CENTENARIAN GIVEN FIRST BATH IN TWENTY YEARS
Mandan, N.D., March 13.—'It's beyond me, I never saw anything like it. Heavens! but that must be healthy dirt." Willard Brown, orderly at the Mandan hospital, heaved a great sigh and dropped into a chair to rest. He had just finished giving Mike Keating, aged 101 years, the first bath he had had in nearly twenty years.
Keating came to North Dakota in 1875, and in the cowboy days managed to scrape together a comfortable fortune. He erected the first brick hotel building west of the Missouri river in the early 'eighties. He put every cent he had into the business and for a time rolled in affluence—before he rolled in dirt. The hotel burned down with no insurance carried and he was broke.
Then 64 years old he worked as a farm hand, but his nerve was gone. He strolled back to town and followed the white lights until prohibition laws were enforced and saloons were closed. With no one to care for him, he took the long slide.
Ten years ago he filed on a government homestead and three years ago he made final proof, establishing a record. He was 98 years old, the oldest person to every make final proof.
Since then he has been living in a little shack back of the "Big Four," the building which used to house his favorite saloon. He had enough money to buy what food he needed, and for three years has scored aid of neighbors. Today he appeared on the streets for the first time in two years.
Unshaved, with dirt clinging to his whiskers, he was a repulsive looking animal. County Commissioner John Ellinson happened to see him, took him in charge and deemed a bath necessary. KEating was taken to the hospital, where it was found necessary to give him a soaking, soak him again, dain the tub, scrub him with "Dutch Cleanser," and then—give him a bath.
Keating stood for it all—grumbling a little—then admitted that he felt better. He will be cared for by the county.
Ward County Independent, 3/18/1915
Mandan, North Dakota - The dangers attendant upon taking a bath were illustrated here last week
when Mike Keating, who had not "sustained" a bath for twenty years, was given one and died.
Physicians had advised against the bath, it is claimed.
Hansboro News, 5/7/1915
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FIGHT OVER WOMAN
Fargo, N.D., March 1—Jealusy {sp} over a woman is said to have been the cause of a shooting affray on the south bridge.
Two colored men and a colored woman were the principals. Both men were seeking the favor of taking the young woman home. They became heated in their arguments and evidently one of the men was held in a little higher esteem than his rival as the woman drew a revolver from her waist and fired at the man who made a "crowd" in the party of two.
Both men fled at this sign of the woman's temper, one man going towards Moorhead and the other man making for the darkness and oblivion of "Shanty Town."
When the police arrived on the scene all three of the people had departed and investigation failed to discover their whereabouts.
It is not believed that any one was injured in the shooting.
Grand Forks Evening Times, 3/1/1909
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Suicide From Melancholia.
Fargo, N.D., Feb 17.—Barney Christianson of Pembina county suicided by shooting himself. He was about fifty-five years of age and a bachelor. He had suffered from fits of melancholia.
Pembina Pioneer Express, 2/22/1901
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Edwin Sether died at the
St. Francis hospital last Friday morning. While working in Mr. Baggs elevator where he was employed, he had the misfortune to have his arm torn off. He was taken to Breckenridge and lived until Friday morning. The deceased was a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Sether of
Mooreton, and was about twenty-five years of age. He leaves a father, mother, sister, two brothers and a large circle of friends and other relatives to mourn his departure. The funeral was held in the Norwegian Lutheran church, Sunday afternoon, and the remains were
laid to rest in the churchyard. The family have the sympathy of the entire community.
Wahpeton Times, 2/20/1908
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CRIME NOT INTENTIONAL
DeWitt, the Youthful Shooting Artist Gives Confession and Biography
Minot, N.D., March 1.— Young Jow DeWitt, who is charged with attempt to kill John Larson near Coteau where he broke into the house and stole an overcoat and other articles of clothing, is now in the Ward County jail awaiting his trial in the district court.
He was given a preliminary hearing at Bowbells and was bound over. He is a young man and claims that he did not intend to commit murder or to kill the man at whom he shot.
Deputy Sheriff Dick Steinhofer brought him to Minot and recovered all of the goods that he had stolen except a few handkerchiefs and some underclothes.
Among other things relative to his past life, he said: "I know nothing of my real parents. As far back as I can remember, I was in an orphan's home in Minneapolis when Louise DeWitt took me to Jamestown, N.D., when I was 4 years old. Later we came to Williams county and I lived with them on a ranch about six years. I went to school at Jamestown for a short time, but never since.
About two years ago I left home because I had to work so hard, taking care of a bunch of horses and cattle. I came to Bowbells and worked for a while then went to work for Billy Hughes south of Coteau. The reason I left there was because I had nothing but pancakes to live on and had to get my own meals, and I got tired of that and went to Coteau Saturday night and met John Larson and I said to myself. 'I am going to do something dirty tonight' and I went back and put on some of his clothes, and when I got them on I heard some one in the shed say 'Is there anyone in there?' and I was so scared I didn't know what I was doing and fired. I had no intention of killing him. I was not after money, only clothes. I should have come to town instead of going to old man DeWitt's, nineteen miles west of Ambrose, where the officers came for me. I did not try to get away; I knew I couldn't. My true name is Joseph Buckley, and I don't know anything of my real parents and I don't know what became of them."
Grand Forks Evening Times, 3/1/1909
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Gasoline is Tinder.
Explosion in Stove Hurls Man Across Room.
Mistaking gasoline for kerosene, Thomas Bell, living near Willow City, had a narrow escape from death by the explosion which followed the ignition of the fluid.
Bell was starting a fire in the kitchen stove and poured a cupful of fluid from a can supposed to be kerosene. He emptied this upon the kindling in the stove and applied a match. There was a terrific explosion and the man was blown across the room, striking against the outer wall of the house. His face was scorched and his hair and beard burned off, but it is not believed that he sustained any serious injuries.
It appears that the family had occasion to use gasoline for cleaning purposes and forgot to inform Bell that the cans had been changed.
Wahpeton Times, 3/14/1907
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