Lake City City (part 3 of 3)

of the steamer J]olian in the spring of 1S59. Early that spring several steamboats had arrived at Read's Landing from St. Louis, and were waiting for a passage through the lake, being delaj-ed or ice-bound several days. At last a channel appeared, supposed to be wide enough to enable them to reach the open water at Lake City and land below the point. The old War Eagle (a substantial and powerful boat) forced a passage through, followed by another vessel (name unknown) of nearly equal size and strength. The moment these large crafts emerged from the narrow channel into the open space, the great bodies of ice on either side closed together on the ill-fated ^olian, wliich was only a short distance behind, and cut her in two at the water's edge. The lower part, with the machinery and three persons (two men and an old lady who ran below to save some articles of clothing), sank immediately, leaving the cabin and pilot-house on the ice. The bodies were recovered after the ice was removed, and were buried near this city. Two of them were on their way to this place to locate and start to make themselves a home.

On June 12, 18S2, Frank Collins was drowned by the criminal carelessness of the officers of the steamboat -Centennial. Young Collins was out in a skiff, in company with two other men and a boy, and was engaged in iishing, lying at anchor about sixty feet from shore at the end of the point. The Centennial, on her way up the lake, had made her usual halt at Washington street, and resumed her coui'se. When rounding the point she ran over the skiff, cutting it in two. The other parties who were with Collins sprang into the water and were saved, while Collins, who attempted to pull in the anchor, was drowned. He was a son of JMr. Timothy Collins, an early settler of this city, and was about twenty-three years old. The captain, Thomas L. Davidson, was sued by the young man's father for his personal damages in the United States court at St. Paul, and obtained a judgment for fifteen hundred dollars and costs, in December, 1SS3. "

The pilot, John King, was indicted by the grand jury, tried in the district court at Wabasha, and convicted of manslaughter in the fourth degree. Judge Card, of Lake City, prosecuted the ease in the United States court, and assisted the county attorney in the prosecution of King.

On Sunday, April 22, 1883, John Matter and his newly-married wife were drowned in the lake'about a mile from this city. They were residents of Pepin, and on the day named had come to Lake

City for a few needed articles and a pig. They had started back about 3 P.M., and when about a mile out were struck with a gale of wind which instantly overturned the boat. Otto Marks, who accompanied them, was rescued by some boy, in a drowning condition ; the pig, more fortunate, succeeded in reaching shore alive. The bodies were recovered in a few days and buried at West Abany.

Scores of precious lives have been lost in Lake Pepin's beautiful though treacherous waters, and no less than nine bodies were covered with the ice of the winter of 1884.

Other incidents worthy of mention are the shooting of Thomas Martin and Patrick Murphy by City Marshal S. B. Dilley. This unfortunate aifair happened on Saturday, September 12, 186,8. The victims were comparative strangers in town, having been in the employ of farmers during harvest, and had come to town for a little hilarity. Drinking, singing and playing games had been the order of the da3% and night had found them and their, companions considerably intoxicated, and consequently noisy. About eight o'clock in the evening the marshal's attention was attracted to a drinking den on Washington street, between Center and Marion streets, by the boisterous and vociferous demonstrations within. Upon going to the door (the evidence at the trial disclosed) he was met by some of the parties in a fearful state of excitement, who, he supposed, were about to attempt to lay hands on him. In the momentary excitement one chamber of his revolver was (some say accidentally) discluu'ged, the bullet taking effect in Martin's breast. Murphy then took hold of the marshal's throat, and was instantly shot in ihe chest. The two men soon after died of their wounds, and excitement among the Irish element ran high. The better class of them, however, succeeded in restoring order, called a meeting and passed resolutions declaring that any person who attempted personal violence or revenge on Marshal Dilley was no friend of theirs. They also, at tlie same time, took steps to raise means for the purpose of a vigorous prosecution of the slayer of their friends. On Monday following the marshal gave himself up, waived a formal examination, and asked the court for permission to be released on bail. This was granted, and bonds in the sum of ton thousand dollars were signed and turned over to the guardians of the law for his appearance before the district court. After being continued through several terms of court his case was finally brought to trial, and by the most strenuous efforts on the part of his attorneys - Judge Wilder, of Red Wing, and H.

D. Stocker, of Lake City - he was saved from the penitentiary. The prosecution was conducted by tlie county attorney, "\Y. W. Scott. Other able counsel had been employed to assist the county attorney at iirst, but as the years passed interest seems to have been lost, and the money and counsel, so lavishly promised at first by the dead men's friends, never materialized.

Another shooting aftair, attended with fatal results, occurred in the fall of 1SS2, about a mile below the city limits, at a house of questionable reputation. The victim, David Davis, while in an exciting altercation with a young man named John White, was shot by the latter, and died within forty-eight hours. Davis was a man of whom little is said, and was perhaps better known by men who possessed similar traits of character. White was tried by a jury of his fellow-citizens, and sentenced to the penitentiary for five years. He is a young man of German birth, and promises to outlive this unfortunate disgrace, and yet become an honored and law-abiding citizen.

"The cistern has caved in - two men are buried!" were the words that S]3read from lip to lip, and from house to house, a short time before noon, on August 11, 1873.

People fled from their stores, shops, and, in tact, from all parts of the city, to the scene of the disaster, at the corner of Garden and Dwelle streets, where the fire department was having a cistern constructed. The report was confirmed, and the appalling sight which met the eyes of the gathering crowd can better be imagined than described. The cistern, which was about twent}' feet square, had been excavated to a depth of nearly eighteen feet, wlien the earth suddenly gave way on all sides - burying two poor unfortunate laborers under tons of dirt. Men went to work regardless of time, talent or station in life, and the same evening restored to their hapless widows and helpless orphans the lifeless bodies of Benjamin Kramer and Adna Sanford. Those men iiad dwelt here for several years, and had become known and respected as honorable and industrious citizens.

Mrs. Sanford still resides here, and has raised her family of eight orphan children honorably, and without the aid or interference of either the city or county.

Near the corner of Center and Prairie streets, while re-curbing a well, Mr. J. F. Hall was buried a distance of thirty-five feet below the surface, by the sudden caving in of the well, while he was at

On January 18, 1871, Mrs. John McBride was instantly killed while out riding with her son, C. W. Smyth, of this city. The horse being frightented, became unmanageable, and began running and kicking. Mrs. McBride, realizing her imminent danger, sprang from the cutter, the concussion of which produced a fracture of the spinal column near the Isase of the brain, and died without speaking. She was one of Lake City's most respected ladies, and her loss was much felt by its citizens.