The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on August 12, 1924:
 
BUILDING FOR HEALTH EXHIBIT REST ROOM AT COUNTY FAIR
 
Three Organizations Unite for Construction of Exhibit Building and Rest Room at Fair Grounds
Under arrangements completed this week, the Rock County Chapter of American Red Cross, the Rock County Public Health association and the Rock County Agricultural society will jointly erect a building at the fair grounds for use of public health exhibits and as a rest room during the fair. The plans call for a building 20x24 feet, of arrangement suitable to the purpose for which it is to be utilized, and the cost will be $600, one-third of which will be borne by each of the three societies named.
Heretofore it has been customary to rent a tent for the public health exhibit and rest room. This has not only been very unsatisfactory from every standpoint, but has been an expensive way of supplying a place of exhibit and rest room. A check of the situation showed that the rental saved could pay the cost of the new building in a few years, and at the same time provide much better facilities.
The building will be completed in time for use during the coming fair, Sept. 10th to 13th, and will make a noticeable addition to the buildings at the fairgrounds.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on July 11, 1924:
 
HARDWICK’S TWO BANKING INSTITUTIONS CONSOLIDATE
 
Farmers State Bank Takes Over Business of Security State Bank and Stockholders Pool Interests
 
The consolidation of Hardwick’s two banking institutions, which had been under consideration for sometime, was fully agreed upon at a joint meeting of the stockholders held Saturday evening. The merger was formally consummated Monday morning, the Farmers State bank taking over the business of the Security State bank, which passed out of existence.
This action was taken by the stockholders for their mutual benefit, for it has long been recognized that the field did not necessitate two banks, and that the consolidation of the two under one corps of officers would not only eliminate much overhead expense, but also give the community one of the very strongest financial institutions in the county outside of Luverne.
In connection with this change the stockholders in the Security State bank were given at apportionate representation on the board of directors of the Farmers State bank, although but slight changes or additions were made in the list of officers of the Farmers State bank.
Stockholders of the two institutions met Monday and re-organized by electing a board of directors composed of Herman Hemme, E. T. Thorson, Harry Rolfs, Jas. C. Graham, J. W. Stamman, Gus Fredericks, Adolf Hauger, Louis Rath and E. A. Meyer.
This board organized by the re-election of Mr. Hemme as president, Mr. Thorson, vice president; Mr. Graham, cashier; A. A. Peterson, assistant cashier and also elected Mr. Stamman a vice president, and H. T. Banger an assistant cashier.
The consolidation gives the Farmers State bank total footings in excess of $400,000, with a cash reserve of more than $43,000, and places this bank on a stronger foundation and in a better condition to meet the needs of the Hardwick territory than ever before.
Security State bank was founded about nine years ago, and at the time of the its being merged into the Farmers State bank, Mr. Stamman was president, and A. L. Martinka cashier. Mr. Martinka retires from the banking field at Hardwick.
Merging of the two banks was accomplished without the slightest interruption, the contents of the vault and the records of the Security Bank being moved to the Farmers State Sunday, and the consolidation had been fully accomplished before banking hours Monday morning.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on May 30, 1924:
 
THREE ARE ARRESTED FOR ASHCREEK BANK ROBBERY
 
Members of Notorious Gang Are Apprehended and Positively Identified at Sioux Falls
 
Largely through clever work on the part of C. D. Brown, of St. Paul, who has been the directing head of the criminal detection department of the Minnesota Bankers’ association for many years, three of the four men who participated in the day-light robbery of the Ashcreek State bank Wednesday afternoon of last week, are now under the care of Sheriff Frank Wiggins.
The alleged bank robbers under confinement are Carroll Denbow, Ray Lage and Frank Davis, all rated as hardened criminals, with Davis as the brains of the organization. All three of the men were apprehended at Sioux Falls, Sunday afternoon. Denbow and Davis were brought here later the same night by Sheriff Wiggins and Deputy Sheriff Kitterman and Mr. Brown arrived Monday with Lage.
A fourth member of the party, who is thought to be in possession of the new Buick automobile which the robbers used, and which it has since been ascertained was stolen at Spencer, Iowa, is still at large. It is expected, however, that he will be apprehended in a short time.
Several bank robberies, including that of the Wall Lake, S. D. bank in April are laid at the door of this gang by Mr. Brown, and his information was that the robbers had planned to hold up the bank at St. Leo, a small inland town near Northfield Tuesday, and then go to the twin cities to dispose of their loot. But, of course, the arrest of three members of the gang Sunday upset these plans.
Before the men were brought here Sunday night, Geo. M. LaDue, who was in charge of the Ashcreek bank at the time it was robbed, was called to Sioux Falls, to identify the suspected men. And the identification was considered unusually complete for Mr. LaDue not only instantly recognized Denbow and Davis as the two men who entered the bank, but they also gave unmistakable signs of recognizing him, when they were led into the waiting room at the county jail, where Mr. LaDue was seated with about twenty other people.
Hardened criminals as they appeared to be, those who were watching them declare that the moment their gaze became focused on Mr. LaDue, the twitching of Denbow’s eyes, and Davis’s jaws clearly indicated unwilling recognition, although they sought to put up a bold front when confronted by Mr. LaDue, and declared that he was mistaken.
The arrested men had been under surveillance at Sioux Falls since Friday, and are known to have entered that place on the afternoon of the robbery in an old Ford automobile, which they are thought to have secreted near Sioux Falls, before the robbery. Lage is believed to have been the driver of the new Buick car on the trip to Ashcreek.
Denbow and Lage were arrested Sunday afternoon while in front of the place where they had had rooms. Davis was then in a down town restaurant, but in some mysterious way he received word of the two men’s arrest, and attempted to effect an escape out of the back way at the restaurant. He was captured after a chase that ended near the Queen Bee mills.
Just before he was captured he was seen to throw his gun into the river, and considerable pains have since been expended to recover it, for it is believed to be a peculiarly marked army revolver, that was the property of the cashier of the Wall Lake bank, which was taken at the time of this robbery.
Mr. Brown has a fairly complete record of Denbow and Lage, both of whom were involved in the Milwaukee railway jewelry robbery at Sioux Falls, and who but recently gained their release from the South Dakota penitentiary. Both are Sioux Falls boys.
Who Davis is, is a mystery to Mr. Brown, and in an effort to get his record, pictures of him were taken Wednesday, and arrangements made to send them broadcast. He is somewhat older than the other two, and is thought to come from Oklahoma.
In the opinion of those who professed to be versed in criminology, he is a bad actor, commonly dubbed a “killer,” who will stop at nothing to go through with any job that he attempts.
A studied effort is being made to prevent the three men from communicating with each other. Davis and Lage occupy cells on different floors in the Rock county jail, and Denbow is confined in a cell in the Nobles county jail at Worthington.
Owing to the absence of County Attorney Canfield, the preliminary examinations of the accused men has been postponed until the fore part of next week. Denbow will be given a hearing Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock before Judge Reynold’s; Davis Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock, and Lage Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock.
Thorough rechecking following the robbery of the Ashcreek bank disclosed that they secured $1,316, of which $960 was in Liberty bonds and war savings stamps. This loss is fully covered by insurance.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

(The following is the last half of the article from last week’s “Bits by Betty.”)
 
The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on May 23, 1924:
 
BANDITS ROB ASHCREEK STATE BANK
 
Secure $700.00 in Currency and Few Liberty Bonds in Daring Day-Light Hold Up
 
GEO. M. LaDUE FORCED INTO BANK’S VAULT
 
Robbers Consist of Four Men Who Come and Disappear in New Buick Automobile
Shortly before two o’clock, the occupants of the new Buick were seen to drive up and circle the street square opposite the bank and then return to a point near the Omaha stockyards in the south part of the village. Ten or fifteen minutes later they returned and parked the car along the sidewalk on the west side of the bank.
The two men entered the bank, and as Mr. LaDue got up to wait on them they walked to the south end of the bank lobby, instead of stopping at the cashier’s window. As Mr. LaDue came up to them they disclosed leveled revolvers, and ordered him to walk to the south wall of the office and study a wall map. One of the men kept right close to him, and held the barrel of his gun against Mr. LaDue’s back.
While Mr. LaDue was kept covered, the second man proceeded to go through the drawers and into the vault in quest of currency, but in his hurried search he overlooked a considerable number of bills and bankable paper, contained in a large wallet.
During this time A. D. Emerson, the Ashcreek merchant, and E. W. Brown, of this city, were out in front of the Emerson store, straight across from the bank on the north. They were looking towards the bank, noticed the men go in, saw them inside the bank and saw them come out, but their suspicions were not aroused.
After compelling Mr. LaDue to enter the vault, the men closed the vault door all right, but failed to turn the dial wheel of the door, or throw in the door bolts. As soon as the robbers had gotten out of the bank building, the imprisoned man started pounding on the vault door in the hope of attracting the attention of someone who might be passing. The blows on the door caused the dial to gradually turn back until it finally reached the correct position for the door to open, and Mr. LaDue walked out.
A. D. LaDue was at once notified and while the telephone was brought into use to notify the officers of surrounding points to be on the lookout for the robbers. Mr. LaDue accompanied Sheriff Wiggins and Deputy Sheriff Kitterman to Ashcreek, but the party from Luverne were unable to accomplish anything in the way of aiding in the apprehension of the robbers. After leaving Ashcreek they had gone south to the state line road, and thence west, and were last seen about three miles north of Lester, presumably headed for Sioux Falls.
The loss sustained by the Ashcreek bank is fully covered by burglar insurance.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on May 23, 1924:
 
BANDITS ROB ASHCREEK STATE BANK
 
Secure $700.00 in Currency and Few Liberty Bonds in Daring Day-Light Hold Up
 
GEO. M. LaDUE FORCED INTO BANK’S VAULT
 
Robbers Consist of Four Men Who Come and Disappear in New Buick Automobile
About $700 in currency and several Liberty bonds were obtained in a daring day-light robbery of the Ashcreek State bank, staged Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Geo. M. LaDue, who happened to be in charge of the bank at the time, was compelled at the point of a leveled gun to stand idly by while the money was being collected, and then enter the vault and have its doors closed upon him.
There were four men in the party of robbers, and they traveled in a brand new Buick six touring car, but only two of the men participated in the holdup, the other two remaining in the waiting automobile. Mr. LaDue was able to open the vault door within two or three minutes after the robbers had left the bank. He at once spread an alarm, which resulted in reports being phoned to all surrounding towns, but up to yesterday noon, there had been no developments that might lead to the apprehension of the culprits.
The robbers were first noticed in Ashcreek at about 11 o’clock Wednesday morning, and it is now thought that they planned to rob the bank during the noon hour but were prevented from doing so owing to the presence of a number of Northern States Power Co. linemen. The latter workmen assembled near the bank and spent the noon hour pitching horseshoes, and this is believed to have caused the robbers to postpone their plans.
The two men who took the active parts in the robbery were dressed in overalls, one in blue and the other in khaki, and their general appearance led those who observed them to suppose that they were electric or phone linemen. The fact that they were seen sizing up wire connections on posts gave added weight to this theory.
Their general appearance, however, tended to create suspicion, and while they were near the Lundy Hill home on the Kitterman farm, a block or so south of the bank, Mr. Hill, who is a constable, expressed doubt about their business there, and he asked Mrs. Hill to endeavor to get the number of the license plate. But when she tried to do so, she found that she could not distinguish anything on the plate, but the letters, S. D., the numerical figures being so thickly covered with dust that it is thought that the robbers must have smeared grease over them in order to collect dust and hide the numbers.
Next week: What occurred after two o'clock left bank employees in shock.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on May 16, 1924:
 
OLD CO. A BOYS TO HOLD RE-UNION HERE MAY 27
 
Committee in Charge of Arrangements Wants Every Member to be Here for a Day of Pleasure
 
Plans are being made for a re-union of the members of the old Company A. 136th Infantry, which is to be held in this city on Tuesday, May 27th. A committee of George M. LaDue, P. K. Myers and Carl Schmuck has been appointed to arrange the day’s affairs, and under their management an afternoon and evening of genuine enjoyment is being provided for.
Major Ezra C. Clemens, who was here for the Legion rally two weeks ago, was the instigator of this re-union. He had been the chaplain with Company A. down at Camp Cody, New Mex., and was looked upon as a father, it is claimed by practically every boy in the camp. His slightest suggestion was law, and so now also, the re-union is being planned upon his request.
Invitations have been sent to all members of the company whose address is known, and they are asked to mention the coming event to their brother “buddies” for quite a number of the men cannot be located by the committee at this time. They are anxious to have as many of the “old gang” here as possible, and every Co. A member, regardless of whether or not he has received a written invitation, will be cordially welcomed at Luverne on re-union day.
Plans are to have the boys meet at the Legion club rooms at three o’clock Tuesday afternoon. Kittenball teams will be organized and this form of sport enjoyed until the time for the banquet, which will be served at seven o’clock at the Manitou hotel. During the evening the Dell-Hogan post dance will be held at the Armory. The Paramount players will be here again and this time will have a ten-piece orchestra, so that the music alone will be an evening’s treat.
Company A. of the Second Minnesota National Guards was mobilized in this city shortly after the United States entered the war, and went into camp at the county fair grounds on June 3, 1918. Robert A. Grout was the captain; Jesse S. Kellihau, of Rock Rapids, first lieutenant and E. C. Dike, of Beaver Creek, second lieutenant. On September 28, of the same year, the company left for Camp Cody, New Mex., together with Co. K. of Worthington. It wasn’t however, until the following June that a summons came, ordering the privates and cooks of the regiment to leave for France, while the officers and non-commissioned officers remained at camp to drill a bunch of drafted men. In August, a move was made to Camp Dix, New Jersey, and the following October saw the remainder of Co. A. sailing for France.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on April 18, 1924:
 
DRIVE FOR SALVATION ARMY FUND UNDERWAY
 
Annual Campaign to Raise funds for Support of Mercy Workers Started Wednesday
 
LOCAL COMMITTEE OF FOUR PLACED IN CHARGE
 
Receipts to Go Into General Fund of Organization to Aid the Homeless and Unfortunate
The annual Salvation Army drive in this county commenced Wednesday, and is under the personal supervision of Miss Gillespie, of Salvation Army headquarters. The Kiwanis and Commercial clubs of Luverne have jointly undertaken to carry on the campaign in this county, and solicitation for funds will be made in this city and in the other towns of the county. The quota for the county is $900.00.
A committee of four, composed of F. A. Leicher and Ben Pelstring, of the Commercial club, and A. A. Anderson and Ivan O. Hansen, of the Kiwanis club, will be in charge of the drive. This is the annual appeal for funds made by Salvation Army headquarters, and takes the place of all other drives.
All of the money collected in North and South Dakota and Minnesota will be used in this district, which comprises these three states. In cities where the Army has a corps, as in Sioux Falls for instance, all the donations are used entirely for relief work in that place. The contributions from Rock county will be forwarded to the Minneapolis headquarters.
Although the money is sent from Rock county to the twin cities, it does not mean that Luverne and the county are not entitled to share in the funds or the relief work, for the money is available here as well as in any other place. Any cases of needy persons or families in poor and suffering circumstances should be brought to the attention of Ivan O. Hansen, who will make report of same to headquarters and secure the necessary relief. Wives and children left in destitute circumstances without a husband or father to support them, may make application for aid, and they will either be cared for at the Salvation Army home or assistance will be rendered as long as necessary.
It is everywhere recognized that the Salvation Army is doing a wonderful work throughout this country in saving the homeless and unfortunate, and an urgent appeal is made to all to donate as liberally as their purse will allow, to this worthy cause.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on March 28, 1924:
 
RELIEF FOR STARVING CHILDREN OF GERMANY
 
People of Rock county Asked To Help In Saving Two Million Kiddies Facing Starvation
 
COUNTY-WIDE DRIVE FOR FUNDS SOON TO BE MADE 
Mayor Leach Appoints committee, With A. O. Moreaux as Chairman to Conduct Mercy Work
 
A drive to raise a fund of $1,000 to aid in the relief of starving children in Germany, will be made in Rock county within a short time, according to plans formulated the first of this week.
Mayor George E. Leach, of Minneapolis, who recently returned from a visit to Germany, is heading the relief movement in Minnesota, and has appointed a committee in Rock  county, with A. O. Moreaux as county chairman to conduct the local campaign. Other members of the committee named by Mr. Leach are:
A. A. Anderson, Geo. Michaelson, Frank F. Michael, Paul K. Myers, W. H. Engleking, Mrs. J. E. Treat, Mrs. C. J. Martin, Rev. P. H. Ristau, City of Luverne; Henry Rolfs, Battle Plain; O. I. Godfrey, Julius Stoterau, Beaver Creek twp.; Nick Kahler, Beaver Creek village; Rev. Goehle, Steen; Ed Ackerman, Kanaranzi; Joe Willers, Luverne twp.; Rudolph Jauert, Mound; H. J. Hemme, Denver; Peter Burmeister, Rose Dell; Fred Rockman, Martin; Wm. Priez, Clinton; F. C. Nuffer, Hills; J. C. Johansen, Hardwick; Henrig Hass, Vienna.
Some of the above members of the committee have given notice of their inability to act, and it is expected that Mayor Leach will make appointments to fill these vacancies in a day or two.
At a meeting of the members of the committee held Tuesday afternoon in the municipal court room in the city hall, it was decided to make a house-to-house campaign throughout the county to solicit funds. Tentative plans were also laid for other activities and these plans will be completed at another meeting of the whole committee some time next week. The plans include an invitation to Mayor Leach to visit Luverne at an early date to tell of conditions he found in Germany.
In view of the fact that a house-to-house campaign in the county represents quite a task, it was decided at Tuesday’s meeting to ask Mayor Leach to appoint four additional members of the committee from each township. This request has been sent to Mr. Leach, and as soon as these additional committeemen selected by him and the vacancies above referred to are filled, another meeting of the committee will be held and final plans for the drive outlined.
It is proposed to raise $250,000 in Minnesota, and Rock county’s suggested quota is 10 cents per capita. Fifty cents, it is said, will feed one child for a month, and $5 will feed one child until the next harvest. Over two million children it is claimed, are facing starvation.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on January 18, 1924:
 
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS SHOW BIG DECREASE
 
Only Two Hundred Eighty-Three Conveyances Filed During Year With Sixty-Nine for Luverne
 
Two hundred eighty three transfers of real estate were made in this county during the year 1923, according to the records of County Auditor Olaf Skyberg. This is similar to the records of a year ago, but shows an enormous decrease since the “flush” years when everybody was buying or trading land, and the real estate business was at its height.
Of the total number of transfers, a consideration is stipulated in only 126. While 28 are final decrees handed down by the probate court. The city of Luverne leads by far all the other civil divisions of the county, having 69 transfers, in thirty-five of which considerations are mentioned, and six of which are final decrees.
The transfers of the other villages and townships of the county are recorded as follows:
         Battle Plain township, eight transfers, with six considerations and one final decree.
Beaver Creek township, seventeen transfers, four considerations, one final decree.
Beaver Creek village, twelve transfers, seven considerations, one final decree.
Clinton, fifteen transfers, eight considerations, and no final decree.
Denver, eighteen transfers, nine considerations, three final decrees.
Hardwick, five transfers, four of which had stipulated considerations.
Hills, nineteen transfers, with only seven considerations.
Jasper, ten transfers, having four considerations and one final decree.
         Kanaranzi township, twenty-three transfers, thirteen considerations and a final decree.
Luverne township, seven transfers, with three considerations and one final decree.
         Magnolia township, fifteen transfers, four stipulated considerations and two final decrees.
Village of Magnolia, seven transfers, with three considerations and one final decree.
         Mound, ten transfers, three considerations, one final decree.
Rose Dell, eighteen transfers, five considerations, one decree.
Springwater, eleven transfers, four considerations and four final decrees.
Vienna township, eight transfers, with two considerations and two final decrees.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.