TIMES ARE CHANGING

In June of 1875, a man by the name of Ellis and his son were charged with murder.

The Reform Herald stated in the June 6 issue, “Mr. Ellis and son are in a peck of trouble. First they were arrested for assault with the intent to kill and taken before Squire Knulton who admitted them to bail in the sum of $2000 and $3000. Afterward their victim died and they were charged with murder and taken before Squire Campbell who refused bail and committed them to jail.”

The Reform Herald, reported in June of ‘75, “Things got lively in one of Steamboat Rock’s banks Monday last when someone attempted to drag the cashier from behind the counter and pitch him into the street but got awfully choked in return for his insolence.”

The Reform Herald noted that the number of horse thieves was growing. John Hoover of Steamboat Rock, had a horse stolen in October of 1875. The Herald said, “A few yards of hemp properly administered might serve to check the problem.”

In April of 1876, R.G. Wood of Steamboat Rock took an ax and attempted to dispatch his family with it. He was
prevented from doing so when he was arrested and taken before Mayor Wales.

Evidently he didn’t have to do much time because in early May, Wood was “not arrested” for fighting. It seems that the then Marshall Clark was afraid of Mr. Wood and arrested the totally innocent victim of the fight. The innocent man was jailed overnight and in the morning the Marshall was fined $5 for arresting an innocent man.

It May be that Marshall Clark was fired because later in the month of May, a man by the name of Ingram was the Marshall.

It seems that and often over indulgent Tom Clancy of Steamboat Rock broke into Meyers saloon and after loading his pockets with cigars decided to make off with a lager of beer. It seems that Tom put an equal amount of the beer within himself as he chose to carry, and the beer on the inside overtook him before he reached his home. Marshall Ingham found the very inebriated Mr. Clancy asleep by the jail’s woodpile. Mr. Clancy woke up inside the jail.