Decorah public opinion., February 08, 1922, Image 1

About Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

                
TWELVE PAGES
VoL XXVIII.
OFFICER DOTSETH
SHOOTS BROTHER
Alfred Dotseth Shot and Killed by
His Brother, Policeman Matt
Dotseth in Altercation at
Steyer’s Hall Thurs
day Night.
DEATH RESULTED IN
LESS THAN A HOUR
Shooting Was Brought About W till'
Alfred Interferred With His
Brother Who Was Making
An Arrest.
Last Thursday night a deplorable
tragedy was enacted at Steyer’s
opera house during the progress of
the firemen’sj dance, when Alfred
Dotseth the well known proprietor of
the West End Bakery was shot by
his own brother, Policeman Matt
Dotseth.
The sequel to the shooting was
brought about when Officer Dotseth
placed John Morris under arrest for
intoxication about 11:30. The officer
encountered Morris in the hallway
near the ticket office just outside the
dance hall doors and ordered him to
go home* Morris demurred and
talked back to the officer and he
placed him under arrest and started
down the stairway with him. As we
understand it when nearing the bot
tom of the short flight of stairs
from the dance hall floor, which leads
to the long hall to the street proper,
they became engaged in a scuffle,
when Alfred Dotseth appeared on
the scene, and pulled Office Dotseth
off telling him to let Morris go, and
he would take cate of him.
The two brothers then became en
gaged in a heated argument over the
affair, while a crowd was gathering
in the hallway. Officer Dotseth then
drew his revolver, and as we under
stand it held the gun pointing up
ward. Alfred defied and dared him
to shoot, when Officer Dotseth, in the
excitement, evidently ton* w*» h—A.
lowertd the revolver and fired, the
bullet striking Alfred in the left
side below the heart.
He didn’t fall from the effects of
the shot, but great excitement reign
ed as the crowd began to get dense,
and few' realized that he was shot
Henry Haas and Ed Eewis took
hold of Alfred then and assayed him
down the stairs to the stieet and
started for Dr. J. D. Hexom’s office
in the Citizens Savings Bank build
ing, a block away. On the way to
the doctor’s office they melt Night
Officer Ira Rima. He stopped them,
enquired what the trouble was, and
on being informed took charge of
Alfred and assisted him to the doc
tor’s office.
When they got along the weeit
side of the Citizens bank Alfred |
collapsed, falling to the walk. He
was then picked up and carried to
the second floor of the building to
the doctor’s office. Dr. Hexom ar
rived immediately and after making
a hasty examination, declared the
wound fatal. Drs. Jewell and Frit
ehen were also summoned, an am
bulance was procured and the
wounded man was rushed to the De
corah hospital. The doctors efforts
to save him were of no avail ami he
died at 12:25. The shot was from a
32 calibre revolver.
After the shooting Officer Dotseth
went to the Winneshiek hotel ami
telephoned Mayor Conover what had
happened, then went up to the doc
tor’s office to see how seriouisly his
brother was injured.
While Dr. Hexom was making the
examination in his office Officer Rima
telephoned for Marshal Tavener who
ha<l just got home and was prepar
ing to retire. Marshal Tavener
dressed, got into his car and rushed
over to the iloctor’s office. He then
demanded Officer Dotseth’s revolver
and he turned it over to h:m, and
was (then taken to his home in Mar
shal Tavener’s car. When news of
the death of Alfred was made known
at around 12:30, there was much
excitement prevailing in the crowd
that had remained on the streets,
ami Officers Rima and Tavener re
turned to 6fficer Dotseth’s home, in
formed him that Alfred had <Ue<l,
ami ordered him to accompany them
to the jail. When they drove back
through the street Officer Rima and
Dotseth were in the back seat of the
car ami in a crouching position, so
the crowd did nit pay any attention
to the car, thinking only the driver
was in it, and Officer Dotseth *as
placed safely in the jail.
Friday morning Coronor Willi-
;
%
fflecoial) Public ©pinion.
SIO,OOO LOCAL
REAL ESTATE DEAL
F. A. Klepper Buys Three Business
Buildings on Washington Street
From Weiser Estate.
BOUGHT THEM
AS AN INVESTMENT
Buildings are Occupied by Bergland
Restaurant, McKinney Pump
tf /s House and KJepper Soft
'"■''/if .Drink Parlor.
One of the largw -»al estate deals
taking place 'in Decorah in 'time
was consumaited last week when F.
A. Klepper purchased the three two
story brick buildings on Washing
ton street belonging to the WeLser
estate. The three buildings join each
other. The first one is situated on
ithe comer of Washington and Main
street and is occupied by Mr. Klep
per with his soft drink establishment.
The other two are the buildings oc
cupied by the McKinney Pump and
Windmill Works and the Bergland
restaurant. SIO,OOO was paid for the
property.
Mr. Klepper bought' the properly
as an investment. He has no plans
yet as to any improvements he con
templates making iin the buildings.
The upper floors are not occupied,
and perhaps later these will be fixed
up in good shape for occupancy. It
looks like a good investment, as the
biuldings are situated iu a good loca
tion, and the traffic in that section
is heavy.
Mr. Klepper recently sold half •in
terest in his business to his brother
in law, Gust Becker, who is now as
sociated with hiqn.
At one time Valder College oc
cupied quarters above these bdild
ings.
News From Co. Supt. Office
Mr. H. A. Kittelson bought a set
of eight maps for district number
foor, fflglltaflff TttomiiU.y ■■ ii ■»*
Mr. Bucl Davis nought a hanging
globe, for Orleans Township, DiAriel
number four.
Over 250 pupils in Winneshiek
County, took the eigth grade exam
ination on February - second and
third.
Quite a number of the country
schools have been very successful in
their community entertainments, and
some have cleared twenty and thirty
dollars, all of which money is being
spent by the respective district for
the purchase/of books, etc.
The Educational school blanks for
the entire year, are being mailed to
the Secretaries of the Independent
Districts, and Directors of the Sub
Districts.
Mr. Ed Easier ordered library
books for Fremont township district
No. 7.
Money makes a good friend, but
a poor bride.
empanelled a coionor’s jury - compos
ed of Agrim Lee, Henry Bidne and
Sam Barth. County Attorney Nel
son represented the state and sixteen
witnesses were examined. At the
conclusion of the inquest the jury
found that Alfred Dotseth had oome
to his death by violence, and the
finding held Officer Dotseth to the
justice court for a hearing.
Saturday morning he was taken
before Justice H. F. Bart hell. At the
hearing he was represented by At
torney' Frank Sayre, and County
Attorney Nelson appeared for the
State. The hearing was short. Dot
seth waiving examination and Justice
Barthell bound him over to await
the action of the grand jury, which
convened Monday afternoon. He
was not released on bonds and was
taken back to jail.
It is a deplorable affair and much
sympathy is expressed on both sides,
but murder is the major crime on
the calendar, and under the circum
stances it is up to the county attor
ney to prosecute the case. After all
the facts are placed before a jury
providing the man is indicted and
brought to trial, it is then up to the
twelve men and itrue to say what
fate is in store for the accused.
Alfred Dotseth, the slain man was
26 years of age, was popular and
well liked by everybody. He con
ducted a bakery here for several
years past and was a good business
man. He was a soldier in the world
war and saw overseas service, and
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DECORAH, WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1922
Gertrude M. Crane,
County Supt.
Mi MV N
COMMERCIAL CLUB
DOES GOOD WORK
New Club Now Functioning in
Neighboring City Doing Worthy
Work for Their Start Off.
HELPING WORKING MEN
HOLD THEIR JOBS
Much Good Done by These Clubs
Wherever They Are Properly
Supported.
The good that a Commercial Club
can do in a community is unlimited
and all active clubs are accomplish
ing much. The following taken from
the West Union Argo Gazette shows
some good work the W’est Union club
performed recently. We notice that
Mayor Frank Morrison, a former De
corahian, was responsible in getting
the club started.
“The new community club is al
ready functioning for the benefit of
the public, but some of the boosters
are so modest about it that they
forget to blow their horn. A matter
of a good deal of importance to the
general welfare as quietly but ef
fectively attended to by A. L. Nel
son, president of the club, and Mayor
Frank Morrison, who was responsible
for getting the club started. They
learned that a number of workmen,
Mexicans and other foreigners, were
about to be sent here to replace
an equal number of West Union
citizens as section hands, so they
promptly got into communication
twice with railroad officials, and ob
tained assurance that the change
would not be made. While the sec
tion men are not working full time,
the force numbers sixteen when at
work, and it can be seen that the
loss of jobs to that many residents
would have been a bad thing for the
town. The posted notice offering
employment to section hands says
that preference will be given to mar
ried men. To leppp local hemls of
♦MTtfHF'iPflr vrnp’owent bj rea. on of
the prestige enjoyed by the Com
munity Club and the mayor’s office
is a result which should bring sat
isfaction to all our citizens.’’
Bible Story Telling Contest
The second annual Bible Story
Contest was held in the Methodist
Church last Sunday evening. An
audience large enough to almost fill
the auditorium gathered to enjoy
the unique event.
Nine young ladies of the Sunday
school took part in the contest. They
were: Dorothy Morgan, Hazel Miller,
Alice Carlson, Velma Roney, Stella
Rulth, Mabel Thornton, Louise
Crumb, Edna You mans.
Alice Carlson, Stella Ruth and
Louise Crumb were adjudged the
winners and will be sent to Postville
later to defend the local church in
contest with other winners in local
church contests.
Those addicted to fast living
sooner or later exceed the need limit.
his deploable death is the cause of
much sorrow.
Officer Matt Dotseth has been con
nected with the city administration
since last March when be was ap
pointed Street Commissioner by
Mayor Conover. About a month or
so ago, the need of another night
officer was felt and the mayor ap
pointed him to the police force. He
is a member also of the Decorah fire
department and attended the dance
that evening in his fireman’s uni
form, and was on duty there to as
sist in keeping Norder. He is 33
years of age, married and has two
children.
The funeral services of Alfred Dot
seth were held Monday afternoon
from the undertaking parlors of Wal
lis & Ness. The funeral services
were conducted by'Rev. I. B. Torri
son of the Norwegian church, and
were attended by a large crowd of
sympathetic friends, besides the De
corah lodge of Elks and American
Legion of which the deceased was
a member. Burial was in the Nor
wegian cemetery.
Alfred Doteeth was born in Canoe
township 26 years ago, but had been
a resident of l Deoorah jfor some
years. A year ago last January he
bought 'the Alstad bakery’ ami had
conducted a successful business since.
He was well liked and much sym
pathy is extended to the breaved
family in his death. He is survived
by his parents, two slaters and six
brothers.
Zi -»*wn
DR. 0.1. OLSON
HONORED FRIDAY
President of Luther College Has
Rounded Out His Fiftieth Birth
day and Was Given
Pleasing Surprise.
HAS BEEN PROMINENT
IN CHURCH AND COLLEGE
Has Typified All That Luther College
Attempts to Develop. Popu
lar and Well Liked by All.
On Friday, Feb. 3rd, Dr. Oscar L.
Olson acting president of the college
celebrated his fiftieth birthday. In
the evening the faculty and student
body assembled in Loyalty Hall,
where a short program had been
prepared in his honor. Dr. Olson
was entirely unaware of the plans
and when by a succession of subter
fuges, he was finally brought onto
the scene, his surprise was complete.
Being requested to say a few words,
he responded to the ovation which
was given him on his# entrance ii\
a few fitting words.
After refreshments had been serv
ed, Dr. Gjerset was introduced. In
behalf of himself and his colleagues
and the student body he welcomed
the guest of honor and congratulated
him on the occasion. He showed
how Dr. Olson typified all of that
which was most desirable in the kind
of personality which Luther College
attempts' to develop. Since his stu
dent days at the college when he was
the most prominent athlete in the
school he has been a strong man
physically. At the college and in
the city as well as in the church
which he has served most of his life
he has won an enviable reputation as
a scholar and orator of marked abil
ity. He has supplemented his na
tural endawnments with a deep seat
ed conviction to the value of hard
work. All of his abilities he has
all of the years of his life since
he grew to manhood, for many years
as a teacher and now as its admini
strative head. Dr. Gjerset concluded
his remarks by presenting Dr. Olson
with a gold headed umbrella as a
mark of esteem from the faculty.
Oscar Rem of the sophomore class
won a place in the eastern divisional
oratorical contest which was held
at lowa Wesleyan College at Mt.
Pleasant, Friday evening, the third.
Placing in this contest entitles Mr.
Rem to compete in the state contest
which will be held at Upper lowa
University next month. Mr. Rem’s
success is due largely to the strenu
ous efforts of Prof. Talle, the foren
sics coach, who has worked continu
ally for a month preparing Mr. Rem
I for the contest.
Luther engaged in another forensic
contest on Friday evening when the
preparatory debating team won a
unanimous decision over the team
representing Luther Academy of Al
bert Lea, Minn. The Preps defended
the negative of the question of feder
al operation of railroads and were
represented by Paul Olson of this
city, Carl Lucky of Parkland, Wash.,
and Armin Johnson of Capron, 111.
Both of the coaches were Luther Col
lege men, Prof. David Nelson of the
class of 1912 coaching the Preps and
Olaf Malmin of the class of 1921
coaching the Academy team.
Kenyon to be Circuit Judge
United State Senator W. S. Ken
yon was appointed circuit judge by
President Harding last week. After
the appointment it was stated he
would not resign until some constitu
tional question raised was settled,
but this is apparently fixed now, and
he will leave the senate in a short
time. Hiis successor vffll be apjxrint
ed by Gov. Kendall. In the names
mentioned we noticed the name of
Congressman Haugen mentioned. It
is up to the governor to say who
takps Kenyon’s seat.
Hogs Hit SIO.OO Mark
Hogs hit the SIO.OO mark in Chi
cago yesterday and they are steady
to ten cents higher today, which na
turally makes the farmer feel good,
and at that rate the surplus com
is going to* come in handy.
New Pope is Chosen
Cardinal Achille Ratti, archbishop
of Milan, Italy, was proclaimed elect
ed Pope in succession to the late
Benedict XV. on Monday morning.
He has the name of Pius XI.
HEXOM&SON GET
NEW LOCATION
|
Will Occupy Dauhney Building East
of Decorah Furniture Co.
Building Will Be
Remodeled.
BEAUTIFUL NEW FRONT
WILL BE PUT IN
Specifications Call For One of the
Prettiest and Most Modern
Stores in Northeastern
lowa.
John C. Hexom & Son, who have
given up their lease on their presen!
store quarters, which expires next
October, have already leased new
quarters, the Daubney building, op
posite the Ben Bear Clothing Co.,
formerly occupied by the McKeag
Bakery.
This building will be remodeled
and transformed into one of the most
modern business houses possible to l
construct. One of the prettiest store j
fronts in Northeastern lowa will be
installed, which will measure up
with the store fronts seen in the up
to dute specialty shops in the larger
cities.
They expect to have the work
completed in April and on June
first will open up an exclusive shoe
store. Their grocery business will ,
possibly be conducted in the
quarters until the expiration of tn?
lease. It is their intention to dis
continue the grocery line then.
The new store front will be twelve J
feet deep, built of jj^ty’^kUtifUl
prices. Very £
entrance. SPRING SUITS AT /
the nrwer type THE E
The inside of tu»
planned by a store ex pe^g-_ *
pletely remodeled. It is
have the seating,
to conform with the A
BLAST!
bringing them up to a higher point
than crer before.
Special arrangements will be made
for shoe findings, such as strings,
polishes, etc.
The hosiery department will be de
veloped still more. The firm enjoys
a big business in hosiery now, but
this department w'ill be made better
than ever.
In connection with the window dis
plays they will be kept up to the
level of city shops, as Mr. Philip
Hexom, junior member of the firm is
an expert window dresser, and with
the handsome new display windows
planned the public can expect some
beautiful showings.
The entire store will be kept up
as complete as possible, so as to
render their customers as good a
shoe service as it is possible to do.
Contractor A. R. Coffeen is busy
drawing the plans for the store now.
Decorah Business Man to Make an
Address Before Northwest
Merchants.
L. K. Knight, of the dry goods
firm of Connor Bros. & Knight left
Monday night for St. Paul on a spec
ial invitation extended to him to
meet with the Northwest Merchants
Business Conference, composed jof
merchants west of the Misssippi and
the trade territority of Northern
low'a, North and South Dakota ami
Montana.
INVITED TO ST. PAUL
Mr. Knight will appear before the
Conference for an address and ex
plain two of his recent big sale
successes, the “Old Lady Gossip ami
Mother Goose Sales” ami “The Live
Wire Sale” the latter whera a cut
of a telephone was used.
These advertisements have met
with a wide circle of favorable com
ment from many prominent mer
chants. They have been reproduc
ed in leading Trade Journals and
Mr. Knight has had requests from
nine different states for the use of
the cuts and advertising.
Having Decorah advertising ap
pearing in all these magazines and
papers is a good advertisement for
Decorah, the best old town in the
Northwest. That Mr. Knights ad
dress before thewe Northwest mer
chants will result in much good for
ail concerned goes without saying.
The fool w’ho parts with money too
freely, after all is wiser than the
miser who allows his soul to be
buried beneath it.
TWELVE PAGES
BEN BEAR WRITES
FROM NEW YORK
Square Dealing Clothier Who i» on
His 92d Buying Trip Tells
About Life in the Big
Metropolis.
BUSINESS IS GOOD
HAS TURNED CORNER
Merchandise Looks Better Than Ever
To Him and the Stock Pur
chased for Spring Will
Surely Please.
Hotel Astor,
New' York, Feb. 6, 1022.
My Dear Public Opinion:
After a very pleasant trip on
the Century Limited, 20 hour train
from Chicago to New York I ar
rived here promptly on time to find
that an almost summer rain was
helping the street cleaning depart
ment to get rid of the snow and
slush, as there was a heavy snow
fall last Saturday and Sunday. I
notice the department in this line of
work is using a great many plows
and tractors, very similar to those
used by farmers at home to push
the snow into heaps and then cart
it to the sewer openings into the
river. This method has only been
in vogue since the war and saves
thousands of dollars in every storm,
usually costs between half a
million and a million to clean the
streets of this wonderful city after
a heavy fall of snow. The streets
being so con jested in fair weather
. * , .)( make traffic almost im-
SpGClfll »iritfi much snow on the
(f-oale
'SAVING, our white
* rav£ jus'ffwnjiplbfeii aaerntu.ii’. an t
additions to their building at 100
Broadway which cost in the neigh
borhood of four millions of dollars,
and has doubled the size of the
building. The interior of the old
building was remodeled to conform
with the additions which were built
in the shape of an L around it. All
this was done while the old tenants
remained in the building, and as one
part was finished these tenants were
moved to another part, while the
old part was remodeled. I simply
mention this to show what can be
accomplished when an emergency
exists, because a couple of years ago
there was a great lack of office space
in.the financial district. The Amer
ican Surety Company, the owners of
this magnificient building, employ
about 600 girls, who work type
writers and bookkeeping machines,
as all this work is entirely done by
machines, especially built. The em
ployees of this company receive their
lunch free of charge, in a restaur
ant which is situated on the top
floor of tho building, and the roof
is built so that it is used also for the
recreation of the employees w’ho
spend a little time there getting
fresh air after luncheon. Giving
this free lunch keeps the employees
off the street and makes for effici
ency and better service. Another
splendid thing which these big con
cerns do for their help Is that they
have a room fitted up like a hospital
in charge of a nurse and doctor, who
are there constantly to give any at
tention to their people that may be
necessary, and there is never any
charge for this service.
To show you the enormous rentals
that are paid, one of the large banks
occupying five floors in this build
ing, pays a rental of about SI,OOO
per day, on a very long lease. The
vault is located in the sub-basement,
and is almost two stories high and
300 tons of steel rails were used in
building it. The vault is free on
all sides, so that special guards can
walk around it and prevent any bur
glars from digging through, or un
dermining it. All the big banks and
trust companies have their own pri
vate guards which is like a small
police force, as they are in uniform
and are drilled like regular police
officers. Most of these new innova
tions came about since the war, as
so much gold and securities have
been shipped to this country that it
is very’ necessary that the great
precaution should be taken.
I even noticed marine guards,
Continued on page 7.
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