| Montgomery News Jan. 8, 1915 SHOAL CREEK COAL COMPANY SUED The Illinois Coal Operators Mutual Employers Liability Insurance Co. has, by Mastin and Sherlock, of Chicago, its attorneys, brought two suits against the Shoal Creek Coal Company of Panama. One suit is for $10,000. The suit purports to be for unpaid assessments on insurance policies taken out with the plaintiff company. The other suit is for $1500 and the same cause of action is alleged as in the first case.
Montgomery News Jan. 19, 1915 THE SANDOSKI TRIAL (From the Greenville Advocate of Jan. 14) Frank Sandoski, Panama coal miner, walked out of the circuit court room a free man at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, after the jury had returned a verdict finding him not guilty of the murder of Andrew Petroski at Panama on the night of April 2nd, 1914. The jury returned a verdict of acquittal after deliberating from nine o'clock Tuesday night until noon Wednesday. The first ballot by the jury stood six to six it is said and this ratio was maintained until the fourth or fifth ballot when one juror went to the side for acquittal. The balloting proceeded that way until the eighth or ninth ballot when two more jurymen went over to the majority. Three jurymen held out for conviction until Wednesday noon, when, on the fourteenth ballot, the result was unanimous for the acquittal, and the jury returned a verdict as follows: "We the jury find the defendant not guilty." The verdict was signed by Michael Farrell, E. T. Moon, Charles M. Tate, George L. Ferris, James Morgan, W. R. Causey, Joseph S. Carson, George Brown, A. Clark, E. L. McCullah, George A. Minor and George McCasland. Thus Sandoski on his second trial, was freed of the crime for which he was convicted on the first trial last September when the jury found him guilty of the same offense of which this jury found him not guilty. The new trial was granted Sandoski because of a separation of the jury and because of improper remarks of Frank Ramey, a Hillsboro attorney, who was assisting State's Attorney Biggs in the prosecution of the case. Different tactics were pursued by the defense at this trial than at the former trial. In September the defense placed character witnesses on the stand to prove the good character of the defendant. This time the defense offered absolutely no testimony but rested their case at the conclusion of the testimony for the state. There was but little difference in the testimony by the witnesses for the state from the testimony of last September. The court ruled out the written testimony of Frank Sandoski, the defendant, taken at the inquest held by Coroner Cartmell immediately after the killing, on the theory that Sandoski, Although warned that his testimony, if he gave any, might be used against him in the trial of the case, is a foreigner and unacquainted with the usages and practices of law in this country, and moreover, had no opportunity to procure counsel. The court held it would be unjust and dangerous to admit the written testimony of Sandoski, who is not familiar with the English language, and so it was not permitted to go into evidence. Moreover, a statement which was in the nature of a confession made by Sandoski to State's Attorney Biggs in the presence of witnesses, after his incarceration in the Bond county jail, which contradicts the testimony at the inquest, was not permitted in evidence, nor was it attempted to put it in evidence by the state for the reason that Sandoski did not take the stand in his own behalf. The evidence was, as at the former trial, that Petroski had been at the home of Sandoski on the night of the killing, together with a number of other men, and that Sandoski himself was there a portion of the time. The party was making merry with a keg of beer which Sandoski had lost to Petroski on a bet. At midnight Petroski was shot on the porch at the Sandoski home, and the testimony of Sandoski's mother-in-law, Mrs. Kutakoski, was that immediately after the discharge of the revolver, Sandoski rushed into the house and said that the weapon had fallen from his pocket, was discharged and the bullet had entered the body of Petroski and had killed him. She said that Sandoski was crying and they ran out and administered to him. The body was permitted to lie on the back porch from midnight until 3 a.m., without even notifying the undertaker or police. The gun was found at Petroski's side and was identified as that which was seen the same night before the shooting in the saloon in which Sandoski was employed. The case went to trial Monday noon, and a jury was secured by six o'clock that evening. The testimony of the state was all in Tuesday evening and the case was argued in the evening and went to the jury with the court's instructions at 9 p.m.
Montgomery News Jan. 22, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT The trespass case of George Misek vs. Joe Kish was dismissed.
Montgomery News Feb. 5, 1915 PANAMA COUPLE WEDDED Thomas Barber and Miss Edna Files of Panama were united in marriage Monday at St. Louis.
Montgomery News Feb. 9, 1915 MARRIAGE LICENSES Charles Viviano, Panama, age 22 Mabel Havron, Panama, age 16
Montgomery News Feb. 19, 1915 APPEAL CASE The case of Charles Serenco vs. Lee Woods of Panama has been appealed. The case was tried before Esq. Compton who decided it for Woods, giving judgement against Serenco for costs. Serenco appealed.
Montgomery News Mar. 2, 1915 DEATHS AT PANAMA The two year old daughter of Pietro Civiano died of diphtheria Sunday afternoon. The infant child of Natal Vanaccia died Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Faudi lost their son Saturday. The little one was only three months old. The funeral services took place on Monday.
Montgomery News Mar. 5, 1915 PANAMA MINE FIRE Wednesday night a large pile of coal slack caught fire near the steel tipple of the Panama coal mine and the tipple was so badly damaged that it will have to be rebuilt. This will take some time and will throw about 400 men out of employment. The damages are estimated at $3000. NEW CASES FOR APRIL TERM Matt Bolgar, by F. M. Ramey, his attorney, has sued Shoal Creek Coal Company at Panama for $500. No declaration is filed yet. Mr. Bolgar was injured in the Panama mine last December. Mr. Ramey also brings two suits against fourteen Panama saloon keepers, each for $5000. The first case is brought by Paul Morgan and Bernard Morgan, minors, by Margaret Morgan, their mother and next friend, against Pete Calufetti, Thomas Smith, Jack Sturm, Emil Grabruck, Charles Serenco, Thomas Quincote, Dominick Travelli, Mike Faletti, Dominick Monday, Rose Revelli, Tony Romania and Pete Bianconi. The suit is for damages for selling liquor to John Morgan, father of the two plaintiffs. Last summer Morgan was killed on the Clover Leaf while intoxicated. Esther F. Brunkhorst, John Morgan's mother, also brings suit against the same defendants for $5000, alleging the same cause of action.
Montgomery News Mar. 12, 1915 CITY AND VILLAGE NOMINATIONS Following are the tickets nominated Tuesday in the village of Panama, Montgomery county. Labor Ticket: President, Charles Bills Trustees, Frank Hartman, Louis Henderson and A. Neil Police Magistrate, J. J. Williams Citizens Ticket President, A. C. Caulk Trustees, E. F. Grabruck, Evan Evans and Pete Viviano Police Magistrate, E. R. Bennett
Montgomery News Mar. 16, 1915 NEW CASES-APRIL TERM Petition for Writ of Mandamus A petition for a writ of mandamus was filed by Rev. Monroe Seals and L. H. Tankersley of Donnellson on March 12, against Louis Henderson, town clerk of Grisham township. The petition is filed by Lane, Dryer and Brown, attorney for the petitioners. The petition alleges that on Jan. 30, 1915, more than 60 days previous to the regular township election, a petition was filed with said town clerk asking that the question: "Shall this (Grisham) township become anti-saloon territory?" be submitted to a vote of the people at the regular township election; that said petition was in legal form and was signed by the number of voters required by law; that said township clerk has refused to give the notice required by law that said question will be submitted, and refuses to put the same on the ballots. The petitions allege that said action of the town clerk in refusing to allow said question submitted to a vote of the people is arbitrary and in violation of the law and they ask the court to compel him to submit said question to a vote of the people. MINE STARTS AT PANAMA Mine starts at Panama after a ten day shut down because of the fire. The Panama mine will resume work on Tuesday of this week.
Montgomery News Mar. 19, 1915 MANDAMUS CASE SATURDAY The mandamus case brought by Rev. Monroe Seals and L. H. Tankersley of Donnellson against Louis Henderson, township clerk of Grisham township, to compel him to put "Shall Grisham township become anti-saloon territory?" on the tickets to be voted in April, was set for Thursday of this week, but the parties were not all ready and it was continued until Saturday.
Montgomery News Mar. 30, 1915 THE GRISHAM MANDAMUS CASE The petition for a mandamus against Louis Henderson, township clerk of Grisham township, was heard before Judge T. M. Jett last Saturday. The petition, as stated in a previous issue of the News, was filed by Rev. Monroe Seals and L. H. Tankersley, residents and tax payers of Grisham township who allege that Louis Henderson, as such clerk, refused to certify on the ballots for Grisham township, to be voted next Tuesday, the proposition to vote whether the township shall become anti-saloon territory, although legal petitions were filed to have such question submitted. Hill & Bullington of Hillsboro, and Gallimore & Cooke of Herrin, represented the clerk, and Lane Dryer and Brown of Hillsboro and F. B. Ebbert of Chicago represented the petitioners. It was not denied that the petitions to have the wet and dry question submitted to a vote were perfectly regular and legal. They were in proper form and had the requisite number of signers. In fact it was virtually admitted that the only reason why the clerk would not put the question on the ticket and allow the people to vote on it was because he is a "wet" man and proposed to arbitrarily to prevent the question from being submitted to a vote in Grisham township this spring and thus keep saloons at Panama at least another year. The only saloons in the township are at Panama, the mining town located on the line between Montgomery and Bond counties. It is admitted that if the question is submitted to a vote the "drys" would carry the township two to one. The attorneys for the clerk first made a motion Saturday to strike the petition for a mandamus from the files because it was not properly sworn to or verified. This motion was argued at length after which Judge Jett decided that the verification to the petition was in regular form. He in effect decided that the petition did not have to be sworn to at all. The defendant then demurred to the petition because it had been filed prematurely. They argued that the clerk had until Saturday to certify that the wet and dry question would be submitted. That he could do so any time within ten days before the election, and, notwithstanding the fact that he had asserted repeatedly that he would not certify to the submission of the question to a vote, still he could not be compelled by mandamus proceedings to do so until the time was up for him to so certify. Judge Jett, after listening to the arguments on both sides and examining the decisions, decided that this objection was well taken, and he sustained the demurrer, which, in effect, dismissed the petition. But Messrs. Seals and Tankersley were not ready to lie down on their efforts to drive saloons out of Grisham township, and they appeared again Monday morning with a new petition alleging the same facts as alleged in the original petition, and adding that Louis Henderson the township clerk, still refused to put the question on the ballots, although it was less than ten days until the election. The new petition was presented to Judge Jett Monday morning, but he had to leave for Shelbyville at nine o'clock that morning to hold court, and the case was set down for hearing next Saturday morning at nine o'clock. If the court orders Louis Henderson to put the question on the Grisham ballots, he will have two days, Sunday and Monday, to do it in, but he will probably refuse to obey the order of the court and take an appeal, which he has the right to do. This will shut out any possibility of the people of Grisham township taking a vote on the question this spring and will put it off a year and possibly longer, as the clerk may refuse to allow a vote on the question next year just as he has done this year. Under the law as it exists, it seems that a township clerk has the power of preventing the wet and dry question from being submitted to a vote of the people in any township. He is the "Czar," the dictator, the one man who can arbitrarily nullify the local option laws of Illinois! There is no penalty attached if he refuses to submit the question on proper petition. It is true he can probably be prosecuted for malfeasance or for failing to do his duty as an officer, and he can probably be fined, but the influence backing the clerk will, of course, pay the fine more or less willingly. The law should be changed so that a good stiff jail sentence could be imposed upon a township clerk for such a plain dereliction of his duty, then it might be possible to compel him to pay some attention to the wishes of a majority of the people. SAVAGE-McBRIDE George Savage and Miss Ida McBride were united in marriage Saturday afternoon, Judge T. J. McDavid officiating. The groom is a miner who makes his home at Panama, while Miss McBride is from Morganfield, Ill. DEATH AT PANAMA Mrs. Annie McCoy Hoehn of Panama died at her residence there last Friday after an illness of eight weeks resulting from cancer. Mrs. Hoehn was born in Rush county, Indiana, 56 years ago. She was first married to Mr. McCoy and of this union four children were born. They are Frank and William McCoy and Mrs. J. D. Williams of Panama and Mrs. A. N. Kerns of Hillsboro. Mr. McCoy died in 1901 and eight years later his widow married William Hoehn who died in 1910. The funeral services took place Sunday and the remains were brought to Hillsboro for interment. MARRIAGE LICENSES George Savage, Panama, age 25 Ida McBride, Morganfield, age 20
Montgomery News Apr. 2, 1915 BLACK BOX AT PANAMA The serial picture, "The Black Box," is to be put on the screen at the William's Opera House at Panama, Easter Sunday night. This is the latest, best serial released and proves that Panama keeps up with her larger sister towns in "movies."
Montgomery News Apr. 6, 1915 EXPLOSION AT PANAMA MINE TWELVE MEN SMOTHERED TO DEATH MONDAY MORNING FOUR HUNDRED AND FIVE MEN IN MINE WHEN EXPLOSION OCCURRED Another horrible catastrophe occurred on Monday morning of this week at the Panama coal mine at 7:30 o'clock, when a gas explosion took place and twelve men, as nearly as we can learn, were smothered to death by the black damp following the explosion. Four hundred and five men went into the mine Monday morning and were just starting to work when the explosion of gas took place in the southwest part of the mine known as 7th Entry East South. The bodies of the following miners have been recovered as we go to press: Dave Thomas Theodore Henry Burns Joseph Renner John Fritz Thomas Fritz (son of John) Joe Mihalich Andy Saybon Louis Stella Joe Stella Peter Stella Batista Tivan The body of T. H. Burns, of Donnellson, mentioned above, has been recovered as we go to press The bodies of the men rescued were not burned or disfigured and death resulted from the after-damp following the explosion. Three men from Hillsboro are employed in the Panama mine. They are Joe Little of Taylor Springs, William Crichfield and Martin Tonner. Mr. Tonner is a mine examiner and was home at the time of the explosion. William Crichfield was working in the north side of the mine, a mile distant from the explosion until all the men were called out by telephone. The air was filled with smoke when they got out of the mine and Mr. Crichfield hurried to Hillsboro to let his family know he was alive. The explosion is supposed to have been caused by someone opening the door leading to a part of the old abandoned workings and so doing, set fire to the gas that had accumulated in that part of the mine. CUTTING SCRAPE AT PANAMA Last Thursday night a party of Panama boys consisting of Alfred Knotts, Dewey Compton, Oscar O'Neil and Clarence File had a keg of beer near town and were engaged in irrigating their systems with the seductive suds, when Wilbur Mey, the 17 year old son of Gus Mey of Panama, came up. Just then Riley Merideth, 18 years old, appeared upon the scene, and young Mey, it is alleged, remarked: "Here he is now, lets get him." He then grappled with Merideth, but the latter quickly pulled a knife and stuck it into Mey's side. The blade is said to have penetrated the boy's lung. It was feared Saturday that peritonitis would result from the wound. State's Attorney Major went down to Panama Sunday to investigate the affair. GRISHAM MANDAMUS CASE The mandamus suit against Louis Henderson, town clerk of Grisham township, was heard before Judge Jett last Saturday and occupied the greater part of the day. This was a case which aroused public interest not only in Grisham township, but all over the county, as the people were curious to know whether a town clerk could succeed in thwarting the will of the people in refusing to allow them to vote upon the saloon issue, in the face of the plain provisions of the law. As stated in previous issues of the News, this was a petition for a writ of mandamus filed by Rev. Monroe Seals and L. H. Tankersley, voters and taxpayers of Grisham township, asking that the town clerk, Louis Henderson, be compelled by order of the court to place on the Grisham ballot to be voted today, April 6, the question, "Shall Grisham township become anti-saloon territory?" The first petition, the court held, was filed prematurely, it having been filed before the time had expired, in which the clerk has to submit the question, although it was alleged that the clerk refused to allow said question to go on the Grisham township ballots. The petitioners dismissed this petition and filed a new one March 29, and the case was set down for hearing last Saturday. Messrs. Lane, Dryer & Brown appeared for the petitioners and Hill & Bullington of this city and Gallimore & Cook of Herrin appeared for the clerk. Gallimore & Cook are the salaried attorneys for the saloon interests in this part of the state. Most of the questions that arose, however, were argued by L. V. Hill and he succeeded in making a very shrewd and ingenious presentation of their side of the case. The court refused to dismiss the supplemental or new petition filed for a mandamus, and the only questions raised after that was disposed of were objections to the sufficiency of the petitions filed with the town clerk asking that a vote on the saloon question be submitted. The objections raised were highly technical. First it was claimed that the residence of each signer should appear on the petition after his name. This objection was quickly disposed of by Judge Jett who decided it was trivial inasmuch as the petitions started out in the exact language of the statute, which is: "The undersigned residents and legal voters of the town of Grisham, county of Montgomery and state of Illinois, etc." Judge Jett held this was sufficient to designate the place of residence of the signers. The second objection was that the petitions did not state affirmatively that they constituted 25 percent of the voters of Grisham township and that it was not the duty of the clerk to count the number of voters and ascertain that 25 percent had signed the petitions. Judge Jett held that it was the plain duty of the clerk to ascertain such fact. He also held that the petitions were in proper form and strictly complied with the law and it was the plain duty of the township clerk to put such question on the ballots, and inasmuch as the day for posting the ballots was past, the clerk was in default, both as to posting and placing the question on the ballots, and he was ordered peremptorily to furnish ballots for Grisham township with the question as to whether or not it should become anti-saloon territory, on them. The defendant's attorneys then gave notice that they would appeal, and Judge Jett ruled that they must file an appeal bond in the sum of $300 by five o'clock Saturday evening, and testified that unless this was done, there would be "something doing." A bond was at once filed with Jack Williams and Charles Serenco of Panama as sureties. This case will go to the Appellate Court which does not meet until October. If the case is affirmed in the Appellate Court it will be remanded and sent back to this county for further action. The petition for a mandamus contains a prayer asking that an election be ordered on the saloon question as soon as the case is disposed of. This is new practice although there are some decisions that sustain the petitioners in their contention that they do not have to wait until the regular spring election before getting a vote. But saloons at Panama are safe, at least until after the Appellate Court meets in October. In the mean time the grand jury will probably be asked to inquire into the official acts of Louis Henderson and determine whether any undue or corrupt influences have been brought to bear upon him. The impression has gone out all over Grisham township that such influences have been used, but this will, probably, be hard to prove. The voters down there say that they are at a loss to understand why the clerk has refused to submit this question unless he has been "influenced" in some way by the saloon interests, as previous to this trouble, he has borne a good reputation and is, under ordinary circumstances, a law abiding citizen and has made a very efficient township clerk.
Montgomery News Apr. 9, 1915 THE PANAMA HORROR THE CORONER'S JURY FAIL TO FIX THE RESPONSIBILITY Coroner Gray held an inquest Tuesday over the remains of eleven miners who lost their lives in the Shoal Creek Coal Company's mine at Panama last Monday morning by an explosion but the jury were unable to fix the responsibility for the accident on anyone, and the verdict returned was as follows: We, the jury called to inquire into the cause of death of Batista Tivan, Joe Stella, Louis Stella, Peter Stella, Theodore H. Burns, Joe Mihalich, Joe Renner, Thomas Fritz, John Fritz, David Thomas and Andy Saybon find that they came to their death at about 7 o'clock a.m., on Monday, April 5, in Shoal Creek Coal Company's mine, No. 1, at Panama, Ill., by an explosion of gas and the after-damp following same." The coroner's jury was composed of the following: Earl Leak, a miner William Gerl, a miner James Hicks, a miner Fay Lyons, a clerk in the coal office W. W. Mitchell, a merchant Charles Serenco, merchant There were 405 men in the mine when the explosion took place, and they had just begun their day's work. The explosion took place in the southwest part of the mine in what was known as the 7th East entry, South. This part of the mine had been examined eight hours before starting to work Monday morning, according to the testimony of Emil F. Grabruck, mine superintendent, and neither he nor anyone else was able to tell for a certainty the cause of the explosion. The last coal was taken out of the mine on Friday, April 2. Mr. Grabruck thought the explosion might have been caused by powder, as 9 boxes of powder were sent into the mine Sunday night and there was already some in there. Mr. Grabruck also swore that the stoppings and batteries were all in good working order and the fans were kept going all the time. He said the entry where the explosion took place was not a gaseous entry. John Lenox, mine examiner, swore that on Sunday night, at about 10:30, he started in to examine the entry where the explosion took place. There were no indications of gas there then. He said he never had found any gas in that part of the mine, and it was his opinion that the explosion was caused by powder. It is evident from the testimony of these two men that an effort will be made to show that powder caused the explosion and not gas, but just how far this will relieve the company from responsibilty in the case of suits being filed by the families of the men who were killed, we are unable to state. There was another explosion in the mine several years ago in which six men lost their lives and several others were frightfully burned. Several suits were brought as a result of this explosion and one man recovered a judgement of $7000. This was taken to the higher courts and was finally compromised. If we remember correctly, the evidence showed that the explosion was caused by gas. As soon as the explosion occurred last Monday morning, the men in the mine were all notified to come out, which of course they did. Several of them were overcome by the after-damp, however, and narrowly escaped death. It was with difficulty that some of them were resuscitated after being brought to the surface. A rescue party was on the ground within a short time after the accident occurred and did heroic work in bringing the bodies of the dead to the surface. Several rescuers were overcome with the after-damp and had to be hurried to the surface and revived, and many acts of heroism were performed. Owing to the prevalence of the deadly after-damp, all of the bodies were not recovered until afternoon Monday. The funeral of the eleven victims was held Wednesday and five of them were buried at Panama. Batista Tivan was a single man, an Italian, and all of his relatives are in Italy. Joe, Louis and Peter Stella were three brothers, Italians, and single men, and have no relatives in this country. They lived in Panama. Theodore H. Burns was married and leaves a widow and four children. He is an American and his home was in Donnellson. Joe Mihalch was married and leaves a wife and one child. He was a Slavonian and his home was at Panama. Joe Renner also lived in Panama. He was a Hungarian and leaves a wife but no children. Tom Fritz was a Hungarian and was married. He had a wife and two children in Hungary, and had just sent money for them to come to him. John Fritz was Tom's father and lived with him. His wife is dead and he has no children other than Tom. Andy Saybon was a Slavonian, married and had three children. He lived at Panama. Mr. Saybon had a law suit in the circuit court set for Wednesday of this week. John Geyray had sued him for an assault. The case was tried at the last term of the court, resulting in a verdict for Saybon, but a new trial was granted. David Thomas was an American and leaves a wife and one child. They live at Panama. Only three of the men, Batista Tivan, Louis Stella and Theodore H. Burns, were burned. They were badly disfigured. The rest of the men who met their death were evidently killed by the after-damp. The three who were burned must have been killed by the explosion. There were seven witnesses testified before the coroner's jury, but the material ones were E. F. Grabruck, superintendent of the mine, John Lennox, mine examiner, A. E. Capstick, mine manager and Archibald Frew, state mine inspector. Mr. Grabruck testified that when he heard of the accident, he hurried to the mine and went immediately below. "When I got to the 7th East South entry, I found six or eight men there who were still alive, one named Little and one named Louis Sevenia. We left a couple of men with these two and went inside to see if we could find any more. Those who went in with me were E. A. Capstick, Jud Lewis, John Freckleton and three or four more. We got to the 7th East parting and found five dead bodies on the east end of the parting. As they were still warm we thought we could bring them back to life by using artificial respiration and a pulmotor. We kept on trying for about three hours and found we could not even get a flutter of the heart from any of them. In the meantime some of the boys found two more dead men. When we found we could not bring any of the men back to life, we started rebuilding doors and brattices were they were torn out, so as to restore the ventilation. When we got within 200 feet of the 9th South entry, we found two more dead men. These last two were 800 or 1000 feet from those found first. When we got the ventilation restored we found another body at the entrance to this stub. He was 150 or 200 feet from the last man found. The helmet men came down this afternoon and got a body out. When I got to the first bodies, we found the air diluted with after-damps. These could have been caused by either a gas or powder explosion. The territory were the explosion occurred was examined eight hours before starting time Monday morning. The last coal taken out was April 2. The men usually go down in the morning about 6:15. I understand there were 9 boxes of powder sent to this territory the night before the explosion." John Lennox, mine examiner, testified: "I generally try and get down to the mine about nine o'clock at night, and was a little late. I was down there between 10:25 and 10:30. I started in the 7th East South, 1st North stub and finished on the 5th South in that territory, and there was no sign of gas. I should judge that it was about ten or fifteen minutes til eleven when I got in this territory, and it takes me about an hour and a quarter to make this part of the mine. When I examined the night previous to the explosion, I used a Wolf Safety Lamp, which burns gasoline. The last time I was down was today, when we got out the last man. After the explosion, the air was bad in there. When I first went in there, there was a stopping half up, and I tested it there with my safety lamp, and I didn't get a gas cap, but a green cap, which showed it was smoke of some kind, and my experience of caps on safety lamps shows that black powder gives a brown cap, and this powder, after a shot, shows a greenish cap. I believe it was powder that caused the explosion." A. E. Capstick, mine manager, gave the details of how the dead bodies were rescued and added: "Since I have been in Panama there has never been enough gas accumulated in the short time which elapsed, to have caused such an explosion as this. I believe it was a powder explosion." Archibald Frew, state mine inspector, testified to substantially the same as Grabruck. He was in Panama when the explosion occurred and hurried down and found County Mine Inspector Ralph Sauerbier in charge of the men who were trying to rescue the men and restore the circulation. He then took charge of the work and related how they rescued the dead bodies and restored the circulation in that part of the mine. He didn't notice any indications of gas. The testimony of R. W. Sanders, E. A. Murray, and Dr. J. O. Wilcox was also taken as to what caused the death of the men. Dr. Wilcox said it was due to suffocation. BAND GOES TO PANAMA Mollman Brothers Band of Hillsboro, went to Panama Thursday morning where they will furnish music at the funeral of the coal miners who were killed there Monday morning and buried Thursday. TO DONNELLSON, PANAMA, COFFEEN AND FILMORE READERS The Southern Illinois Light and Power Company will hold an electric exhibit or show in Donnellson Wednesday, April 14, Panama, Thursday, April 15, Coffeen, Friday, April 16, and Filmore, April 17. At these exhibits the latest type of electrical appliances for the home will be shown. There will be a special domestic science demonstration of electric ranges at each exhibit. The admission will be free and a special price reduction will be made on all appliances sold at the exhibits. This is the first of a series of instructive exhibits of this kind planned by the company this year. Look for the electric sign.
Montgomery News Apr. 13, 1915 TROUBLE AT PANAMA Before the bodies of the victims of the Panama mine explosion last week were recovered from the mine, several alleged "ambulance chasing" lawyers were on the ground, some of them from Chicago, with contracts already prepared, which they asked the widows and nearest of kin of the unfortunate miners, to sign. The contracts provided, it is claimed, that the lawyer should institute suits against the company or settle the claims, as he thought best, he to receive 50 percent of what was recovered. Several of the business men and substantial citizens of Panama found out what was being attempted and went to the widows and advised them not to sign any contracts, and they did not do so. This, it is alleged, incensed the "ambulance chasers" and they reported among the miners that these business men were securing contracts from the widows which provided for a settlement of their cases for $500. The miners believed these reports, or some of them did, and they held a meeting at which they decided to "deport" some of the business men who had been interfering with the professional (?) work of their friends the "ambulance chasers." They waited on Justice of the Peace D. R. Bennett and Charles Serenco, a business man, on Friday, and ordered them to leave town. It is said that they would not permit Serenco to go to the bank and get money or to make any other preparations for his exodus. And he and Esq. Bennett did not stand on the order of their going, but they "got" and are still in exile. There seems to be no feeling against anyone else. Both Serenco and Bennett deny that they have attempted to get any of the wives or relatives of the victims of the mine disaster to sign contracts. The sheriff and several deputies went to Panama Saturday, fearing there would be more trouble, but everything had quieted down. There seems to be a difference of opinion as to what caused the explosion. The mine officers and several experts who examined the mine after the accident are of the opinion that it was a powder explosion. The miners think it was caused by gas. If it was a gas explosion, they claim the liability of the company would be unquestioned. The miners refused to go back to work last week but we understand they have consented to do so since, and the mine will probably resume operations Wednesday or Thursday of this week. It is alleged that the State Mining Board have given the mine permission to resume. The operators are now busily engaged in cleaning up the mine and getting ready to resume work. This mine has run every day for a year and has been about the busiest coal mine in this part of the state, and while it has had a number of accidents, it has settled for them where any liability existed, to the entire satisfaction of the men or parties who had claims for such accidents. We are informed that the miners have boycotted Serenco's store, and that anyone caught going into it is fined $10.
Montgomery News Apr. 16, 1915 CHARGED WITH STEALING BOOZE Earl Stewart of Panama was arrested Monday and brought to jail charged with robbing Arthur Caulk,s saloon. Forrest Whitworth is also said to be accused with Stewart, but he gave bond to await the action of the grand jury. LITTLE JOURNEY TO PANAMA Did you ever visit Panama? Not the Panama canal, but the Panama we have down in the southwest corner of Montgomery county; the little mining village that sets straddle of the Montgomery and Bond county line like a clothespin on a wash line? If you never visited Panama you have never seen the most picturesque town in Montgomery county and one of the most interesting. It is picturesque because it is located on the tops of a flock of hills and the streets of the town follow the "hogbacks" of land connecting the hills. In entering Panama from the northwest corner the visitor is not impressed with the topography of the town because it looks comparatively level, but after once entering the principal business and residence street of the town, you suddenly find every street leading off to either side resembling a scenic railroad more than it does a city street and these streets wind in and out, around the edge of the hills, dropping suddenly down at an angle of forty-five degrees, only to rise again just as abruptly a few feet further on. In visiting Panama last summer the writer was surprised to find the streets of the town had all been oiled and were in good condition for travel, something few other towns of the county could boast of, and yet Panama would drive a street commissioner crazy trying to keep the town level, so it would not suddenly tip sidewise and slip into the Shoal Creek bottom. The business houses of Panama are practically all one story structures, but are generally substantially built and the merchants there are evidently prospering and are all hustling, high class gentlemen, but still Panama reminds a visitor, more of a built by night town in a newly discovered gold field. It is a correct imitation of the towns one finds nestling alongside a railroad or stagecoach line in the mountains of the west. The houses are all cottages and they give you the impression that the men who built them are living there only for the purpose of making money enough on which to retire from work and move elsewhere to spend their declining days. You will not only find Panama a western-looking town but you will also find more genuine western hospitality and cordiality than you will find in any other section of this county. You will find there fully twenty nationalities represented among the miners employed in the coal mine there - many of these do not know a word of English and during idle days at the mine the more than 500 men employed there gather in groups, according to the nationality they represent and heated arguments are held but no one knows what it is all about or whether it will result in a fight or a prayer meeting - for the foreigners talk just as loud and gesticulate just the same way in a war argument as they do in a peace conference. They not only have hills and oiled streets and one of the best coal mines in the state there, but they also have more pretty girls to the square inch than any other town in the county. You first meet a bevy of pink-cheeked willowy-figured girls of American parentage, and then a dark-eyed Italian girl with her red lips, black curly hair and olive complexion, and the Lithuanian type of big blonde rugged looking girls - and on every hand are the children. If anyone believes there is a danger from race suicide a visit to Panama is enough to change one's mind, for Panama is lousy with children and if they grow to manhood and womanhood climbing those hills at Panama, they will develop claws on their toes like cats and will be as sure-footed as mountain goats. But there is one thing in Panama no visitor there should miss and that is the drinking water that comes from their wells. It is the most beautiful water the writer ever looked at and it is cold and sweet and pleasant to the taste - but unfortunately it is the most deceptive water that ever sparkled in a glass or trickled down a dusty throat. The water is as deceptive as an old maid about her age. It looks at you so calm and peaceful and so inviting you want to grab it and gulp it down for fear some of it will get away, and yet that innocent looking, pure, tasteless cool and refreshing water has a kick in it that would make a coal mine mule ashamed of itself. It has an upper cut that would put Jesse Willard or Jack Johnson down and out at the first jolt. A man who can drink a glass of Panama well water and live to tell the tale, could digest dynamite. We understand now why saloons are considered a necessity in Panama and we respectfully suggest that when they vote on the saloon question down there they ought to include their well water with the rest of their drinks which contain "kicks." Fortunately for the writer he found a friend in Panama who saved his life. He deserves a Carnegy medal and when we die we'll remember him in our will. This man runs a nice clean barber shop that smells of nineteen different varieties of hair vigors and face lotions and he is a gentleman of the old school, for, after saving our life, he seemed totally unconscious of the fact. After the writer had been in Panama a few hours, and after driving along the dusty roads for an hour getting there, he had a thirst that you could have hung your hat on. It was one of those thirsts you read about but seldom see away from the sand covered plains of the west. It was one of those thirsts that makes a glass of cold water look like a glimpse into heaven, and makes it taste like nectar sipped from a morning glory. We peddled to half a dozen stores, it being election day and the thirst parlors being closed, but at every place we asked for water they would look at us vacantly and repeat the word "water" several times, with a look in their countenance that we couldn't decipher whether they didn't understand the meaning of the word or were paralyzed to think that anyone from Hillsboro should ask for water when in Panama! Finally the writer went to the barber shop and there our new-found friend ushered us to the back of his shop where a bucket sat, freshly filled with the beautiful, sparkling, limpid fluid they pull out of their wells and call "water." We grabbed a big dipper full and took one long, lingering swallow and closed our eyes in ecstasy as it trickled down our dusty throat and relieved the parched, feverish ache that only water could relieve. Then the writer raised the dipper for another swallow and our new-found barber friend touched us on the arm, like a father would his child and said: "I don't think you ought to drink any more of that water. It won't agree with you." For a minute we wanted to murder him! To think he would let us taste of that water and then be too stingy to let us have more than one swallow was too much for us to endure, and for a minute, we were tempted to drain that dipper and then laugh in his face and beat him to death if he tried to keep us from taking another drink! But, thank heavens, there was something in that barber-man's gentle voice that made us stop and think! He was so extremely gentlemanly, so very nice, so courteous and thoughtful. He did not smile. It wasn't a laughing matter. He only stood there and gently but firmly warned us and in so doing, saved our life. If the writer had consumed that entire quart of liquid dynamite, this little journey to Panama would never have been written. There would be crepe on the News office door today and his creditors would be wondering if they could collect their accounts. The one or two little measly, stingy swallows we did take, were far beyond our expectations and we are satisfied! In fact we got more than we bargained for. Those two little stingy swallows started an insurrection just as soon as they lit and made us wonder if it isn't the water down in Mexico that makes all the troubles instead of the people. As long as the Panama water is in one piece it remains as quiet and peaceful as a lamb, but when separated into swallows, each swallow starts a row, and nine swallows creates more internal strife than an Orangeman at a St. Patrick's parade. If any of our readers doubt this statement just journey down to Panama and get a sample of their well water, but let us caution you, dear friends, to bring it home in a bottle and sample it here, for it's ten miles betwixt Hillsboro and Panama and ten miles is a terrible distance to go with an internal revolution going on inside of you! BIG SALE AT PANAMA We are printing big bills this week advertising a tremendous sale at Panama, given by W. W. Mitchell, proprietor of the largest store in that city. Mr. Mitchell is including everything in his big stock of goods. He is selling below cost, giving away prizes to purchasers and an automobile for the grand prize. If he doesn't do a big business during his sale we will be greatly surprised and his store after the sale will look like a jitney's worth of soap after a hard day's wash. The sale is in charge of an expert salesman who will employ a large number of local girls to help sell and wrap up goods and we predict there will be something doing in Panama when this sale starts Saturday and buyers will flock there from a radius of fifteen miles.
Montgomery News Apr. 20, 1915 INDICTMENTS RETURNED The indictments returned last Friday were against the following alleged offenders: John Andrich, malicious mischief. He is accused in two counts of defacing and breaking out two windows in the dwelling house of Joe Mavretich at Panama, on March 22, 1915. The names of the witnesses on the back of the indictment look like the roster of an Austrian company of home guards. They are Joe Mavretich, Joe Muzar, Joe Melick, Antonie Furdek, Pauline Melick, Barbar Mavretich and Mat Boyer. Andrich's bail was fixed at $200. Peter Bianconia is charged with selling intoxicating liquor to Dewey Compton, a minor. Peter is a Panama product. Dewey Compton, Thomas Smith and Evan Evans are the witnesses. Bail $200 Pete Calufetti is also indicted for selling liquor to Dewey Compton, a minor. Peter and Joe run a joy joint at Panama. Their bail is $200 each. Thomas Coquatto is charged with coquetting with the liquor law by selling liquor to the same minor, Dewey Compton. He is also a Panama product. His bail is $200. Dewey Compton also obtained some joy juice of Mike Falletti, it is charged, and mike is called upon to walk up to the captains office and settle. Bail $200 Peter Falletti is another victim of Dewey Compton's thirst for suds. Mike and Peter both keep saloons in Panama. Bail $200 Mike Julleon, also of Panama, is charged with having Dewey Compton as one of his customers. Bail $200 Louis Henderson, the town clerk of Grisham township, is indicted for misconduct as town clerk. He is charged in six counts with "unlawfully, willfully and corruptly" refusing to put the question of voting for or against licensing saloons in Grisham township on the ballots after legal petitions were filed with him as required by law. |
All six counts charge substantially the same
offense although in different language. In each count he is charged with
"corruptly" refusing to submit the question at the township election held April
6, 1915: "Shall this town become anti-saloon territory?" The names of the
witnesses on the back of the indictment are: L. H. Tankersley, Louis McPherson, Monroe
Seals, Clyde Jett, Amos Messimore, David P. Atterbury and Auburn Dunn. His bail was fixed
at $500 and a bench warrant was ordered Saturday morning. The case against Forrest Whitworth and Earl Stewart of Panama, who were accused of abstracting booze from a saloon in Panama, was brought up, but there was no evidence against them and the grand jury refused to indict.
Montgomery News Apr. 23, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT Peter Bianconia, selling to minor, gives bail in sum of $200 with Mike Falletti as surety. Mike Falletti, same charge, gives bail in sum of $200 with Tom Coquatto as surety. Peter Falletti, same charge, gives bail in sum of $200 with Mike Falletti as surety. Louis Henderson, town clerk of Grisham township, indicted for misconduct as an officer, gives bail in sum of $500 with Charles Serenco and David R. Bennett as sureties. Mike Julleon, selling to minor, gives $200 bail. Mike Falletti surety. Case of Esther F. Brunkhorst vs. Pete Calufetti et al, for $5000, dismissed by agreement at defendant's cost. MARRIAGE LICENSES Jesse Havron, Panama, age 42 Vesta Thacker, Coffeen, age 25
Montgomery News Apr. 27, 1915 PANAMA DEFEATS COFFEEN The Coffeen baseball team played the Panama team at Panama Sunday in the presence of an enthusiastic crowd of rooters for both sides. Panama came out on top, the score being 21 to 6.
Montgomery News May 4, 1915 A MAY DAY FESTA A big celebration was held by the Italians at Panama last Friday and participated in by the whole population of the town and numerous visitors who came by train and auto from Gillespie, Benld, Taylor Springs and other surrounding towns. This was the annual May Day festival. The Benld band was present and a grand parade took place. All the nationalities represented carried their flags, though the stars and stripes predominated. John Walker, state president of the Labor Organization gave an address which was followed by an Italian address. At the ball game in the afternoon Panama defeated the Benld nine to the tune of 11 to 10. A dance was given at night and the fete lasted till the small hours of the morning, and though high spirits prevailed and mirth flowed freely, there was no disorder during the day and the celebration went off like a naturalized American holiday.
Montgomery News May 18, 1915 RE-ELECTED PRINCIPAL AT PANAMA W. J. Anthony has been re-elected principal of the Panama schools at a salary of $110 a month, an increase of $15 a month over last year. Mrs. Windruff of Edwardsville was elected primary teacher at a salary of $55 a month. The board of education chosen at the special election held May 1 are: Cary Cunningham, president; R. H. Pullen, W. W. Mitchell, Fay Lyons, Abe Craig, Will Gerl and Charles Bills.
Montgomery News Jun. 11, 1915 GRISHAM TOWNSHIP J. E. Boyd, assessor of Grisham township, finds 377 horses when there were 418 last year; 503 cattle against 630 last year; 120 mules where there were 93 last year; 156 sheep where there were 233 last year and 338 hogs to 609 last year. There are 15 automobiles worth $4605. Last year there were 12 worth $2245. The pianos have increased from 25 to 32, and the diamonds from $25 to $36 worth. There is $1296 worth of grain on hand while last year there was $4592 worth. The total value of the personal property this year is $187,752. Last year it was $167,901. The total value of all real and personal property is $1,027,272. Last year it was $929,579. Grisham is $97,693 richer than it was last year according to the assessor's books.
Montgomery News Jun. 18, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT The appeal case of Charles Serenco vs. Lee Woods was heard by the court and judgement for $101.78 was entered for plaintiff.
Montgomery News Jun. 22, 1915 INFANT BURIED TODAY The infant son of A. E. and Myrtle Capstick, of Panama, was interred at Oak Grove cemetery today at 11:30, Dr. R. W. Ennis officiating at the funeral services, held at the grave. The child was born June 1st and died June 20th. THE STORM AT DONNELLSON The storm Sunday night at Donnellson unroofed the Taylor store building, carrying the tin roof out in the street. The Presbyterian church lost some of the big windows, while shade trees were broken and blown down, electric and telephone wires put out of commission. Three horses belonging to Roy Brown were killed. They were in the pasture and standing near a wire fence at Mr. Brown's farm one half mile east of Donnellson. Bear Creek, two miles north, is swollen out of all bounds, being higher now than the memory of the oldest inhabitant recalls. Telephone connection with Panama is impossible but all reports give a very bad wind storm there in which several houses were loosened from their foundations. At Filmore the M.E. church was struck by lightning but little damage done other than destroying the electrical connections.
Montgomery News Jun. 25, 1915 MADAM ZADORA AGAIN A terrible story comes bumping up over the hills from Panama, to the effect that Madam Zadora, the "palmist" was recently ordered to leave that city! Is this a free country? It is not, by heck, it is not! When a handsome, fat, enticing, and likewise bewitching seeress like Madam Zadora is not permitted to read palms and things without being molested and told to hike, ordered to fade away, the very foundations of our liberties are in danger! Freedom emits loud and raucous shrieks at the perpetration of this outrage and the Goddess of Liberty tears her hair, rends her garments and busts her corset strings! We hope the story is not true, and that the fat fairy will be permitted to siren around Panama and read palms and seer and so forth without let or hindrance, and with no one to molest or make her afraid. MARRIAGE LICENSES Italo Vollero Vintrella, Panama, age 38 Mrs. Madalena Susi, Panama, age 38 PANAMA HARD HIT The storm last Sunday made itself felt at Panama. Every house in the town was damaged more or less and six smoke-stacks at the mine blown over. The cost of one of these is about $400 so the mining company realizes that Panama was hit.
Montgomery News Jul. 9, 1915 SUES SHOAL CREEK COAL CO. William Hartman, by Frank Ramey his attorney, has sued the Shoal Creek Coal Company for $1000. No declaration is filed yet but the suit is supposed to be brought for injuries said to have been received by the plaintiff while working in the company's mine at Panama.
Montgomery News Jul. 16, 1915 THE PANAMA BOOZE SELLERS (From the Greenville Advocate) Charges of a sensational nature are made by Rev. James E. Burk, Pastor of the M.E. church at Panama in a letter to the Advocate Saturday. In his letter Rev. Burk charges that "from the brewery warehouse at Panama in Bond county, load after load of booze is openly delivered to all parts of Panama, Bond county, Ill." He also charges that "it is possible at a certain place in Panama, Bond county, Ill., to buy a glass of beer Sunday, after midnight, or any other time." Rev. Burk's charges were submitted by the Advocate to the county authorities Saturday. State's Attorney Biggs stated that this matter was threshed out by the grand jury last March and the law is that the prosecution for a violation of the liquor law can be made only in case of a sale in dry territory and that if Rev. Burk knows of such violations, it is his duty as a citizen to come to Greenville and make the proper complaint and swear out a warrant against the guilty parties. If the liquor is only stored at a warehouse in Bond county and is sold in wet Montgomery county, there is no violation of the law. The place where the sale is made is the criterion and governs the legal action. If Rev. Burk's charge that, "liquor is being sold at Panama, Sunday, after midnight, or at any time," is true, then there is a violation and there is ground for a prosecution. It is the duty of the people who personally know these violations to exist and can prove them, to take action and swear out warrants. SOLD BOOZE TO MINORS Peter Bianconia of Panama entered a plea of guilty to a charge of selling booze to minors, and was fined $41.95 in the county court Wednesday. He paid his fine and returned to his suds emporium.
Montgomery News Jul. 20, 1915 BOY DROWNED AT PANAMA Howard Kessinger, the 12 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Miles Kessinger of Panama was drowned while swimming in the creek with some of his companions, on Saturday afternoon of last week, July 17th. The father of the child is quite well known over the south part of the county and the family have the deepest sympathy of everyone.
Montgomery News Jul. 23, 1915 POLICE! POLICE! (From the Greenville Advocate) Peter Bianconia of Panama pleaded guilty in the circuit court at Hillsboro Friday, to a charge of selling liquor in anti-saloon territory. He was fined $20 and costs, amounting to $41.95. Peter Bianconia did not go home with the baconi after a fine like that.
Montgomery News Aug. 3, 1915 PANAMA FIGHTERS IN TROUBLE Warrants for the arrest of "Dutch" Cunningham and John Mahnich of Panama, charging them with assault and battery, were issued here this week. The complaining witnesses are John Spovish and John Knott. We don't know what the first name of "Dutch" Cunningham is, but it must be "John," as this seems to be a popular name in Panama, all three other parties in the fight being named John. KEEPING IN STYLE Jack Williams, came up from Panama last week and bought a new Baby 6 Hudson, trading in his last years car. "Jack" is as finicky about his auto as an old maid about her summer hat and every year he sheds his old model for a new one, just like a lizard shedding its skin. MARRIAGE LICENSES Oreste Serretti, Panama, age 30 Miss Ida Fedi, Panama, age 23
Montgomery News Aug. 6, 1915 PANAMA COUPLE MARRY John Nickels and Mrs. Lucy Kell of Panama went to St. Louis last Monday and were married. MARRIAGE LICENSES Angelo Corradini, Panama, age 23 Toncy Basso, Panama, age 23
Montgomery News Aug. 10, 1915 WIFE GOES ON HIS BOND Arthur Cunningham of Panama, against whom an information was filed last week in the county court for assault on Jacob Evans, gave bond Monday. The amount, which was fixed at $100 was furnished in part by his wife.
Montgomery News Aug. 17, 1915 SWIPED HIS TAIL LIGHT Postmaster S. H. Killifer, of Panama, drove to Hillsboro Friday in his auto, and he didn't have anymore of a tail light than a rabbit. He had visited the Coffeen picnic Thursday night and had taken special precautions to wire his tail light to the auto. Someone cut the wire, however, and swiped the tail light and now Mr. Killifer will have to stay home at night, or else will have to tie a lantern on his car or get a red-headed woman to sit in the auto with him when he ventures out after dark.
Montgomery News Aug. 20, 1915 PRICE OF GASOLINE GOES UP John D. Rockefeller is getting ready to make a big donation. The price of gasoline went up to 13 1/2 cents a gallon Thursday and the announcement is made that it will continue to go up until it reaches 15 cents a gallon!
Montgomery News Aug. 31, 1915 MADE UP AND MARRIED Otto Malone of Hillsboro and Pearl Burk of Panama, who were divorced from each other a year ago last June, procured a license to marry Monday morning. The ceremony will be performed in Panama.
Montgomery News Sep. 7, 1915 PANAMA MINER ATTEMPTS SUICIDE Dick Polovic, a Panama coal miner attempted to commit suicide Monday, striking himself over the head with a hatchet. He inflicted several deep and dangerous wounds and was sent to the hospital at Highland for treatment, where he is now in a precarious condition. Montgomery News Sep. 10, 1915 INFANT DIES AT PANAMA The infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Mollinda died at Panama Wednesday morning, aged 1 year. Interment was made Thursday in the Panama cemetery. TWO FORDS COLLIDE H. J. Grabruck of Panama, son of the mine superintendent there and Charles Heyworth, veterinary surgeon of Donnellson, rounded a sharp curve Tuesday morning about a quarter of a mile out from Panama and ran their tinlizzies into each other in a head-end collision. Both machines, five-passenger Fords, were considerably wrecked but the owners escaped injury.
Montgomery News Sep. 14, 1915 PANAMA DEPOT ROBBED Burglars broke into the back window of the station at Panama Saturday night, but failed to carry away anything to show for their trouble.
Montgomery News Sep. 21, 1915 FOR SALE New double store building at Panama, Ill. An established general mercantile business on good location, in thriving town. For full particulars, write P.O. box 102, Panama, Ill.
Montgomery News Sep. 28, 1915 WANTED TO ROB PANAMA Sid Connells, a tramp wire worker, hit Panama last week and after filling up on Panama pitchfork juice, he got into a conversation with the city police and during his talk he offered to rob the town and divide with the police. He was at once arrested and brought to Hillsboro, but as he had done nothing except to run off at the mouth, he was discharged. INFANT DIES AT PANAMA The two weeks old child of Mr. and Mrs. John Lenox died at Panama Saturday morning.
Montgomery News Oct. 5, 1915 FUNERAL SERVICES THURSDAY The funeral services of Thomas Molin, the Panama miner who died in a St. Louis hospital, were held Thursday from the residence of Mrs. Mattie Long in Panama, with whom the dead man had boarded. He was 69 years old and unmarried.
Montgomery News Oct. 8, 1915 SAYS WILLIAM IS A BOOZE FIGHTER Mary Crowder of Panama, by her attorney Frank Ramey, says she was married to William Crowder at DuQuoin, on Jan. 30, 1913, and lived with him three months, until October 1, 1914. She charges that he has been on sprees and in an intoxicated condition "almost continually" for two years. Besides a divorce, Mary also wants her maiden name, Mary Alvis, restored to her. IDENTIFIED HIS PROPERTY Henry J. Hill of Vanburensburg and Herschel Hill of Filmore were here Monday afternoon to see if they could identify the goods taken by the sheriff in the Panama haul last Sunday when he arrested seven suspected burglars in a corn field and found a lot of shoes, several bolts of cloth, and other articles in their possession. The stores of Herschel Hill of Filmore and Henry J. Hill at Vanburensburg had been broken into Saturday night and a quantity of goods taken. Herschel Hill was unable to identify any of the loot as belonging to him, but Henry J. Hill at once recognized all the goods except two pairs of shoes as having been taken from his store. He identified a rain coat, 13 pairs of shoes, several pairs of men's and boy's pants, a lot of dress goods and other articles as belonging to him, which cinched the case against the prisoners. The thieves are probably a part of the gang of burglars who have been robbing country stores and escaping in automobiles. The arrests may be the means of breaking up the gang although there may be other members of it with headquarters elsewhere. If these men have engaged in other robberies, they have secreted or disposed of their stolen property, as all the goods found in their possession except two pairs of shoes, were taken the night before the arrest from Henry J. Hills store. COUNTY COURT Arthur Cunningham pleads guilty to assaulting Jacob Evans in Panama and is fined $3. Capias pro fine issued. The fine and costs in this case amount to $37.50 Robert Voyles of Panama appeared in court Tuesday and plead guilty to disturbing the peace and was fined $25 and costs. Robert filled up on booze and started to clean out Jacob Voyles and family. Jacob is his brother. Robert is still in jail. James Ryan, another Panama character, plead guilty to being intoxicated on the street and was fined $5 and costs. He was also taken back to the bastille. ANOTHER PANAMA ARREST Deputy Sheriff Williams Wood of Donnellson arrested an Italian at Panama Wednesday night who gave his name as Serviglio Ugolini. The prisoner had in his possession 25 or 30 pairs of shoes, of all kinds and sizes. There were men's, boy's, girl's and women's shoes in his room and a neighbor, happening to see them, tipped the information off to Deputy Sheriff Woods, who arrested and brought him to Hillsboro Wednesday night. Ugolini waived preliminary examination and gave bond in the sum of $300 to await the action of the grand jury. Mike Faletti of Panama went his security. Ugolini claims he bought the shoes of S. R. Harris, a merchant of Coffeen, and showed a letter purporting to be from Harris, confirming his statement. If he did buy them as he claimed, the mystery is, what did he want with them, as he is neither a merchant nor a peddler. HAD TOO MANY SUITS John Enrico, a Panama coal miner, was arrested this week because he has four new suits of clothing in his possession, all of which he claims to have bought from a peddler, but the officers are going to find out whether or not he is telling the truth. Owing to the fact that Panama has saloons, and is regarded as a wide open town, thieves and criminals of all kinds, who are booze fighters, go there to dispose of their loot, and at the same time to get the booze they want. As a result of this condition of affairs, more tough strange characters visit that city than any other place in the county and the county officials have determined to break up this lawless element, if possible, and to try to stop the inhabitants of that place from buying stolen property from these strange crooks. Enrico was brought to Hillsboro where he waved preliminary examination and gave bond in the sum of $500 with Tom Coquatto as his surety.
Montgomery News Oct. 26, 1915 A BUCKING BENZINE-BUGGY Mike Faletti, with four of his friends, drove up to Hillsboro from Panama Saturday in a five passenger car so brand new that it had been his only one day and he was not really well acquainted with the critter. But everything went well till they were south of Taylor Springs coming in, when the car began to buck and got away from Mike. It landed in a hedge fence, losing a hind wheel in the act, and though the five men were thrown out and lit in the thorny hedge, not one was even scratched!
Montgomery News Oct. 29, 1915 FOURTEEN PRISONERS IN JAIL There are fourteen prisoners now in the county jail, among whom are Frank Walls, Joe Jarvis, Clyde Bayliss, Ed Kelley, Walter Johnson and James Leslie, the Panama bunch accused of robbing H. J. Hills store at Vanburensburg.
Montgomery News Nov. 5, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT The case of Thomas F. Burke vs. Shoal Creek Coal Company was settled and dismissed at the plaintiffs costs. Same order in the case of Illinois Coal Operators Mutual Employers Liability Insurance Co. vs. Shoal Creek Coal Company. Same order in the case of Luther O'Neil vs. Shoal Creek Coal Company. The case of Matt Bolgar vs. Shoal Creek Coal Company was continued for want of declaration. Same order in Mike Golovich vs. Shoal Creek Coal Company. Same order in William Hartman vs. Shoal Creek Coal Company.
Montgomery News Nov. 9, 1915 GRAND JURY James Leslie, Frank Wall, Edward Kelley, Walter Johnson, Joe Jarvis and Clyde Bayliss are jointly indicted for robbing Henry Hill's store at Vanburensburg on Oct. 3, 1915, and stealing 27 pairs of men's shoes, worth $3 a pair, 20 pairs of ladies shoes, worth $3 a pair, and a raincoat valued at $5. Robert McCoy, Evan Evans, Charlie Bills, Jake Evans, William Faudi, all of Panama are endorsed as witnesses, besides several others. The same parties are also indicted for conspiring together to rob Henry Hill's store. Carter Stears is indicted for assaulting William Faudi with a knife on July 3rd, 1915. THE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF NICHOLAS POLOVIC OF PANAMA (From the Greenville Advocate) After cutting a gash four inches long through his scalp and into his skull and then bumping his head on the sidewalk, in a crazed effort to commit suicide, Nicholas Polovic of Panama, still lives and was sent to the Anna asylum for the insane on Tuesday, by a commission appointed by Judge W. H. Dawdy. Dr. H. M. Vaught and Dr. O. C. Church composed the Commission. Polovic was brought to Greenville Monday evening by Policeman Charles Bills, accompanied by several other men from Panama, and, on Tuesday morning the case was heard before Judge Dawdy, during which time the insane man was docile and uninclined to talk. He was taken to Anna by Sheriff Royer Wednesday morning. Polovic, on Monday, September 6, attempted to end his life at Panama, while in the grip of alcoholism, by first taking a small ax, such as is called a kindling ax, and gripping it in both hands, he struck himself several times on the top of the head with the blunt side of it. Inflicting no severe injuries this way, he turned the sharpened edge and dealt himself a severe blow, which severed the scalp about five inches and crushed his skull for about four inches. Even this did not daunt him in his efforts, and neither did it knock him senseless. He afterwards kneeled down with his hands resting on the cement and bumped his head thereon. Then men in the community were called and he was taken to a hospital at Highland, where the injury has since been treated and he is recovering. He was released from the hospital only a few days ago. Polovic is an Austrian, 34 years old, and has been in the United States 11 years, was married in 1901, and has a wife and five children. During his attack upon himself, in the presence of several men who were trying to restrain him, he said, "Me no 'fraid: me kill man once," and it is said he served time in the penitentiary in this state, being sent from Madison county.
Montgomery News Nov. 12, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT The suit of Esther F. Brunkhorst vs. Pete Bianconia and Pete Viviano, for $5000 was dismissed at plaintiff's costs. Same order in the case of Paul Morgan and Bernard Morgan minors, who sue by Margaret Morgan, their mother and next friend, against the same defendants. PANAMA COMPANY INCORPORATES The Panama Coal Operative Society has applied for corporation papers. Capital, $25,000. The incorporators are Temple Donaldson, Max Von Brunn, Greener Smith, William Watt, William Jasudowicz, Ernest Coleman and J. M. Freezeland.
Montgomery News Nov. 16, 1915 THE INDICTMENTS The following saloon keepers are indicted for selling liquor to a minor: Thomas Coquatto, selling liquor to Lester Compton; Pete Faletti, selling to same; Tomy Romania, selling to Lester; William Oscar Hilton, selling to same; Mike Faletti, same. These are all Panama saloon keepers and Lester Compton is the minor they are alleged to have sold liquor to in each case. Elmer Seybert is indicted for entering the stable belonging to the Shoal Creek Coal Company of Panama, on Oct. 29, 1915, and stealing 8 bushels of oats.
Montgomery News Nov. 19, 1915 THE PANAMA AUTO BANDITS TRIED Wednesday morning the case against James Leslie, Frank Wall, Edward Kelley, Walter Johnson, Joe Jarvis and Clyde Bayliss, the alleged "auto bandits" of Panama, was called and the following jury was selected to try them: W. H. Lemon, Frank Dunn, George Applegate, Willis Kitner, John DeWerff, Thomas McEfresh, Harry Sammons, Ira Baker, Thomas Horn, Robert Jordan, John Meyers and Doug Roberts. The defendants are accused of having a "camp" near Panama, and that they hired Robert McCoy, on Saturday night, Oct. 2, to take them in an automobile to Vanburensburg, in the southeast corner of this county, and there they broke into Henry J. Hill's store and took 27 pairs of men's shoes, 18 pairs of women's shoes, a lot of dress goods, a rain coat and other articles. The arrest of these six defendants was the result of a very clever piece of detective work arranged and carried into execution by Deputy Sheriff William Woods of Donnellson, Charles Bills, president of the village board of Panama, Jake Evans, city marshall of Panama, and Robert McCoy, a restaurant keeper of Panama. The defendants had been under suspicion ever since they had been in Panama. Several robberies had been pulled off at neighboring towns and the defendants were suspected as being the guilty parties. A store at Waggoner and one at Donnellson had been robbed and Hill's store at Vanburensburg had been looted once before. It was arranged that Bob McCoy should get in with the defendants and get their confidence. He had an automobile and the suspects finally arranged with him to take them to Vanburensburg on the night of Oct. 2, for the purpose of robbing a store, although they didn't tell him what town they wanted to go to. They led him to believe they were going to Herrick, and McCoy didn't know he went to Vanburensburg that night until a day or two after the robbery. He owned a small Hupmobile and could only take two of them, Leslie and Wall, although they all wanted to go. McCoy was ordered to wait down the road some distance from the store while the two burglars got the loot. He did so and they brought the stolen goods to his machine, making two trips. They then directed McCoy to drive them back to Panama, the loot being piled on the fenders and on top of the machine. He got back to Panama about 5:30 Sunday morning, Oct. 3, and the thieves took the stolen goods to their "camp" east of town. Woods, Bills, Evans and the sheriff at Hillsboro were at once notified by McCoy and they surrounded the camp that day and took all six of the defendants prisoners, finding the loot concealed in a brush pile near the camp. Deputy Sheriff Woods, the Panama officials and Bob McCoy are entitled to great credit for the clever way in which they trapped the bandits. L. V. Hill is assisting the State's Attorney in the prosecution and J. D. Wilson and McLin Brown are defending. The case is not over as we go to press and, of course, we don't know what the jury will do, but there seems to be no question as to the guilt of all the defendants. The defendants were known in Panama as "Spot the Bean," "The Kid," "Jack," "Whitney," "Mike," etc. and they are evidently professionals.
Montgomery News Nov. 23, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT The jury last Friday found five of the Panama auto-bandits guilty and hung on the sixth man, standing 11 to 1 for convicting him also. The parties convicted were James Leslie, 23 years old; Joe Jarvis, 38; Clyde Bayliss, 32; Walter Johnson, 18 and Frank Wall, 36. Johnson will go to the reform school and probably Leslie, as we understand that it is discretionary with the court whether he sends a man between the ages of 21 and 25 to the reform school or the penitentiary. James Leslie, one of the men who went in the auto with Bob McCoy to rob Hill's store at Vanburensburg on Sunday morning, Oct. 3, testified in his own behalf and laid it all onto Wall, who was evidently the leader of the gang. Leslie swore he got out of the auto just after it left Panama, and that Wall and Bob McCoy went on to Vanburensburg. Wall did not testify as he knew he would make his case worse by doing so. Edward Kelley, the defendant on whose case the jury hung, did not testify, but we are informed that he wanted to. The others wouldn't let him, however, fearing he would tell the truth. His case will probably be nollied, as it is the impression generally that he does not belong to the gang, but it is like Old Dog Tray, a victim of bad associates who were willing to set up the drinks when he felt a thirst coming on. William Miller, who was in jail with the gang has informed the State's Attorney that he overheard Jarvis and Bayliss talking about what a close call they had when they robbed a store in Waggoner. They are evidently the ones that robbed Charles Norvell's store at Waggoner. MARRIAGE LICENSES John Marak, Panama, age 23 Mrs. Mildred Krublak, Panama, age 18
Montgomery News Nov. 26, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT A nolle was entered in the case against Edward Kelley, indicted with James Leslie et al., for robbing Henry J. Hill's store at Vanburensburg on the morning of Oct. 3, and Kelley was released. He was very much rejoiced that he had escaped the fate of the other five, and he borrowed 50 cents of State's Attorney Major and walked proudly out of court. He told Major if he had enough money to buy his supper and pay for a bed, he would get a job before many hours. State's Attorney Major and Judge Jett are both inclined to think that Kelley did not belong to the Panama gang and they are glad the jury failed to convict him. The indictment against the gang of Panama auto bandits for conspiracy to rob Hill's store was nollied. TAKEN TO CHESTER Deputy Sheriffs Ed Barnett and William Woods took three of the Panama "auto bandits" to the Chester penitentiary Tuesday morning. They were Frank Wall, Joe Jarvis and Clyde Bayliss. It was ascertained that two of these men have prison records. Wall is said to have escaped from Joliet where he was serving an 18-years sentence as a bank robber and safe blower. He is said to be an expert at this business, having followed it for 26 years. Bayliss has served time in the chester penitentiary, and Jarrvis is supposed to be an old offender as he stuck his fins into the handcuffs as naturally as a trained work ox walks under the yoke. Wednesday Deputy Sheriff Harry Saathoff took Walter Johnson and James Leslie to the reform school at Pontiac. Both these boys have been in a reform school before. Leslie has done time in the reform school at Mansfield, Ohio, and Johnson has been in the Kansas reform school.
Montgomery News Nov. 30, 1915 JAIL NEWS Sheriff Johnson took Turk Collins to Chester Saturday and met Ed Newton, who is at the head of the tailoring department there. Newton informed Sheriff Johnson that the officers certainly did a good job when they took the Panama "auto bandits." He said that Jarvis had been there before under the name of Coleman and Bayliss had also served a term there under the name of Conway. Both of them worked for Newton in the tailor shop when they were there before. Sheriff Johnson also ascertained that Wall escaped from the penitentiary at Joliet seven months ago. So the whole bunch were ex-convicts. PANAMA WOMAN BURNED Tuesday of last week, Nora Serdell, the wife of a coal miner, of Panama, was frightfully burned about the body by an explosion of a coal oil can, from which she was pouring oil to start a fire. Nearly all of her clothing was burned off and her body was badly scorched. It was thought that she would recover.
Montgomery News Dec. 3, 1915 CIRCUIT COURT Oscar Hilton and Pete Falletti plead guilty to selling to minors and were fined $47 in each case.
Montgomery News Dec. 10, 1915 CAR TURNS TURTLE; NOBODY IS INJURED The families of Emory DeShane and Green Jennings, of Sorento, had a narrow escape when Mr. Jennings' automobile turned turtle last week. While rounding a curve near Panama the machine went over but none of the occupants were injured, although the car was badly damaged. PANAMA BANK SITUATION The safe at the Panama Bank which refused to respond to the "open sesame" of the combination has been shipped to the factory at Canton, Ohio, accompanied by the cashier, E. A. Murray. Meantime, H. Hoekstra, assistant cashier, is looking after business with the assistance of an old safe which they keep on hand for emergencies.
Montgomery News Dec. 17, 1915 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR PARDON Public notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Frank Chilovitch, convicted of the crime of murder at the April term, A.D. 1911, of the circuit court of Montgomery, in the state of Illinois, and sentenced at said term of said court for a term of eighteen years in the Southern Illinois Penitentiary at Menard, in the state of Illinois, for the commission of said crime, will apply, at the January term, A.D. 1916 of the State Board of Pardons, to the Governor of the State of Illinois for pardon. Dated this 15th day of December, A.D. 1915. Frank Chilovitch
Montgomery News Dec. 24, 1915 CHILD BURNED TO DEATH The little two-year old boy of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Proffet of Panama, was fatally burned, and died on Thursday morning of this week. He was playing near a stove and it is thought he fell against it. He lived seventeen hours after the accident. SUICIDE AT PANAMA Marco Coraglitti a coal miner living at Panama committed suicide by hanging himself, on Thursday morning of this week. His body was found suspended to the rafters in the wash house at his home. He leaves a wife and several children.
Montgomery News Dec. 28, 1915 INQUEST OVER PANAMA CHILD Coroner W. A. Gray drove to Panama last Friday morning and held an inquest over the remains of Thomas Howard Proffet, the little two-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Proffet, who was fatally burned at his home in Panama Wednesday and died Thursday. The story of the accident is best told by the evidence of the child's mother, Mrs. Lucy Proffet, given before the coroner's jury as follows: "I went to the store Wednesday to get some groceries and when I came back the baby was sitting at the window in a chair saying, "Mother, I want candy." I got some bananas and brought a card from the post office to Mrs. Lizzie Lytsin and I brought the groceries up stairs, put them on the table, gave the baby the banana, went out to deliver the card to my neighbor. I had been gone only a few minutes when I heard the baby, crying loudly, and I hurried home. He was standing in the room with his clothes on fire and the stove door open. I am satisfied he was burning the paper sack when his clothing caught fire. There was no water in the room, so I tore off his clothing with my hands but he was badly burned about the legs and abdomen. I summoned a physician but the baby died several hours afterwards. The coroner's jury was composed of R. D. McCoy, Lynn Wilton, J. J. Williams, H. A. Moyer, Jacob Evans and John White. After hearing the evidence they returned a verdict of accidental death. BOY ACCIDENTALLY SHOT AT COFFEEN Lloyd Havron, aged 15 and son of Jesse Havron, of Panama, was shot in the face while on the streets of Coffeen Monday morning. The gun which caused the injury was a 20 gauge shot gun and was in the hands of Morrell Lewey, the 17-year old son of Lafe Lewey. The boys were standing close together and young Lewey was cocking the gun when the hammer slipped from his thumb and the gun was discharged. The right cheek of young Havron was torn away but it is thought he will recover although his injuries are extremely serious.
Montgomery News Dec. 31, 1915 MYSTERIOUS DEATH AT PANAMA Coroner Gray was summoned to Panama Wednesday morning to hold an inquest on the body of little Irene Savage, the two-month's-old baby of Mr. and Mrs. George Savage. The girl was a vigorous, healthy child and never had been sick a day. Tuesday night the family went to bed with the babe. Toward morning the mother, Mrs. Ida Savage, waked up and nursed the child and placed it on the outside of the bed, where it went to sleep and remained there until morning. About 15 minutes before seven, the mother went to take up the child and found her dead. The jury was unable to find out what caused her death and returned a verdict that it died from causes unknown to them. The baby was the first and only child of Mr. and Mrs. Savage and they are heartbroken over their bereavement. They have the sympathy of the whole community. The jury consisted of C. D. McCoy, Lynn Welge, J. J. Williams, Evan Evans and W. W. Mitchell. This is the third inquest held at Panama in the last week, two of them being in this county and one just over the line, in Bond county. HIS WIFE DIDN'T CARE FOR HIM The issue of the News of Dec. 24 contained a brief account of the suicide at Panama of Marco Coraglitti, a coal miner, who hung himself in a wash house at his home Thursday, Dec. 23. Coraglitti lived just over the line in Bond county, and Monday's Greenville Advocate gives the particulars of the tragedy as follows: Because his wife no longer cared for him, as he was led to believe, Marco Coraglitti, a coal miner at Panama, went out to the wash house and hanged himself by the neck until he was dead, last Thursday morning. This is the common reason given by the people of Panama for the act of the foreigner. Four years ago he cut his throat in an attempt to end his life but he was unsuccessful. Witnesses testifies his wife refused to live with him and said he often chased her while threatening to kill her. One witness said he had taken a knife away from Marco several times. Foss Compton testified he was attracted by a woman (Marco's wife) crying and calling for help, and when he reached the wash house he found Marco hanging by the neck. The rope was tied to a rafter and his feet were only an inch and a half from the floor. Behind him was a chair which he had climbed on to swing off. Jacob Evans, Panama policeman, said he had been called to the home of Marco frequently on account of trouble between him and his wife. Coroner H. D. Cartmell of this city, went to Panama Friday and held the inquest and a verdict of suicide was returned by the coroners jury composed of Dr. I. O. Wilcox, Roy Stewart, Evan Evans, Charlie Bills, Jake Evans and Pete Davis. Annual Coal Report for Year Ending June 1916 The improvements made by the Shoal Creek Coal Company, Panama, are as follows: About 5000 feet of motor track laid for permanent roadways. About 1500 feet of air courses cleaned out. Bottom lengthened on the south side for more car storage. The railroad tracks in mine yard thoroughly repaired and ventilation greatly improved. NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS On July 15, 1915, Tony Nauck, aged 26, single, broke his collar bone by coming in contact with electric wires, resulting in 36 days lost time. On Nov. 22, 1915, John Tallen, aged 33, single, had his foot injured by falling coal, resulting in 70 days lost time. On Dec. 2, 1915, Charles Aprilete, aged 30, married, had his foot injured by falling coal, resulting in 133 days lost time. On Jan. 19, 1916, Louis Mallotia, aged 35, single, had his body injured by falling coal, resulting in 41 days lost time. On Feb. 10, 1916, John Gorden, aged 30, from Sorento, married, had his ankle injured by a pit car, resulting in 42 days lost time. On Feb. 12, 1916, Ralph McReaken, aged 23, from Sorento, married, had his ribs broken by a pit car, resulting in 64 days lost time. On Feb. 28, 1916, Don Cebrarse, aged 36, married with 2 children, had his body injured by falling coal, resulting in 48 days lost time. On Mar. 2, 1916, James Sevant, aged 35, married with 4 children, injured his foot on a mining machine, resulting in 66 days lost time. On Mar. 6, 1916, James Milliok, aged 30, married with 1 child, had his finger broken by a machine, resulting in 56 days lost time. On Mar. 22, 1916, Joe Viloa, aged 35, married, had his foot injured by falling coal, resulting in 68 days lost time. On Apr. 13, 1916, Felix Stelia, aged 32, single, had his ankle injured by falling coal. On Apr. 19, 1916, Charles Millar, aged 24, from Sorento, single, had his ankle injured by falling coal. On June 12, 1916, Cal Jones, aged 65, married, had his ribs broken by falling coal. On July 1, 1916, John Kirchner, aged 32 married with 2 children, had his foot injured by a pit car, resulting in 95 days lost time. MINE OUTPUT 3152 tons of mine run 311,710 tons of lump 287,866 tons of other grade 602,728 total tons 242,160 tons loaded on rail cars 322,468 tons sold to railroad 2,823 tons sold locally 35,277 tons consumed or wasted 111,505 pounds of explosive used 228 days of active operation 520 average number of employees 602,728 tons machined mined 20 mining machines 6 motors 22 animals underground |
1914 | Local History |