Miscellaneous articles about Bingham County Idaho
November 11, 1885
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark Ohio
MANY WIVED MORMONS
Polygamists Convicted Under The Edmunds Law.
Eight Crimson, Crime-Stained Blood-Clots Get a Dose of Idaho Justice-Judge Hays
Reads the Riot Act-A Mormon Freak of Nature-Arrests.
Blackfoot, Id. T., Nov. 11-Chief Justice Hays pronounced
sentence upon eight Mormons convicted of unlawful cohabitation under the Edmunds
law, and on George Parkman for hiding polygamous wives from the United States
marshal. The names of the unlawful cohabiters are: Joseph M. Phelps, who
has three wives and lives in Bear Lake township; Alexander Leatham, Alfred L.
Blackburn, Andrew Bijorn, Nathan Porter, Arthur Peck, Isaac B. Nash and W.C.
Garrison, who each have two wives and are all residents of Bingham or Onieda
counties, Id. T.
The court questioned each as to his future intentions in
regard to obeying the law and, with the exception of W.C. Garrison all
positively refused to make any promises but said they would obey the laws of God
as they understood them in the bible. They believed that polygamy was from God,
and they could not obey the laws of man. Garrison is an apostate Mormon, and has
honorably put away his extra women, and promises to encourage all men to obey
the laws.
Phelps, Leatham, Bijorn and Peck each received six months and $300 fine, and
will have to pay $160 costs.
Blackburn six months and $300 fine.
Porter three months and $150 fine and will have to pay $100 costs.
Garrison and Nash, three months each.
George C. Parkman who hid away polygamous wives, gets one year and $300 fine and
will have to pay $100 costs.
The judge in sentencing them, in substances spoke as follows:
"You claim the protection of the laws of your country, yet you refuse to obey
the same, and after having been fairly tried and having the protection of all
the safeguards which the laws throw around you, you were convicted, and come
into court confessing the correctness of that conviction, yet claiming the
right, as a religious duty, to disobey and defy the law. I am aware that you
seek, by every advantage and opportunity, to defeat the law. I am aware that you
hope to secure more friendly legislation, and that your present policy is
doubtless directed by that hope, and that some of you are base enough to think
that this may be secured by a peeuniary consideration. In this you will be
mistaken. It requires no prophetic power to foresee the result of your present
mistaken policy, but only the power to reason from cause to effect, and I now
say to you, in kindness yet in firmness, the laws must and shall be enforced,
and if they fall heavily upon you it is the result of your crimes and not the
fault of the law.
"Mistaken people, you little know the result of your present
defiant course. It can lead to but one thing, and this is arouse the American
people and to kindle in their hearts righteous indignation against your course
and crimes. In time this will crystallize into law, and the enactments will be
sever in proportion as the necessity of your crimes may require. You are but
starting an avalanche that will crush you. A religion based on crime cannot and
will not stand. Perhaps some divine power may be directing your course for the
wise and holy purposing of working out your own destruction. Your present course
must inevitably bring about that result. You have but this choice, either to be
your own destroyer or else bow in submission to the law."
Judge Hays is an appointee of President Cleveland.
November 28, 1889
Weekly Gazette Stockman, Reno Nevada
INSANE ASYLUM BURNED
Blackfoot, Idaho, Nov. 25-The Territorial Asylum was burned
this morning. Fifty seven out of the sixty five inmates were rescued. Two women
and one man are known to have perished, and five are missing and are supposed to
be burned. The building and contents were totally destroyed. Loss $300,000.
June 25, 1892
The Stevens Point Journal
Perry J. Anson of Blackfoot, Idaho, was in the city several days the first of the week visiting his parents Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Anson. He came east to attend the Republican convention at Minneapolis. He stopped in Merrill a day or two to visit his brother L.N. Anson. Perry J. is engaged in keeping hotel and is also register of the land office at Blackfoot. He has resided in Idaho for twenty-two years and has met with good success in business. He thinks some of returning to Wisconsin to live.
September 1, 1897
The Arizona Republican, Phoenix Arizona
INDIAN GAMBLERS
The Idaho Law Will Be Enforced Against Them.
Pocatello, Ida., Aug. 31-News received here from Blackfoot
that the sheriff of Bingham county has arrested a half dozen Indians for
violation of the anti-gambling law has caused considerable comment. Indians can
be seen gambling every day in Pocatello, sitting around a blanket spread on some
vacant lot or in the shade of some warehouse, and the authorities here have
never considered the Indian in connection with the law against gambling. They
always play among themselves publicly and a game which no white man understands.
According to the advices from Blackfoot this was the manner in which the Indians
were playing when arrested. On the Nez Perces reservation an effort has been
made to enforce the anti-gambling law with reference to the Indians as well as
the whites, but such a thing has never been thought of in this section before.
August 30, 1900
Weekly Gazette Stockman, Reno Nevada
DISASTROUS FIRE AT BLACKFOOT, IDAHO
Blackfoot, Idaho, Aug. 28-A disastrous fire broke out this
morning in the livery stable of Dolph Johnson and before it could be gotten
under control had destroyed half a block of buildings. Twenty four horses in
Johnson's stable perished. An inadequate water supply hindered the firemen in
their efforts to check the flame. The loss is upwards of $10,000, with little
insurance.
May 22, 1913
Syracuse Herald, Syracuse New York
LUNATIC KILLS FIVE
Blackfoot, Idaho-Peter Bradovitch, an insane Austrian
confined in the Southern Idaho Insane asylum here, killed his five roommates by
beating them on the head with a table as they lay asleep. Bradovitch was
committed to the asylum two years ago from the State Penitentiary, where he was
serving a life sentence for murder.
November 10, 1917
The Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point Wisconsin
MONDAY
Miss Esther Belgum, who has been employed at the Sutherland restaurant while
attending the Normal for the past four years leaves tonight for Blackfoot,
Idaho, where she has secured a position in the schools. Miss Belgum, whose home
is at Manitowoc, has a large of circle of friends here and all wish her success
in her new position.
April 11, 1922
Iowa City Press Citizen, Iowa City Iowa
Mr. Victor Barrer of Blackfoot, Idaho, and Mr. Leonard Barrer, of Oakland, Cal., are here to be at the bedside of their father, Joseph Barrer, an esteemed Iowa City pioneer, who is dangerously ill.
July 28, 1929
Syracuse Herald, Syracuse New York
SEEKS MATCH, FINDS LIGHTER
Blackfoot, Idaho, July 27-"Believe it or not," but F.W.
Kiefer, local civil engineer, says that recently while out on the desert west of
Blackfoot he ran out of matches. Finally his urge for a smoke became so great
that he decided to walk about a quarter of a mile to a house, in the hope of
securing the desired lucifer. Going about 300 feet, he picked up one of the best
cigar lighters on the market.
July 31, 1953
Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana Pennsylvania
RESCUE COW FROM DITCH BY WRECKER
Blackfoot, Idaho-It took a car wrecker to pull a wayward
cow out of a ditch near here.
Blackfoot city police, Bingham County deputy sheriffs and
about 30 volunteers blistered their hands in an attempt to drag the 500 pound
animal from a ditch. Finally aid was summoned from a local garage.
The cow was found lying on its side in the ditch with its
head barely above the water.
©Shauna Williams