This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 13 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Muscatine Journal
Location
Muscatine, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Mar 10, 1909
Page
1
A man in custody was found dead by hanging in his cell shortly before seven this morning. Officials declare no blame attached to authorities amid claims of justice being cheated, and a personal safety note addressed to the judge is reported.
Harry Jones, the Van Winkle murder defendant, hanged himself in his Muscatine county jail cell using a torn mattress strip and a towel. Deputy Sheriff George Sherberger found him at 7 am. doctors said death came about one to two hours earlier. Jones had written letters and statements to Judge D. W. Jackson and his attorney E. M. Warner, and a letter to James Thomas from jail prior to the suicide.
A 1909 letter to Judge Jackson from Harry Jones accuses several named witnesses of lies and asserts his innocence in a crime. Jones blames the sheriff and Fairport residents, laments his prospects, and requests justice while claiming the real culprit should confess for public understanding.
Judge Anderson instructed the jury in the Standard Oil trial to return not guilty. The gov ernment losses two indictments. remaining cases concern 1815 carloads of oil shipped from Whiting Indiana to Evansville Indiana via Dalton Junction. Appeal planned to U S Supreme Court through Missouri Supreme Court stay of execution granted.
Murder of William Van Winkle and wife in a Fairport cottage on December 3 or 4 1907. Harry Jones alias Walter Beatty fled for over a year before arrest in Milan Kansas January 24 1909. Trial began March 2 with thirty witnesses. Jones died by self inflicted gunshot between 4 30 and 5 oclock this morning. Body to be shipped to Sherman Beatty in Alton Park Tennessee.
Salt Lake Utah March 10 The rescue of George and Jerry Peterson entombed in a tunnel at St Patrick mine for over forty hours continues. Rescue teams face frequent slides and are supplying air and nourishment through a two inch iron pipe as they fight to reach the trapped men.
Sioux City Iowa reports Thomas Willey aged fifty five killed himself this morning by blowing his head off with a gun. No health issue is given as cause.
Lord Guthrie granted the husband's petition in the Stirling divorce case. Custody of the children awarded to John Alexander Stirling, Lord of Kippendale, while Mrs. Stirling's cross petition was denied. Clara Elizabeth Taylor, an American show girl from New Jersey, was the wife. Cross suits were filed last fall naming Lord Northland and Mrs. Stirling and Mrs. Atherton as respondents.
G W A Dodge of Boston plans a steam railway from Des Moines to Nebraska City via Winterset Greenfield Red Oak Shenandoah and Sydney replacing the Des Moines and Creston Electric project. The proposal shifts from an electric to steam route linking major Iowa towns.
In Newark New Jersey on March 10 Reverend Father Erasin Anston rector of St Stanislaw Polish Church was shot and killed by three masked assailants who entered the rectory during mass. Housekeeper Antonia Sewrzytska was wounded. Four suspects were arrested amid factional disputes within the church.
The Mere dith resolution calling for the re submission of the prohibitory amendment passed the Iowa House in Des Moines by 68 to 37 with three absent. Senators may block it. if it passes the senate the measure cannot be voted on until 1911.
In a crowded courthouse the twelve jurors find Harry Jones guilty of first degree murder. They base the verdict on circumstantial evidence presented by the state, noting the defendant had no opportunity to defend himself and that the death of L O Steninger nearby influenced public opinion. The jury expresses that the verdict was not entirely fair but is official.
The forecast calls for fair and colder conditions tonight with Thursday remaining fair but partly cloudy in the west. In Illinois expect generally fair weather tonight and Thursday with cooler temperatures. Sunrise is 6 11, sunset 5 52, moonrise 9 21 p m.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.