Trails to the Past

Walsh County North Dakota News Stories

Serious Accident
George Trotter of Minto met with a serious accident a week ago, which will lay him up for some time. Mr. Trotter was preparing to cut some ice in the river back of his home. He was carrying a sharp ax and stepping backward his foot entered a hole in the ice, causing him to lose his footing, and in falling the blade of the ax fell across his wrist, nearly severing it. This misfortune, coming as it does on the heels of a severe attack of typhoid fever, makes the situation rather serious. Hope Pioneer March 26, 1903

 “Rustler” is Mad
Grafton—Sam Winters, who was arrested for stealing horses, was found guilty by the jury after it was out twenty-five minutes. Winters is twenty-nine years old. He came here last summer, and after he had been in the city for two or three days he hired a team of horses from Giles & Son. He drove away and did not return. Later he was located on the Canadian side and a deputy sheriff ran him down. At the trial his attorneys have attempted to show that he has been afflicted with epilepsy. It was shown that he at one time was confined in an insane asylum at Middlefort, Denmark, and was arrested for horse stealing in Cass county, North Dakota, but was acquitted on the Insanity plea.  The case will be appealed to the supreme court. Golden Valley Chronicle Beach Billings County ND. February 21, 1908

Harvest Hand Thrown from Car
Ardoch, N. D., Oct. 20.—Victor Gordhammer, a threshing engineer whose home is at Argyle, Minn., was robbed of $90 and thrown from the top of a Great Northern box car. He had been running a threshing machine for a man near Grafton and came into Grafton on his way home, but too late for the passenger train.  About 11 o’clock a freight train pulled in and he boarded It, climbing up on a box car close to the engine.  When about four miles from Ardoch two fellows came walking along the cars, one of them carrying a basket of grapes. Upon coming up to him they sat down and commenced eating the grapes and passed the basket to him. From the questions they asked him, he became suspicious, but when one of them pulled a gun and ordered “hands up,” there was nothing else to do and they went through him to the extent of his earnings. At this time the train was close to Ardoch and the lights of the brakeman could be seen coming along the car from the end of the train, when the thugs deliberately pushed him off the moving train into the ditch. That he escaped with his life is a miracle. He was struck on his head and shoulders and lay stunned for sometime. By the time that he was able to get into Ardoch the freight had gone. The Evening Times October 20, 1911

Wedding - Witasek - Vorachek
Wednesday morning at St. Joseph’s Catholic church in Lankin occurred the marriage of Miss Minnie Vorachek, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Vorachek of that place, and Adolph Witasek. A large company of invited guests attended the ceremony and a wedding dinner was served at the home of the bride’s parents. The couple are enjoying their honeymoon in Minneapolis and will be at home in Lankin after November 1. The Evening Times October 20, 1911

Arrest of Threshing Crew Worker
Freeman Alexander, a colored spike pitcher in a threshing crew near Grafton is in jail awaiting trial for attacking a fellow worker with a pitchfork.  Alexander didn't like the way Alfred Knosky drove his bundle wagon up to the machine and attacked Knosky with his fork.  One of Knosky's hands was lacerated and it was necessary to amputate one finger. Bismarck Tribune Friday September 18, 1914

Wedding - Vitek - Vobayda
A quiet wedding ceremony was solemnized in the Catholic church Lankin, by Rev. Fr. Mikulasek, on Tuesday morning April 25, at 10 o’clock, the contracting parties being Mr. Joseph Vitek of Lankin and Miss Agnes Vobayda of Shepherd township, Walsh county. None but relatives were invited. Devils Lake World and inter-ocean May 4, 1916

Fordville Man Has Exciting Experiences With Mad Bull
Fordville, N. D., Sept. 24.—J. S. Kearney, driven up a tree and kept there for two hours by a mad bull which had been allowed to range at will on the public highway near here, was liberated only when neighbors came to the rescue with pitchforks. Bismarck Daily Tribune September 24, 1917

Illegal Alcohol
Fordville. N. D., Sept. 24.—Three “protected” I. W. W. giving their names as James Collins, John Sweeny  and Herbert Jones, working on the Thomas O’Keefe threshing rig near Minto were arrested on a charge of selling booze to fellow workmen. When the raid was made the officers found an empty three gallon jug and another jug partially filled with liquor. At the hearing it developed that a gallon of red eye costing the men $3 in Minneapolis sold for $14. by the drink. Collins has been bound over to district court under bonds in the sum of $500. Bismarck Daily Tribune September 24, 1917

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