Horseless Carriage (Defiance Daily Crescent 18 August 1899

1899 Winton Buggy

    The first automobile car, or horseless carriage that has ever visited Defiance rolled over the Maumee river bridge and south on Clinton street to the Crosby house last evening and a Daily Crescent reporter accepted an invitation and enjoyed a ride on the vehicle, which was a pleasure and the two young gentleman who were operating the carriage were found to be very pleasant companions and related some very interesting experience they had visiting towns where the horseless vehicle had never before been viewed, as it was the case in Defiance.

    The carriage attracted a great deal of attention and large thongs of people surrounded it and it was amusing to bear the questions propounded to the young men, which they undertook to answer, but they came in such rapid succession that it was a hopeless task.

    The two young gentlemen who visited the city in the advance device for traveling were H.S. Pickards and H.B. Tuttle, of Cleveland, who are enroute from their home city to Chicago on a pleasure trip. They left Cleveland, Wednesday and made the the ride to Toledo, a distance of 117 miles by road in 12 hours, and spent the night in the Centenial City, leaving there yesterday morning at 9 o'clock and arrived in Defiance at 6:30 last evening, going a distance of 68 miles according to there cyclometer. The horseless carriage they had was a Winton car made in Cleveland. It is operated by a gasoline engine and is capable of making a speed of 20 miles an hour, and while entertaining the Crescent reporter the vehicle was put at its highest going up Clinton street from Citizens opera house to the gas works and the sensation is a very pleasing one and greatly resemble down a long smooth hill on a bicycles. The machine is built for hard service and weights 1600 lbs with pneumatic tires so that their is scarcely any jar noticeable.
     Messers Pickards and Tuttle took their supper here placing their carriage in Repperts stable, where it was viewed by large crowds.
    They left last night at 9 o'clock for Ft. Wayne, and expected to reach that city by midnight.

Editor's Knife (Defiance Daily Crescent News 22 June 1888)

    Some hard hearted wretch stole the Crescent editor's knife. Now this knife was not enormously valuable to any one but the owner, and valuable to him as he has no money to buy another. Now there is just one thing, the point to the editor's pencil is most worn down to the wood, after it reaches the wood there can be no more writing done without the knife to replenish the lead. See? 

    In other words, without the knife no more locals, and no more booming the 4th; no more pleas for the C.L. & N. W.Ry.; and no more urging the cow ordinance; no more announcing lawn fetes. Bring back the knife and we will give the fellow so long a puff for honesty and a month's subscription. 

                                                The Editor

                                Defiance Daily Crescent

Defiance Officers Nab Driver With Booze-Laden Car (Defiance Crescent News 8-3-1927)

1927 Reo Coupe

    One of the biggest booze hauls made here in years took place here when Deputy Sheriff Cloyd King confiscated a Reo coupe on the Brunersburg road and locked the driver, who gave his name as Frank Jones, 38, in the county jail in await a hearing before Judge D.F. Openlander, probably late today or this evening.
    The load is believe to have been consigned to Hamilton, Ohio, and the auto is though to be one of the a fleet operated by a big liquor ring with headquarters in Dayton and Indianapolis.
    Twenty-five quarts of Old Crow whiskey, 54 pints of Old log Cabin whiskey and 250 pints of Canadian beer and ale were from the car which is also being held by authorities  pending the outcome of the hearing.
    Deputy King who has been on the lookout for the shipments, understood to be going through here for the last three months, followed the coupe from the Evansport road, west of Brunersburg after "Jones" declared he did not have the key to the back, and then arrested the driver at the edge of Defiance.
    The liquor was taken from the car and stored in the cellar of the Defiance County Jail. A large crowd gathered while the bottles were being transferred. The entire back end was filled with beer and ale, and the compartment under the seat contained the whiskey as well as beer and ale.
    "Jones" got in communication with friends at Dayton, who said they would send aid.
    Shipments to southern Ohio, it is understood had been going down the Dixie highway, east of here, until confiscations became too frequent. Then they were rerouted, it is understood, over the Chicago pike to Stryker, thence south through Evansport into Defiance. Having learned of this change in the course, Defiance county officers had been on the watch for the shipments for sometime.
    "Jones" carried a satchel and a leather case in his machine in order to disguise himself as a traveling salesman. 

Not Down On The Bills, (Defiance Democrat , 25 Sept. 1879)

A Lion Loose in the streets of Defiance. A Cow Affords Him A Delicate Meal.

   W.W. Cole's Circus and Menagerie exhibited in Defiance. In the evening after the show was out the animals and other goods were loaded on cars (trains)at the Wabash depot preparatory to shipment west. As the train containing cages was passing the large coal chutes in this place one of the chutes caught the cage containing the two lions. In an instant, before the situation could be comprehended, the cage was so badly broken that out walked the largest African lion and leisurely trotted down the railroad tracks towards the station. By this time the attaches of the menagerie were on hand and quickly secured the other lion and cast for a way to capture the fugitive. The lion went several squares, until he reached a barn on the premises of Adolph Miller. The upper half of the door was open, and inside was a cow. Scenting this nice morsel of food, with a slight roar, the lion sprang, over the door and leaped upon his victim. He seized the cow by the nose and crunching it he held on, sucking at its life blood. The cow bellowed fearfully, but was helpless in the tolls of the monster of the forest. The lion continued at his work until he had obtained all the blood and the cow was dead, when he went to a corner of the stable and lay down on a bundle of straw.

    How to capture the lion was a puzzle for the showmen. Prof. Conkling, the great tamer (who by the way had only a few hours previously entered the den containing same lion) was sent for. He took the situation at a glance, and instructing the men to get the cage off the cars and quietly to run it along side of the barn, he armed himself with a couple of revolvers, a stout club and a whip and started upon what he regarded as a perilous undertaking. He entered the stable by means of the hay loft and commenced calling the lion. A growl was the only answer for some time. He continued talking until the beast finally recognized the voice, when Mr. Conkling boldly down in the lower part of the barn and hunted his pet. He caressed the animal -got it under complete control, when he had the doors opened and quietly called and drove the beast into the cage. He was quickly secured, but when he found his liberty was again restrained he became furious and it was with great difficulty that the cage could be made sufficiently strong to hold him. Prof. Conkling informed the bystanders that he would not dare enter the cage for several days, or until the lion perfectly quiet.

    While the lion was going down the railroad track towards the barn he was actually met by two of our citizens, John Snyder, engineer of the pump house, and John Sauber, baggage master at the Wabash depot. Mr. Snyder says he did not realize what it was until afterward and then naturally he was much frightened. Mr. Sauber says he supposed it was a big yellow dog until he got opposite the beast, when he saw what it was, and wished he was back in the depot. Another gentleman saw it and climbed in a freight car where he remained all night in moral fear. Really, it wasn't as nice as a playful kitten to fondle and caress.

    The showman paid Mr. Miller twenty dollars for the loss of the cow.

Minstrel Parader Stops For Fight (Defiance Crescent News 10 Feb 1922

    With all due respect to Hi Henry and his troupe of performers, the best minstrel troupe ever seen in the Myers Opera House (Defiance Ohio) was that of Dupreze and Benedict. They carried about fifty people and every performer was a star. A comical episode marked the magnificent parade of this troupe at Defiance. The whole outfit was strutting down Clinton Street shortly after the noon hour. The band was filling the air with a tune that made your very toes tingle. The base drummer, bowlegged well knit fellow, attracted especially urchins. They followed him in droves and finally annoyed him beyond human endurance. Stepping out of line, Mr. Bass Drummer let go a vicious kick at the nearest boy, striking him a midships from the rear and landing him in the ditch. The boy's father hung on the court house fence, watching the parade, and was an eyewitness to the assault on his offspring. Up welled the fighting blood of Canada, and the outraged father made a rush for the bass drummer, bellowing like an infuriated bull. The bowlegged drummer saw him coming, quietly handed his drum over to the snare drummer and proceeded to polish up the road with his much larger assailant. And he did the job so expeditiously that he was able to rejoin the parade, before it had reached the Russell House.

Automobile Scared A Horse (Defiance Daily Crescent 18 August 1899)

    He Damaged The Buggy and Frighted the             Occupants


    A smash-up occurred about 3:30 Thursday on the North Side. 

    Mrs. J.H. Metz, William Schmaltz and Mrs. C. W. Kerns were in a rig in that locality driving to East Defiance. An automobile came by and scared the horse. The animal began to jump around and broke the harness and the shafts off the buggy.

    The horse was quieted before he could do any further damage, and the rig taken to Dickman's wagon shop for repairs. The ladies escaped unhurt, although they were badly frightened.

Joe's No Common Bass Knows His Own Name ( Defiance Crescent News 15 August 1927)

    One fish that dwells among the rocks and reeds of the state hatchery at Defiance is not just common bass.

    In fact, he is so smart that he knows his own name and will respond to it. Call him "Bill, Jack or Dick," and he turns a deaf ear. But go to the edge of the pond, and call out "Come Joe," and the little rascal swims right up ready to take any choice food that may be offered. ""Joe" not only comes readily at the call of Superintendent S.L. Blake, whose voice he evidently recognizes, but he has been known to answer calls from strangers.

    Harry horn had heard the story but for a time classified it with other "fish stories." Finally he went to the hatchery with Superintendent Blake to make a test.

    And "Joe" did nobly in exhibiting his talents. Harry stepped up to the breeder pond with Superintendent Blake and in coaxing tones, the men called:

    "Come Joe, Come Joe."

    Now "Joe" may have been foraging in a remote corner of the pond or was busy with his household or business duties. At least, it was some time before he showed up. Finally, "Joe" came paddling out from under a boat that that was anchored in the pond and accepted the food that was offered.

    "Joe" apparently has been coddled because of his superb intelligence, for he is becoming particular about his food and insists on fresh stuff, especially when in response to these personal calls.

    "Joe," furthermore, knows when he has received a special call. If other fish attempt to accompany him, he noses them off and after they are driven away, comes alone for the treats.