St. Jacob Newspaper Articles
ST. JACOB NEWS
Source: Alton Telegraph, July 14, 1871
St. Jacob, in Madison County, is improving rapidly. Since the
completion of the St. Louis, Venice, & Terre Haute Railroad, fifteen
or sixteen houses have been built, including two large grain
warehouses. The most conspicuous building in the place is the new
storehouse of Messrs. Schier & Peterson. The flour from three
flouring mills, and brick from a firebrick factory are shipped at
St. Jacob, and eight or ten cars of freight per day is no uncommon
occurrence at that place. The town also boasts of three grain
shipping companies, and several livestock dealers.
DEBATING SOCIETY OF ST. JACOB
Source: Alton Weekly Telegraph, December 30, 1875
The debating society of St. Jacob in Madison County has decided that
the Bible should be read in the public schools
ST. JACOB NEWS
Source: Alton Daily Telegraph, October 28, 1879
The drugstore of H. T. Woods at St. Jacob was burglarized last
Saturday night. The thieves obtained a supply of smoking materials,
such as cigars, pipes and tobacco, a few dollars in small money from
the till, and some other little things. They also sampled his
brandies. No clue as yet to the thieves.
St. Jacob is again in trouble concerning its post office, and
another change is being agitated. The locality around both Marine
and St. Jacob is infested with a gang of harness thieves. Every few
weeks some set of new harness is missing. Amateur detectives are
working the matter up, and some startling and brilliant results are
daily anticipated.
ST. JACOB NEWS
Source: Alton Daily Telegraph, November 15, 1887
Mr. John Engster, one of our well-known dairy men, has been missing
since Monday, and it is believed that he has skipped out. Last
Spring he had an altercation with a man named Ehrhardt, and in the
struggle which took place, the latter lost the use of his eyesight.
The grand jury found a bill against Engster, and as his case was to
come off in the Circuit Court today, it is believed that he became
alarmed and fled. Deputy Sheriff Eaton has been looking for him
eagerly, but no trace could be found of him. Engster is well known
through this section.
ST. JACOB NEWS
Source: Alton Telegraph, October 9, 1890
From Edwardsville – John Schmitt Sr., of St. Jacob Township, a
native of Germany, landed in this country September 26, 1840. To
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event in a proper manner, he
invited a number of his friends, on the 26th, to his homestead,
where he and his estimable wife have resided for over 40 years. The
guests had a good time, as well as the host and hostess. Mr. Schmitt
is 71 years of age.
ST. JACOBS FARMER ROBBED OF $4,000 CASH
Source: Alton Telegraph, November 22, 1894
Louis Glyre of St. Jacobs, Illinois, called on Chief of Detectives
Desmond, and told him a story of how he had been swindled out of
$4,000 by a trio of three-card monte men. Until two weeks ago, Glyre
owned a farm three miles from St. Jacobs, Illinois, At that time, he
sold out for $4,000, and placed the amount in a bank at Highland.
About ten days ago, he learned that he could purchase a farm in Ohio
at a low figure. It was just the kind of an investment he was
looking for, and he at once went to the place. Last Wednesday, while
on a west-bound Ohio and Mississippi train just outside of
Cincinnati, after having completed all arrangements to purchase the
farm, he formed the acquaintance of three well-dressed men, one
introducing himself as J. E. McDonald, and his friend Robert Sumner,
both traveling salesmen. The other said he was John Wilson, an actor
bound for Chicago.
In the conversation which followed, the men learned from Glyre all
about his affairs, including the fact that he had $4,000 in the bank
at Highland, which he was willing to invest. Wilson at once
proceeded to work to gain possession of the $4,000. He drew some
cards from his pocket and said he had just lost $300 in learning a
new game, and proceeded to show how it worked. An exhibition of the
three-card-monte game followed, in which Glyre was allowed to win
$4,000. Wilson took a roll of bills from his pocket as if to pay,
and while counting out $4,000, suddenly asked of Glyre what
assurance he had that he would have paid the bet had he lost. As the
answer was not satisfactory to Wilson, he said that he would pay
Glyre the amount if he met him in Chicago at the Palmer House on
November 16, and brought with him the $4,000 he had in the bank,
just to show that he had that amount.
On the day agreed upon, Glyre arrived in Chicago with the money. He
was met in the Illinois Central station by one of the card
manipulators, who told him that Wilson was not at the Palmer House,
but was at the home of a friend in the suburbs, and he would take
him there. The two boarded a streetcar. From the terminus, Glyre was
compelled to walk half a mile. In a large vacant lot not far from
Lake Michigan, the other two confidence men were found. Wilson
refused to pay over to Glyre the $4,000 unless he was given another
trial at the game, and both put up their money. Glyre deposited his
$4,000 on the ground. Wilson counted out an equal amount, and laid
it next to the first pile. In the manipulation of cards that
followed, Glyre lost. Just at this time another man approached and
informed the men that he was a policeman, and they were under arrest
for gambling.
Wilson grabbed up both piles of money and ran off. The bogus
policeman grabbed Glyre, and the two other man, and said that if
they attempted to run off he would shot them, as he did not intend
to lose any more of his prisoners. The dispute was finally settled
by the bogus policeman, ordering the men to separate. Glyre was told
to remain behind until the others were out of sight, and he did so.
Several hours later Glyre discovered that he had been swindled, and
returned to Highland. Monday he received a letter signed “J. E.
McDonald,” in which the writer, who was one of the men mixed up in
the swindle, said that Wilson was in St. Louis, and the writer would
assist Glyre in locating him. This letter was dated St. Louis, but
it bore the postmark “Evansville and Alton Railway Post Office.”
Glyre at once came to St. Louis to locate the men.