified and came down Monday morning and empanelled the following jury: Dr. F.B. Schultz, J.D. wolf, Adolph Bukacek, Ed Koza, Jos. Krikac and F.W. Noh, who after careful investigation returned a verdict to the effect that the child was killed by train No. 340, but that no blame attached to the men in charge of the train. It was the only verdict possible under the circumstances.
Mrs. Mary Folda and her daughter, Elva and Arlene, and son, Lawrence, who visited here over summer, took their departure for Denver, Colorado, where they intend to make their future home. Prior to their visit here they resided at Boulder, Colo., for several years. While here they occupied the home of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Folda who are expected to be back home from their European trip sometime the forepart of the coming month.
Herman Miller and family of Lindsay were Clarkson visitors, spending the day at the F.J. Miller home.
Mrs. J.K. Kocum was a passenger to Omaha to meet her mother, Mrs. M. Bumerster, of Davenport, Iowa, who will visit here for some time.
M. Lebens was here from Lindsay visiting at the home of his brother-in-law, F.J. Miller, and family.
On Tuesday forenoon occurred the marriage of Miss Gladys Moore and John Shuster at the Clyde Catholic Church in Dodge county. The young people were escorted to the altar by Miss Mabel Moore of Clarkson, a cousin of the bride, and Harvey Shuster, brother of the bridegroom. On the return of the bridal party a wedding reception was given at the home of the bride's parents and in the evening a dance was held at the Shuster home, on the E. Novotny farm west of town. Sindelar's orchestra of Howells furnished music for the auspicious event. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Moore of near Howells, and bridegroom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Shuster, now residing west of Clarkson, both being respectable pioneer families of this county. The newly wedded couple will make their home on the Novotny farm formerly occupied by John Schaffer.
TOWN PROPERTY AT AUCTION
Jos. Bures will offer the city property he owns in the southwest part of town at public sale On Saturday, September 10. The property consists of a good-sized residence and several acres of land, the same once belonging to Alois Tomes, for further information look Up the advertisement in this issue.CLARKSON MARKETS
Wheat - $.97; Oats - .18-22; Corn - .29-.31; Rye - .70; Hogs - 8.10; Butter - .21; Eggs - .23
August 31, 1909 - reprinted May 3, 1989R.V. Prokop and his wife arrived here homeward bound from their trip through the west. Their journey covered a territory enveloping many states and extending over a mileage of several thousand miles. They left for Wilber after a brief rest and are due to arrive here again in a few days with the intention of remaining for a longer time.
Joe Srb, Jr., returned home from a two months' stay in the western part of the state where he helped Frank Vrtako, a former resident of the Howells locality, with the stacking and threshing of his large wheat crop. While there Joe availed himself of the opportunity to visit Cheyenne and other western cities. He was accompanied on the trip by his friends, Adolph Balak of Howells, and Alois Nejedly of Dodge, the trip both ways being made in the invincible Ford.
Jos. Kotan, who was confined at the David City hospital following an operation, recovered sufficiently to be released from his bed and is now again at his home. His condition is reported to be greatly improved.
Mrs. F.W. Noh went to Omaha to consult a specialist, relative to her health. She was down also last week spending several days at the Methodist hospital.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sindelar of Midland precinct.
Anton Prazak, Jos. Krikac and Fred Jelinek were in Howells several days assisting in the invoicing of the R.B. Folda stock of general merchandize, which was bought some time ago by Prazak Bros. and later sold by them to James Palik of Howells.
Frank Benes returned from Omaha where he took his daughter, Lillie, the day before to be operated upon for appendicitis at the Wise Memorial hospital. The operation was a success and the little patient is fast gaining in strength.
Louis Faltys bought an eighty acre farm of Vincenc Urban of Wilson precinct paying $100 an acre for it; he later sold it to Alois Molacek, taking as part payment a forty acre tract. Alois owned in Midland precinct at a valuation of $105 per acre.
James Machacek has his arrangements about completed for leaving Clarkson and taking up his residence on land purchased by him some time ago near Twin Falls, Idaho. He sold his interest in the lumber busines [sic] conducted by Geo. Engel and himself, under the firm name of Geo. Engel & Co., to his partner, and he sold his residence property in the southwest part of town to John Travnicek of Midland precinct who will rent his farm and move to Clarkson. Mr. Machacek and his family will take their departure for their new home in the far west some time the coming month.
Sheriff Kaspar and Deputy Sheriff Gutschow came up from Schuyler and took in charge Thomas Janousek, who the following day, had a hearing before the board of insanity who found him of unsound mind and committed him to the hospital at Norfolk for treatment. The unfortunate man has not been right mentally for some years. He owns an eighty acre farm three and a half miles west of this place where he lived by himself, leading a very lonesome existence. He farmed in spells, but much of the time allowed the place to grow up to weeds, which was not strange considering his condition. The stock on the place was poorly cared for and was as much to be pitied as Tom himself. It is better for all concerned that the unfortunate man has been sent where he will have proper care.
Some time ago the Woodmen of the world of this place were presented with a handsome banner by the head camp of the order as a reward for having raised the membershp [sic] of the local lodge over the one hundred mark. Last Sunday was the date determined upon for the dedication of the banner. The ceremonies were conducted in the large tent at the Clarkson picnic grounds. At a little after one o'clock the members of the local camp, with delegations of Woodmen from Leigh, Howells and Dodge, met at the lodge hall and headed by the Krofta band, followed by twenty flower girls dressed in white and carrying bouquets, and the speakers of the day, marched to the picnic grounds. There an address by O. Charvat of Omaha, editor of the Pokrok, was delivered in the Bohemian language and one by Geo. A. Magney of the same city in English. Besides this the program consisted of music by the band, singing a fine Woodmen drill by members of the Clarkson camp in charge of Captain Emil R. Dudek, and brief remarks made by Mesdames Ed Polcin, Emil R. Dudek, J. M. Mundil and Peter Zak who acted as sponsors for the banner. Following the ceremonies there was dancing and a good time in general.
One of the saddest things that we have been called upon to chronicle during the many years we have been in the newspaper business in [sic] the accidental death of little Erma, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Longin Folda. She had, for the first time, been able to unfasten the screen door and get outside, as she was a little girl aged fifteen months and a day. In the early evening when the various members of the family were busy and all thought she was safe indoors, she must have unfastened the door and wandered outside. Having only just finished her supper she wore a little bib, and in trying to pass through a gate back of the house she must have fallen for when her father found her a little later her feet were caught on a nail in a board less than sixteen inches above the ground. A doctor was hurriedly summoned, but the little spirit had fled. The funeral was held Sunday morning, services having been conducted by Rev. Swoboda at the family home.