Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, July 19, 1923 -- BOTH PROPOSITIONS CARRY -- The people of Livingston in the special election held in that city on Tuesday proved themselves to be progressive and both propositions on their bond issue program carried.

One proposition called for $12,000 in bonds for the paving of Livingston Avenue from the Big Four tracks to the hard road connection and the other was for the issuance of $4,000 in bonds for the purchase of the electric light distribution system. The vote was: For Light Proposition, 95; against 52; For Hard Road, 97; against 60.

LOVE'S YOUNG DREAM FRUSTRATED -- When Lloyd Frey and Miss Elizabeth Boskamp, both of Panama, decided to elope to Edwardsville last Friday and be married they did not know that the marital bliss would be of only a few minutes duration. But the irate parents of the girl, Mr. and Mrs. William Boskamp, arrived on the scene a few minutes after the ceremony and made the sobbing bride accompany them home.

Mr. Frey and Miss Boskamp appeared at the office of County Clerk Calvin J. Blattner Friday morning and applied for a license. The couple were rather youthful in appearance, but were accompanied by Miss Mary Frey, a sister of the groom, and John Mekush, who said he was the girl's brother. Miss Frey swore to an affidavit that the groom was 21 and the brother of the girl declared she was 18.

The license was granted and the couple proceeded to the office of Justice of the Peace J.W. Buckley, where the ceremony was performed, the two relatives acting as witnesses. The couple then went to a local restaurant for lunch and were just sitting down when the girl's parents appeared on the scene, and after a stormy interview the girl was forced to accompany her parents home, the groom returning home with the other attendants.

Mr. and Mrs. Boskamp then appealed to State's Attorney L.M. Harlan of Macoupin county to take action against the young man and told different stories.

They said that the young man, supposedly from Staunton, drove up at their home Friday morning and asked the young lady, who is only 15 years of age, to go for a ride. They stated that he had first removed a spring from their car so they could not follow.

They said that he then brought her to Edwardsville where they were married. They declared that the girl was kidnapped, but it is evident that the bride was not an unwilling one, and that the elopement had been well planned. The presence of the attendants also discredits this story.

State's Attorney Harlan said he had no authority on the subject as the marriage took place in Madison county, and, so far as is known, the girl's parents have not interviewed the state's attorney here. Under the circumstances it is doubtful whether they can take any legal action, but they may force the young lady to remain at home for the next three years –Edwardsville Intelligencer.

GEO. VANATTA SHOT AT HENDERSON -- There was another attempt of murder at the little mining town of Henderson, northeast of Gillespie, Friday night.

Geo. Vanatta, who was running a soft drink parlor, was shot in the head and twice in his shoulders and is now in the Litchfield hospital in a critical condition.

According to reports two masked men entered his place and commenced shooting at the proprietor and never molested another man in the place.

This is the second murder at this mining town in less than three weeks. On June 30, Mr. Vertico, a soft drink proprietor was killed.

Thursday, July 26, 1923 -- NEWS NOTES FROM POLICE STATION -- Several cases tried and dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence -- The trial of Arthur Dick and Ernest Steigemeier, who were charged with having attempted to hold up Wm. Bub on Saturday evening of last week, was held at the police station Friday evening. Attorney Isaacs of Gillespie represented the state and Attorneys Willoughby and George were present in behalf of the defendants.

After hearing the evidence presented, Justice of the Peace John F. Wiss, before whom the case was tried, dismissed the same.

On Monday afternoon a case was tried before Justice of the Peace J..H. Chapman, the charge being disturbance of the peace and the principals being Steve Blaskovich and Anna Savalik. This case also was dismissed, after hearing some of the evidence, Steve Blaskovich, who on Tuesday of the past week was arrested on a charge of having violated the prohibition laws, later in the week was fined $300 and costs at Carlinville and released.

Traffic law violators continue to contribute to the work at the police station. An accident occurred Sunday evening on South Madison street in which two automobiles and a girl riding a bicycle were involved. The cars, one of which was driven by Arthur Sievers and the other a Ford driven by Mike Fesko of Williamson, were going in opposite directions. Barbara Daubernick. riding the bicycle, attempted to pass through between the two machines and was squeezed. The girl sustained scratches and bruises about the limbs and her bicycle was completely destroyed.

AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE -- Max Ott of our city on Saturday afternoon had an experience which might easily have terminated with more disastrous results than it did. Mr. Ott had driven to St. Louis in his roadster and was on his way back to Staunton when the accident occurred. As he approached the Wabash tracks south of our city, he noticed a freight train coming and stopped about 30 feet from the track. Wm. Brandt in his machine was in back of Mr. Ott and he stopped about 100 feet to the rear of Ott's car. While waiting for the train to pass, Max's car was suddenly given a terrific jolt from the rear, a big Lexington car, bearing a Missouri license having run into the rear of Maxie's roadster.

The force of the impact pushed the roadster forward from 15 to 20 feet and badly damaged the rear portion of the car. But for the fact that Mr. Ott stopped a considerable distance from the tracks, he would have been pushed into the moving train. As it was, he was thrown from his seat, but fortunately not injured. Mrs. Earl Bethel of our city rode out from St. Louis with Mr. Ott and she too escaped injury. Mr. Brandt stated that the Lexington passed his machine at a speed of from 30 to 35 miles an hour and the driver, evidently realizing that he would run into the train, preferred a collision with Mr. Ott's car. Max has the name and license number of the reckless bird from Missouri but up the present time has not yet been reimbursed for the damage to his car.