Sauk County Reflections: Circus World had to sue the city of Chicago

By Kathy Waddell / For the News Republic

25 years ago this week (1983)

* Circus World Museum's governing office, Historic Sites Foundation, Inc., filed a complaint seeking $387,000 from the city of Chicago in Sauk County Circuit Court. In the lawsuit, the Foundation stated that the circus parade contract with Chicago, signed in January by former Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne and Foundation President Clark Wilkinson, provided that Circus World Museum would be entitled to all the parade fee if Chicago prevented the Foundation from conducting the parade. It noted that Chicago was to pay $150,000 of the total $387,000 parade fee within 15 days of the contract signing on Jan. 19, a like amount on March 1, and a final payment of $87,000 due June 7. The complaint said Chicago did not make any of the payments, and refused to discuss the parade route and assembly place. The complaint sought the full $387,000 in a first claim, and $221,007.40 in a second, alternative claim to recover cost of preparing the parade, subcontracting parade participants, and liability "arising from the termination of subcontracts." It stated that the Foundation demanded the $221,007.40 from Chicago but the city refused to pay.

* The investigation of the placement of five bombs in a Wisconsin Dells amusement park was turned over to federal authorities. Sauk County Sheriff Alan Shanks stated that the investigation had concluded and it was felt they knew who was responsible. "The charges are best handled in federal court," Shanks said. He also said the suspects still could be charged in state court. An extensive search by authorities turned up five bombs that had been set to go off but failed to explode because of malfunctions in the timing devices. Each bomb was made of gunpowder, gasoline, a motorcycle battery and a timer.

50 years ago this week (1958)

* An unemployed Baraboo father of five children appeared in justice court charged with arson and burglary in connection with the fire and robbery at the Poll Parrot Shoe Store. The 34 year-old man waived examination in the justice court and was bound over to the Sauk County court. Bond was fixed at $5,000 on each count and was not given. Arrest of the man followed an intensive investigation of the fire by State Fire Marshal E. Borski of Baraboo and Fire Chief Richard Romelfanger. The shoe store fire was fortunately discovered when a window-shopping couple noticed smoke in the building and notified police. The shoe store was still closed while repair of the fire damage and re-decorating was being done. The Baraboo man's arrest also cleared up a series of break-ins of Baraboo business places in the previous four months.

*A Merrimac area farmhand accidentally burned himself to death in his parked car. Frederick J. Koepp, 37, who worked on the Clayton Pearson farm in Merrimac, died of extensive burns. Authorities said Koepp often slept in his car or on the ground some distance from the farm. They found a patch of burned grass and empty liquor bottles near the car and said they believed Koepp fell asleep while smoking a cigarette and set fire to his clothes. He then apparently tore off his clothing and crawled into his car, where he was found by Pearson.

* A 15-year-old boy was being held for breaking and entering the Lyons School. Sheriff Mike Spencer reported that the $43 taken from the school was recovered. The money had been collected from the children for photographs. While the fire marshal was investigating a fire at the Island Woolen Mill, one of the pupils at the Lyons school admitted taking the money.

75 years ago this week (1933)

* "A large flock of wild geese was responsible last night for many gazing upward as the night prowlers circled the city for several hours. It was thought the lights of the city confused the big birds, but a possible conclusion is that the flock had lost their road map and were looking for the information booth."

* The prompt gathering of neighbors to aid in extinguishing a fire at the Julius Biech farm resulted in the saving of the farm buildings, endangered by high winds. A straw stack was consumed by the flames. The fire was believed to have started from sparks from an engine used in shredding corn at the Biech farm.

* Bert J. Kramer had a finger severed from his left hand and another one badly cut in an accident which occurred at his shop on Ash Street. The third finger of the hand was amputated and the little one cut when a knife flew out of a machine in his shop.

* Leaves which were being burned in the gutter on Third Street set fire to the awning of the Andro Specialty shop. The awning blazed up so quickly that one end of it was badly burned before the fire could be extinguished with pails of water. Fire Chief E. T. Ross responded to a silent call but the use of chemicals was unnecessary since the work of the "bucket brigade" had proved successful."Judge Stevens has ordered judgment in the case of Lizette Dralle vs. Town of Reedsburg. This case has been before the court several terms and at the last session the jury found for the plaintiff damage to the amount of $3,750. It was an action to recover damages for a defective road in the town of Reedsburg. There was a stone in the road and the wagon wheel struck it, throwing the plaintiff out and causing permanent damages to her person. The decision to this case is an important one in the matter of roads. It decides that care must be taken to protect travel."

100 years ago this week

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* Too much "booze" and gunplay caused a bad bunch to spend a Sunday in the county jail. Arrested were Sam Doletich, Uckh Jeavick and Lui Zuborich, tracklayers for the Northwestern Railroad, with headquarters at North Freedom, on the charge of being drunk and disorderly. They were found on the depot platform by Officer Desmond and Sheriff Stackhouse. The cause of some of the disturbance was that the trio went down to one of the cars in the railroad yards and attacked the cook. They were all taken before Justice Andro the next morning and the three were fined $1 and costs, which amounted to $5.62 in each case. They all paid cheerfully and went their way to work as if nothing unusual had happened.