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Five persons are reported dead and a score injured at Cadet, Missouri, a town of 300 inhabitants, twelve miles south of DeSoto, as the result
of the tornado which practically demolished the town. Wires are down in every direction and a creek between Desoto and the stricken village
is out of its banks. Of the dead at Cadet, two have identified. They are Mrs. Eli Polite, 35 years old, and her mother Mrs. Singleton, who
were crushed when their home was blown in upon them. Eli Polite, husband of Mrs. Polite, was taken from the wreckage fatally hurt. A relief
party departed tonight and is reported to have got through to Cadet despite the swollen creek.
A tornado hit Cadet, a town of 500 population, twelve miles south of here, in Washington County, Missouri. A number of persons are reported
killed and fifteen to twenty injured. The wind virtually swept the town away. Only ten houses in the south eastern part of the town were
left standing. Great damage was done in the northern part of the town. The path of the tornado through Cadet was three-quarters of a mile
wide. Great damage was also done in the country near Cadet, many farm dwelling houses and barns being wrecked. All wires were blown down.
An Iron Mountain signal man brought the news to Desoto. In the southern part of Jefferson County the storm wrecked an automobile in which
John Powers and Joseph J. Boyers and George Blackburn. Powers and Boyers were found dead and Blackburn is missing.
A telephone message reports four persons killed and several injured at Valley Mines, in Jefferson County. A number of buildings there were
demolished.
For Sale, 168 acres, rich soil; lays well; 80 improved; good timber; orchard; water; near railroad; bargain. N. Dapron, Cadet, MO
A tornado yesterday afternoon struck Cadet, a little town with 500 population, 12 miles south of here in Washington County, Missouri. A number of persons are reported killed and fifteen to twenty injured. The wind virtually swept the town away. Only ten houses in the Southeastern section were left standing. Great damage was done in the north part of the town. The path of the tornado was three quarters of a mile wide. Great damage was also done in the country near Cadet, many farmhouses and barns being wrecked. A special train left here at six o’clock last evening to bring the injured to De Soto. All wires were blown down. In the southern part Jefferson County the storm wrecked an automobile in which were John Powers of Cape Girardeau and Joseph J. Boyer (NOTE: “Boyers” in newspaper print) and George Blackburn of De Soto. Powers and Boyers were found dead and Blackburn is missing. A telephone message last night reported four other persons
killed and several injured at Valles Mines, in Jefferson County. A number of buildings there were demolished.
W. T. Woolford spent Thurdsay last in St. Louis.
Mr. James Long made a trip to St. Louis last Thursday.
Judge Dearing will convene circuit court at Ironton next Monday.
Frank McCallion of Bellefountain was in our town last Thursday.
K. E. Dewey of Troutt neighborhood was on our streets Thursday last.
Born to Mr. & Mrs. D. O. Jarvis of near Undine on April 7th a son.
Mrs. J. F. Evans & daughter, Miss Ollie, spent Saturday last in St. Louis.
Miss Minerva Declue returned home last Sunday from a week's sojourn in St.
Louis.
Professors J. W. Houstin & B. F. McKinney of Irondale were in Potosi Saturday.
Mrs. W. T. Scott & sister Ethel Simmons of Latty were in Potosi Monday last.
Don't fail to hear Permelia & the band concert at the Opera House Thursday
eve.
The Potosi High School will graduate a class of nine at the close of the
present school term.
Piedmont now has a daily paper, the Banner, issuing such an edition as well
as its weekly.
John Compton of Latty was a caller at this office on Wednesday last to
settle with the printer.
Miss Ethel Bunyard of Piedmont, Mo. is the guest of Misses Margaret & Lizzie
Belle Richeson.
Robert Recar of Cruise was in Potosi Tuesday & made the Journal office to
visit to renew his paper.
Mr. Jesse Horton of Belgrade was a caller at the office Thursday last to
order his name enrolled on our subscription list.
The Journal issues a supplement this week containing the county clerk's
annual report of the financial condition of Washington County.
T. F. Blount has sold Walter Northcutt two lots, 100 by 105 feet, in block 5
of the Townsend addition, adjoining Mr. Northcutt's home in that part of
town.
The 300th anniversary of the English Bible will be observed at the
Presbyterian church next Sabbath morning. The entire service will be
appropriate to the occasion.
The office of maintenance & ways of this division of the Iron Mountain, that
was moved to Poplar Bluff some thime ago, has been moved back to DeSoto.
The recent session of the Missouri legislature removed the restriction upon
county treasurers which limited them to one term of office, four years.
Under the new law they may now become candidates to succeed themselves.
Reynolds county elected a woman as its county's superintendent of schools,
Miss Lulu Barton. She defeated two male opponents for the place getting a
majority of 187 over their combined vote. They say she is a lulu as a
politician.
All the churches here were well attended at the easter services last Sunday.
The day was an ideal one for the occasion & those who had new clothes aired
these adornments, those who had none, well - they aired their old ones.
Squire S.S. Paul of Cadet was in town Monday last & stated that his home was
right in the path of the cyclone last Thursday, but just as it had
approached within 150 yards of his house the storm veered & left him
unharmed.
The Bismarck Gazette says the people of Caledonia will subscribe $15,000 or
$20,000 toward the new railroad project in that part of the county & that
Belgrade would come to the front with a similar sum. They've got the money
all right over there.
Mrs. Sarah Johnson came down from St. Louis last Sunday on her way to
Belgrade, where she expects to spend the summer. She was accompanied by her
daughter, Mrs. N. J. Townsend, who will spend several days with relatives at
Belgrade.
The Potosi High School ball team went over to Flat River last Saturday where
they engaged Flat River High in a bout on the diamond. The game resulted in
a score of 16 to 4 in favor of Flat River. The local team plays Bismarck
here next Saturday.
Earl Plank writes us to change his paper from Bonne Terre to St. Louis. He
had taken a postion as time keeper for the Terminal Railroad Association at
the shops at Brooklyn, Ill., at a better salary than he was getting in the
railroad offices at Bonne Terre.
G. W. Scoggin of Glover, Wayne county, has brought suit against the Iron
Mountain Railroad for $51,500 damages for failure to install a switch. Some
day some Potosian will bring suit against the Iron Mountain for damages to
his eyes for maintaining the eyesore it calls a depot here.
By a recent arrangement the star route mail from Aptus to Potosi was
discontinued. The carrier on rural route No. 1 has had his route extended
to Aptus to which point he takes a sack six times a week. From Aptus the
mail is carried to Troutt three times a week, instead of six under the old
arrangement.
A team hitched to a buggy, driven by George Johnson, one of our liverymen,
ran away at the depot last Monday afternoon. In pulling on the lines to
restrain the fightened horses the lines broke & Johnson jumped out of the
vehicle to save himself. He was thrown with considerable force, however, &
suffered a sprained ankle & wrenched arm.
The city board of aldermen met last Wednesday evening & re-organized. The
business of the preceding year was wound up without any outstanding
indebtedness & over $200 in the city treasure. It is claimed that more work
was done on the city's streets in the past year than was ever accomplished
in the same time by any previous administration. Now that a fresh start is
being taken it might be well for the board to publish a statement of the
various receipts & expenditures just to show the people how & where the city
revenues are being expended. There is no ordinace requiring this, but all
other cities are doing it regularly, either annually or semi-annually. In
Potosi it has not been done for a number of years, yet we are entitled to
it.
Rev. Joseph A. Russell, one of the oldest Methodist preachers of his section
of the state, died at his home in Lutesville on April 8th, at the age of 73
years. He was an old Confederate soldier & lost an arm in the war. Many
years ago Mr. Russell had a ministerial charge in this county for several
years & will be remembered by some of our older citizens.
Rev. Geo. L. Chapman of St. Louis, missionary of the Churches of God passed
through Potosi Monday last & left the following announcements: He began a
protracted meeting at Palmer Monday night, April 17th, which will continue
over the fifth Sunday. On the fourth Sunday he will go to Sugar Grove to
fill his regular appointment. There will be a corner stone laying service
at 11:00 a.m. on that day at the new Bethel near Adam with baptizing in the
afternoon. On Monday after the fifth Sunday he will go to Belgrade to begin
a revival service.
Deptuy Constable James Richeson of Flat River, formerly of Latty, this
county, had a shotgun battle with three yeggmen in "Hungarian town" at Flat
River last Monday morning & captured one of the gang & wounded another. The
wounded man escaped with the third member of the gang. Sheriff London & a
posse are now searching the country between Flat River & Bismarck. The two
fugitives are heavily armed. The captured man gave the name of Charles
Allen Shountz, Burlington, Iowa. When captured he wore three suits of
clothes & a suit of overalls. A grip dropped by the yeggmen containted
skeleton keys, steel saws, dynamite caps & fuse. When caught, the robbers
were in the act of disposing of a large quantity of stolen goods to the
Hungarians.
The circuit court got through with the Yarbrough brothers, Albert & Walter,
last Thursday morning by handing them two years each in the penitentiary on
the charge of felonious assault. They were taken to Jeff. City by Sheriff
Casey the latter part of last week, Harvey Huitt going along as Deputy
Sheriff. There are three of the Yarbrough boys in the pen now, Chris having
been sent there from Howell county some time ago on a 15 year sentence for
horse-stealing & jail-breaking. Walter got four years altogether in the
circuit court here last week, & Albert has the best part of a paroled
sentence of five years to serve out now in addition to the two years he has
just received. The Yarbrough boys have been a heavey burden to the
taxpayers of this county for a number years because of their criminal
tendencies piling up court costs.
A double header replevin suit was scheduled for hearing in Esq. Thurmond's
court Monday. It was over a saddle which Joe Bealke had left at Woodruff's
stable & was afterwards claimed by J.E. Crow & John Scott, both replivend
for it, Crow from Woodruff & Scott from Crow. Attorneys Frank Farris &
James Booth were here, each representing a side of the controversy. It did
not come to a hearing, being settled in some way so that judgement in
default was rendered in favor of Crow. The saddle was worth about thirty
dollars. Costs & attorney's fees probably amount to forty or fifty, &
besides Frank Johnson, acting in Crow's interest, got a badly blackened eye.
Casualty Lists: Under Died From Disease
Americans Killed and Wounded on the French Front
St. Louis, May 31
An Iron Mountain passenger train bore the most seriously injured to
Desoto, about 15 miles north of Mineral Point.
The dead: Thomas Lemasters, Iron Mountain conductor; Augustus Boone,
Iron Mountain signal man; Frank Goss, 4 years old; Frank Lachamp, Fred
Harper, Eye, Missouri.
Two coaches of an Iron Mountain local running between Mineral Point and
Potosi were blown from the track, and it was in this wreckage that
Conductor Lemasters and Flagman Boone were killed. The injured were cared
for at Desoto in an emergency hospital fitted up in the railroad
building. Doctors have been sent from St. Louis to aid in the work there.
Relief to the homeless in Mineral Point was given by surrounding towns.
Many persons were taken to Desoto and Potosi in automobiles, because of the almost impassable condition of the
roads, the rescue work was slow.
Mineral Point is about 75 miles south of St. Louis. The storm struck
the village about 3 pm. Wire communication was cut off almost entirely,
the first report reaching here over the Missouri Pacific Iron Mountain
line. Later telephonic communications was established with Desoto.
Much property damage was done in Alexander County, Illinois, where two
men lost their lives. One of the freaks of the Illinois storm occurred
near Mounds, when a ten ton steam roller was lifted and whirled for 50
feet.
An automatic block signal on the Iron Mountain railroad near Mineral
Point, put into operation by the wind, warned a Memphis-St. Louis train
carrying 400 passengers who watched the storm destroy the village and
then gave aid to the injured. The victims were place on board the train
and taken to Desoto where they were cared for at the railroad Y.M.C.A.
Scores of negroes at Mineral Point aided in the rescue work, according
to Conductor Gragg of the Memphis-St. Louis train. A number of freaks
were reported, one being the experience of the station agent who was
standing with his arm about the shoulders of Thomas Lemasters, conductor,
when the Mineral Point station was demolished. The agent escaped
unhurt but Lemasters was killed instantly.
A thrilling race with the tornado was won by the engineer of the
Mississippi and Bonne Terre railroad near Mineral Point and possibly saved
the lives of 100 passengers. When the twister became visible the
conductor ordered the engineer to put on full steam in an effort to out run
it. The storm followed the train for more than a mile before it changed
its course.
St. Louis, October 15 Corp. Michael Cordia, Richwoods, Killed in Action
On last Wednesday morning, (Given name not readable) Gill, a colored youth,
16 or 17 years of age, was brought to Potosi and lodged in jail, with the
serious charge of attempted rape of a white woman against him. The crime
took place at the home of Mrs. Chas. Clancy, near Blackwell, the night
previous. Gill had been employed by Mr. Clancy about his farm for the past
two years, and on the night referred to, knowing Mr. Clancy was away from
home visiting his father, who was ill, he came to the house and asked for
a match. As Mrs. Clancy opened the door he grappled with her. Although the
woman is an invalid, just recovering from an attack of inflammatory
rheumatism, she made a brave fight against the assault, at the same time
pleading with the boy to remember her kindness to him in the past and not
to carry out his purpose. In this way, after a struggle lasting for more
than an hour, she finally prevailed upon him to desist. He then picked up
a gun that was in the house and left. Mrs. Clancy at once raised an alarm
among the neighbors by telephone and a posse was quickly organized to
capture the young fiend. He was found at his father's home nearby making
preparations to leave. He was taken to Blackwell and the news of his
offense soon spread abroad, and the farmers gathered to hold an immediate
lynching bee. However, by the wise advice of Judge Thomas Higginbotham and
several others of the older heads, they were prevailed upon to let the law
take its course, and young Gill was hostled off to jail. He will
undoubtedly get a good, long term in the penitentiary. Woman Suicides By
Strangling This was not in the paper,
but Mrs. William Nephew's name was Lucille. Her parents were John and
Virginia DeGonia. She and William were married at St. Joachims in Old
Mines, Mo., 07 May 1877. Their children were: Cloves Nephew, Agnes May
Nephew Compton, Ella Josephine Nephew Hartzell Boyer Dunlap, Tresia
Corabell Nephew, Anne Arton Nephew Paul, Frank William Nephew, John
Nursecee Nephew, Clara Sarah Nephew, James Martin Nephew, Thomas Edward
Nephew and Bertha Lucille Nephew Grace Torrence.
(This information was submitted by the
great-grandaughter of Lucille Nephew) Hopewell News Marriage License
Return to the Washington County homepage
The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, April 14, 1911
"Cadet Wiped Out"
Adams County News, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, April 14, 1911
Desoto, Mo.The Lincoln Daily Star, Lincoln, Nebraska, December 21, 1913
Submitted by Christine Lembeck
The Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe, Missouri, February 18, 1918
Mrs. Mary Relfe Williams, widow of the late Robert Williams, who died in 1904, died at her home 1120 McNally St., Sunday evening at 9:00
o’clock. Mrs. Williams fell about ten weeks ago, fracturing a bone, which, together with old age, resulted in her death.
She was born in Washington County, Missouri, September 3, 1833. She was married in April 1856 and came to Livingston County in 1858, where she
has since resided.
Four children survive as follows: Robert L. and Minnie Williams and Mrs. Florence Beane, all of this city, and Guy Williams of Creston, Iowa.
Another son, Clarence, died about a year ago. Funeral services will be held from the home Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock. Rev. J. N. Boyd,
pastor of the Elm St. M. E. Church, of which Mrs. Williams was consistent member. Interment will be made in Edgewood.
Submitted by Christine Lembeck
Warren Evening Mirror, Warren, Pennsylvania, April 14, 1911
DeSoto, MO – April 11
Submitted by Esther M. Ziock Carroll
Local Items
From: The Potosi Journal - 19 April 1911
Submitted by Christine Lembeck
Charleston Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, August 21, 1918
Corporal Lloyd F. Brown, Potosi, Missouri
Private Patrick Daniel Litton, Potosi, Missouri
The Washington Post, Washington D.C., December 9, 1918
Toney E. Eye, Potosi, Missouri
Submitted by Christine Lembeck
The Newark Advocate, Newark Ohio, May 31, 1917
A tornado twisted into Mineral Point, Missouri, a village of about 300
inhabitants, late yesterday afternoon, killed about four pesons and
injured 30, demolished the town witht the exception of the schoolhouse,
and then moved southward to Eye, where Fred Harper, a farmer, was killed
by flying debris.
Submitted by Christine Lembeck
Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, October 17, 1919
The
Potosi National Bank at Potosi, Missouri, 67 miles south of St. Louis, was
looted early today. The two bandits with an acetylene torch burned their
way into the vault and escaped with $25,000.00, it is reported.
The Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe,
Missouri, December 4, 1918
Potosi Journal, Wednesday, February 2, 1910, Vol
16, No. 24
Potosi Journal, February 2, 1910, Vol 16, No
24
Coroner E. W. McFadden was notified
last Thursday of the death of Mrs. William Nephew, who lived near the
Fountain Farm, in the neighborhood of Cadet, and went out there that
afternoon to hold an inquest on the body. He reports that Mrs. Nephew, who
was between 50 and 60 years of age, was found lying in the bed with a
piece of binder-twine wrapped several times around her neck and drawn
taut. She was then dead. One end of the twine had the appearance of having
been fastened to a nail in the ceiling just over the bed, from which it
had evidently slipped when the woman struggled. The daughter, who was the
only person at home at the time, testified that after breakfast her mother
instructed her to clean up the yard, which she went about, and afterwards
attended to some household duties, thinking her mother asleep in the
bedroom. Later when she went into the bedroom she found her mother as
stated. Ill health is the cause assigned for the woman's rash act, as she
had not been herself for a year or more physically and mentally. She is
survived by her husband and several grown children, to whom we extend our
sympathy.
Potosi Journal,
Wednesday, Feb 2, 1910, Vol 16, # 24
Larry Flesher, Washington County, MO