The Buffalo Volksfreund [The Buffalo People's Friend], a German newspaper published from 1868 until 1982. Microfilm coverage begins at January 2, 1891.

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Sat. Jan. 3, 1891 - Page 2, column 2, top Buffalo Volksfreund Telephone Number of the "Volksfreund" - 706 Saturday, January 3, 1891 Weather Report ----- The weather in New York is cold and pleasant today. ----- Meteorological Observations, submitted by J.H. Ullenbruch, 274 Main Street. Time          Thermometer          Barometer 8 o'clock          14                           29.42 9      "               16 10    "               17                           29.43 11    "               18 12    "               19                           29.44 ----- Arriving Steamers ----- Queenstown, 2 - "Nevada" from New York. ----- Notices ----- -- One can visit the Cyclorama. Only 25 cents admission. -- "A Celebrated Case", tomorrow evening at the Germania Theater. -- The mild New Year's weather in "Sharp Jack Frost" at the bottom as follows: Now there are only a few inches of snow. -- Collector Fitch still hasn't seen any plans to move the "Inland Tax Office" to Rochester. -- Postmaster Gentsch has established a postage office in the haberdashery of Enos Pair at the corner of Niagara and Breckenridge Streets. -- 73-year-old Johanna Scallard, who lives at 208 Mackinaw Street, fell yesterday afternoon in front of her house on the icy sidewalk and broke her left hip. Her injury is of a serious nature. -- Coroner Tucker has assembled a grand jury and will investigate the death of an infant, whose body was discovered at 143 Coit Street in an outhouse pit. An autopsy revealed that the child had been alive at birth and apparently had been strangled.

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Sat. Jan. 3, 1891 - Page 2, column 3, top Roadhouses The Matter comes before the Court Deliberations began yesterday in a special session of the Supreme Court in the case of a restraining order brought by Mr. George Urban against Joseph Forster and Oscar D. Miner, owner and manager of one of the so-called roadhouses. Attorney Eugene Falk, representing the defense, read the sworn depositions of several people, who more or less have had something to do with these houses. One was written by Mr. Miner himself, in which it was stated that his business establishment was operated in a respectable and orderly fashion and that dangerous games and other illicit activities had never been permitted. In reference to an accusation made by Detective Jones that Miner had provided a bedroom to a man by the name of O'Brian and a woman of the city, the accused clarified that he believed that the pair was a married couple. Robert F. McVan, the man whom O'Brian and the woman had met outside, made a similar statement, but admitted that he had first met the couple at various other locations. William Hargenhohn and Edward Dietzel made sworn statements that both had seen Detective Jones several times lying in the streets in a beastially drunken condition. Contractor Mann swore that Miner was a man of good character and that his establishment may had raised the value of properties in the neighborhood. Adelbert Moot, Mr. Urban's attorney then began his argument in a masterly way and refuted each of the above mentioned affidavits. He made a fine speech in which he stated that his client was making every possible attempt to improve Walden Avenue. All his requests and warnings had been ignored and he was turning to the court for a decision. Mr. Urban had brought this matter before the court in order to prevent Walden Avenue from becoming a second Canal Street, a resort for drunken men and women who hold their orgies nightly in roadhouses. Mr. Moot further stated that Mr. Forster had talked about the matter with Mr. Urban, that he paid his $30 per month rent and apart from that he didn't have anything else to do with it. He [Mr. Moot] also read out the reports in the press concerning the houses. Mr. Miner stated that he only served food and drink and the attorney did not believe that women and men passed by the saloons and restaurants on Broadway and Genesee Streets just to buy some lunch and a beer at Mr. Miner's house. According to the intent of the orator Miner should be punished and Forster also found guilty. Mr. Becker, the attorney for the accused, also delivered a lengthy speech. He said that the courts should not believe the testimony of informants and paid spies. As long as Mr. Forster had operated the place it had undoubtedly been a respectable one. One time Mr. Forester had been fined $150 for holding a cock fight in his saloon but he discontinued the event. Mr. Falk defended Mr. Miner in a similar fashion and Mr. Moot responded. Both accused men received word of Justice Lambert's decision. He found Mr. Forster not guilty but decreed that Mr. Miner had knowingly and willfully broken the law and the judge fined him $150.

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Sat. Jan. 3, 1891 - Page 2, column 4, top Infanticide A young Polish Woman is accused of this serious Crime As was previously reported, last Wednesday evening the body of a newborn child was found in an outhouse pit behind the house of Anton Skatulski at 143 Coit Street. A piece of an apron strap was found tightly fastened around the child's neck. Coroner Tucker appointed Examiner Dunham to conduct the post-mortem. Dunham reported that the death was the result of strangulation. On Thursday evening police *** [found] the mother of the child, Franciska Gorski. She was arrested by Special police Reibold and Ch*** on the coroner's charge of murder. The woman is 23 years old and based on her own testimony, she was married and that last September she had her husband arrested for lack of support. Since her husband could not come up with bail, he was remanded to prison, where he is still incarcerated. The woman lived for a long time alone in a boarding house on Coit Street and it was believed that this is where she had delivered her child. She worked at the Spencer House on South Division Street, where she was arrested. She admitted that she had given birth to the child but did not want to be tied down with the responsibilities. She has been incarcerated by the Police Court judge. Coroner Tucker will hold an inquest. ----- Deceased ----- As had been announced in the Death Notices, Mrs. Auguste Steinecke, wife of Mr. Heinrich Steinecke of 169 Oak Street, died on Thursday at 2:30 in the morning. The deceased was a brave, German woman, who was honored and respected by all who knew her. She was born on April 23, 1819 in Frankenhausen, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, where she had married Mr. Steinecke. In 1848 the couple emigrated to American and they settled in Buffalo. Besides the grieving husband the departed leaves behind a son, Karl, who is a business manager at Klipfel's Iron Factory, and a daughter, the wife of innkeeper Henry Stork. Details for the burial will be announced.

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Susan Kriegbaum-Hanks
sk-h@archivaria.com
July 31, 2003