Hibbing Boarder Is Arrested In Virginia

Claiming that John Lasella had stolen an accordion and had also jumped his board bill, the Hibbing authorities notified the police department of Virginia to be on the lookout for him. He was picked up here this morning and will be taken to Hibbing tonight. The complaint was made against Lasella by John Wyho, proprietor of the boarding house where the former is said to have stopped. The musical instrument alleged to have been stolen by him is valued at $40. The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, June 19, 1914

 

MADE TARGET OF ROCKS BY BOYS

 Philip Segal is tired of being made the target of rocks hurled at him by small boys residing on Poplar street. This morning he applied at the office of City Attorney Montague for a warrant for the arrest of a lad of 12, whom he says has particularly annoyed him. Last Sunday, according to Segal, a rock thrown by a small boy struck one of his children in the head and inflicted a wound that bled for an hour. Rocks have also broken windows for his neighbors and Segal lives in constant fear of attacks by youngsters who colley him with stones. He declares he has several times cautioned parents but that his admonitions count for nothing. Segal got his warrant. The case is one for the juvenile court. The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, May 29, 1914

 

ALA’S TRUNK IS REPOSITORY FOR VARIETY OF JUNK

If Matt Ala, who was arrested here Tuesday evening at the Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific station, charged with having robbed Felix Sibola of 107 Oak street of $425, would hang three gilded balls above his trunk, he would have a full-fledged second hand store. Treasure Island is a joke compared to Ala’s strong box.

When the prisoner was taken to the local county jail yesterday his belongings were given the once over by the deputies of Sheriff Meining. In the trunk, which bore his name, were a rare collection of gold watches of divers makes and styles; a complete arsenal of revolvers, enough collar and cuff buttons of every design to fill several trays, a full set of women’s furs, one dozen home spun socks of the lumberjack variety, suffi cient razors, ranging from the dude brand, with the pink handle and the flowered blade to the heavy Wade and Butcher, billy clubs of every shape and weight, neckties representing every color of the rainbow and sufficient to supply any ordinary haberdasher, and other similar junk.

Ala, Toivo Ostman and Matt Vallinen were all taken before Judge Carey in municipal court here late yesterday afternoon, charged with grand larceny, the information being that they had robbed Felix Sibola, a boarding house proprietor at 107 Oak street of $425 on the night of June 18. Ala entered a plea of not guilty and demanded a hearing. His companions waived examination. All three were bound over to the grand jury and yesterday afternoon were taken to the county jail at Duluth.

During his hearing, Ala testified that he had been given money by Ostman and Vallinen but that he did not know where they got it nor did he ask. He accounted for the presence of the junk in his trunk by stating that he intended to go to Europe and had bought the various articles for presents which he intended to give away when he crosses the broad expanse of the raging Atlantic.

Ostman and Vallinen told Assistant County Attorney Boyle that Ala was the brains of the raid on Sibola’s room, which resulted in the taking of the money. They said that Ala had given them keys with which to open the trunk sent them to the room, had them get the money and then come to Ala’s room and cut up the spoils.

Ostman says that he and Vallinen then walked down the Duluth, Missbe & Northern right of way where they planted their division of the loot under rocks. When they went back the next day to get their money, it was gone. They say they believe that Ala stole it. That, they say, is the reason they informed against him, implicating themselves.

Ostman and Vallinen told the county attorney yesterday that they would plead guilty to an information when they reached Duluth. The Virginia Enterprise— Friday, June 26, 1914

 

He Wanted to Marry Mary

Domonico Popi, resident of the Northside, was covered with confusion yesterday when he discovered upon his arrival at the office of Deputy Clerk of the Court U. G. Holloway to take out a marriage license that he had forgotten the last name of his prospective bride.

“I want to marry Mary,” he told the marriage license clerk.

“We shall be very happy to allow you to do so,” replied the clerk. “What is Mary’s last name?”

Domonico Popi shook his head, he suffered hot and cold flashes and his embarrassment was pitiful to behold, but his vagrant memory had served him a trick which he could not for the time overcome.

“I will go and ask Mary,” he said finally. Then he returned and the necessary document to legally allow Maria Nocoine and Domonico Popi to enter the state of “connubial bliss” were issued and Domonico was dismissed with the paternal blessings of Clerk of Court Holloway, which, everybody who knows him will agree, will count for a lot. The Virginia Enterprise— Friday, July 24, 1914

 

FOURTEEN ARE ARRESTED FOR SELLING BEER

Wild Alarm Goes Out Last Night and Lid Is Put On the Location Clubs

At noon today the police had made 14 arrests on charges of conducting unlicensed places on warrants sworn out by Jalmer Somers, amateur detective, who had for his assistants Edward Mattson and Ardo Salo, and who has just finished a campaign of securing evidence against alleged blind pigs under the direction of the city attorney’s office. Somers and his assistant sleuths altogether signed seventeen warrants. Three of them are still to be served.

Those who had been placed under arrest at noon were Enti Opecis, Frank Wolnar, Andy Karaka, Anja Ertsich, Anna Rukavina, Faustina Pienelli, Daniel Evanoff, Pasquale Tesonia, Joseph Jugovich, Mary Lahti, Mike Luluch, Mike Travicich and Margueretta Bergiani.

At the city hall this morning there was a veritable congress of all nations awaiting Judge Carey at the hour of the convening of the regular municipal court sessions. Bail was required from only five of those arrested, the others being released on their own recognizance to appear tomorrow.

Only one of the fourteen arrested has so far entered a plea of guilty, Andrew Karakas, who was arrested yesterday afternoon. He paid a fine of $50 and costs. 

The case against Anja Ertsich is being prosecuted this afternoon by Assistant City Attorney Merdink under the city ordinance. The defendant has retained Attorney Dahl and entered a plea of not guilty. The evidence is being taken before a jury composed of A. C. Stevens, Douglas Greeley, Joseph Karl, George Cooper and Andrew Skumatz. The city detectives testified as to having bought beer at the home of the Ertsich woman. She denied their story and declared she had not sold them beer but that they had been furnished two bottles of beer by one of her boarders. The woman conducts a boarding house on the Northside. She declared that the beer at her place was owned jointly by the boarders and that they had a right to do with it as they pleased.

Practically all of the accused have retained attorneys and will fight the cases against them.

Wild scenes are said to have been enacted at some of the neighboring locations yesterday when it became known that the police had started a general raid against the blind pigs. Several boarding house proprietors are missing today and according to those who profess to be informed a sudden drouth has overtaken all the locations. At the city hall today it was claimed that the word was quietly passed to all the placed where beer is kept to close up for a few days until the present flurry has passed. The Virginia Enterprise—Fri., July 3, 1914

 

GIRL DRINKS POISON IN JEST AND DIES

DAVENPORT, Iowa—Having quarreled with her lover and thinking to scare him, Beryl Smith, 20 years old, mixed a quantity of poison with some water last night and drank it in his presence as a joke, thinking it would not hurt her. She became ill soon afterward and died during the night. The Virginia Enterprise—Fri., July 3, 1914

 

BELIEVE MAN HAD NIGHTMARE

Although he had money in his pocket and a good gold watch, William Homze, itinerant laborer from Minneapolis last night chose a vacant shed near the Great Northern depot as a sleeping place. While Homze was sleeping soundly about 12:30 two men entered the shed to sleep for the night. Homze looked so good to them that they started going through his pockets. He was roused by their efforts and badly frightened, dashed down North Cleveland avenue, through one of the most fashionable residence districts of the city crying police and murder at the top of his voice. He succeeded in arousing practically all of that section of the city through which he careered on a race to the headquarters police station, where he told his troubles and was jailed. Homze still had his watch and money. The police believe he suffered from an attack of nightmare. The Virginia Enterprise—Fri., July 24, 1914

 

DRUNKEN MAN IS BADLY HURT

While exceedingly drunk this morning, Joe Nelson, familiar character in several range villages, was severely injured in a fall in a basement window in front of Gustafson & Hill’s saloon in the 100 block on Chestnut street, in that section of the city referred to as “the bowery.” Nelson undertook to help some teamsters placing ice in the basement and fell headlong through the window. His fall was broken by his striking one of the men in the basement, which prevented him from landing full and fair on his head. He was rendered unconscious and was badly cut about the head. A physician was summoned to attend him and he was revived and taken to jail. The Virginia Enterprise—Fri., July 24, 1914

 

CAR 40 DAYS CAT IS LOCKED IN BEER

ST. PAUL, June 11—When an ordinary black tomcat with back-fence vocal habits and a tendency to eat chickens and canaries disappears, there is usually no sequel to the story. But when a white cat with a black tail who has lived all his life at war with rats and at peace with pigeons disappears—that’s a different thing.

Pussy Goes to London

There was grief in the home of Mrs. Anna Lindberg, 83 Brott street, when “Puss,” the trusted family cat, suddenly dropped out of the domestic life of the family, March 14.

In Car With Beer

Mrs. Lindberg took a clipping from a Vancouver, B. C., paper to the Humane society offices. The clip told of the opening of a beer car and the finding of an emaciated cat that had been shut up since the car was sent from Milwaukee, April 25.

“That’s my cat,” said Mrs. Lindberg. “That’s Puss, sure.”

Society is Helpless  

When Mrs. Lindberg found the humane society could supply her with another cat but do no more, she told Miss Martha Mc- Connell that she will get her son to send a description of Puss to Vancouver, and if it tallies with the feline of the beer car, she will have the animal sent back to St. Paul. Mrs. Lindberg says her cat had the habit of trespassing on the railway property near her home, looking for rats in the cars.

Puss Swears Off

Anyway, the cat which reached Vancouver, B. C., according to the account, was a mere shadow of Tom. Travel in a beer car had not agreed with, and he was fain to crawl toward a saucer of milk given him by the custom house officials and swear off beer forever. The Virginia Enterprise—Fri., June 12, 1914

 

H.K. PETERSON MEETS TRAGIC DEATH IN BARN

Former Virginia Business Man Is Killed In Accident At Long Lake

News of the tragic death of Harry K. Peterson of Minneapolis, formerly well known business man of this city, has just reached the many friends of the decedent in this city.

Last week Mr. Peterson, his father-in-law and his brother-in-law went to Long lake, about 12 miles out from the Minnesota metropolis, to fish. When night came there was no place to sleep except in a nearby barn and the party climbed up into the haymow, made beds and retired.

In the morning when his companions awakened, Mr. Peterson was gone. A hasty search found him on the floor of the barn, below in a dying condition.

The injured man was placed in an automobile and in less than 45 minutes was in a hospital in Minneapolis where he died the same day without regaining consciousness. The funeral was held in that city. The decedent leaves a bride of six weeks. He has no relatives in this section of Minnesota.

It is thought by his father-in-law that Peterson must have gotten up in the night and, in wandering about the loft, fell through a hole in the upper floor. As his companions slept soundly all night, there is no way of ascertaining just how long he laid in a dying condition. The Virginia Enterprise—Fri., June 5, 1914