News From This Week’s Past: Bewitched Cows, Camp Peninsula

All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors.

The Expositor Independent

June 30, 1876

If you don’t believe that Sturgeon Bay will have an orator on the fourth who can soar high enough to pluck the feathers from the H’american H’eagle, just once look at the height of the stand from which he will take hi flight.”

Weekly Expositor Independent

June 26, 1885

The German Lutheran church, situated some three and one-half miles south of Sister Bay, in town of Liberty Grove, was struck by lightning and badly damaged Saturday last. The steeple was reduced to splinters. No insurance.

The Republican

June 30, 1892

The recent heavy rains have made the roads throughout the county almost impassable, especially in the places where work is being done on them. It took four horses to bring the Baileys Harbor stage through on Wednesday, the mud in some places being fully two feet deep.

Door County Democrat

June 30, 1906

OPEN VIEWS IN SALOONS

There is to be no opportunity hereafter in Sturgeon Bay to linger in saloons behind tightly drawn curtains and blinds after the closing hour of 11 o’clock. The Mayor and aldermen have given the order that liquor dealers who desire a license granted them after July 1st, must obey this new ruling.

The new ruling is a very good one, and the Mayor and aldermen are to be commended for the action taken, but it is to be regretted that they did not go further, and include all day Sunday as well as the closing hours from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. If an unobstructed view of the interior of the saloons could be had during Sunday, and the police officer authorized to enforce the Sunday law, the back door trouble would be overcome.

Door County News

June 28, 1918

Elmer Seaquist and Gustie Boquist, both of Liberty Grove, were married, Thursday, June 20, at the Lutheran parsonage, Ellison Bay, Rev. H. M. Mason officiating. The bride was attended by her sister,

Linnea Boquist, and the groom by Clifford Brown of Chicago. The bride is a daughter of John Boquist of Sister Bay. A wedding dinner was served at the home of the bride’s parents in Sister Bay. The young couple will make their home on the groom’s farm, two miles east of Sister Bay.

Door County News

June 27, 1929

FORESTVILLE MAN BELIEVES FARMER BEWITCHED COWS

Goes on Rampage With Shotgun When Cow Fails to Milk

Believing that his neighbor, Dan Alexander, residing three and one-half miles west of Forestville, was endowed with powers to bewitch his cows, Wm Schumacher, 40, attempted to “break the spell” Sunday afternoon. As a result he is being held in the county jail, where he is being kept under observation.

According to Alexander, he and his wife were sitting on the porch of their home when they first noticed Schumacher approaching them with a shotgun. When some distance away he loaded the gun and fired three times. He approached closer, and fearing the safety of her husband, Mrs. Alexander stood between him and his assailant. Schumacher, it is alleged, then requested Alexander to step out in the open if he wanted to get shot.

Schumacher was arraigned Monday before Justice L. J. Meverden charged with “assault evincing a depraved mind.” His bonds were fixed at $2,000 which he was unable to furnish.

At the arraignment Schumacher stated that Alexander had bewitched one of his cows as the result of which she gave no milk.

Door County News

June 24, 1937

CCC Camp Ordered Closed by June 30th

Advices received Tuesday from headquarters at Washington advised the commandant at Camp Peninsula CCC (Peninsula State park) to disband the camp and close quarters on Wednesday, June 30. The camp has provided work for a corps of 90 boys for a period of about two years. No statement has been made as to the disposition of buildings, but it is expected the government will offer them for sale.