1915: Lake Forest Police Trace Guilty Party in Carriage, Automobile Collision

We are back again with a new entry of "Historical Police Blotter," a new Sunday column on Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch.

Don't confuse it with the current-day blotter.

The entries we will post on a weekly basis will be from the early 1900s through the depression era at a time when  was beginning to flourish as a community.

The entries are posted practically verbatim, except for the names of the victims or perpetrators of the crimes noted. They provide a fascinating reflection of the times and culture of that era.

This entry is from 1915. Just as an example of what was going on that year, the building plans for the improvement of the Market Square business district by the Lake Forest Improvement Association are submitted and approved by City Council, according to the  timeline.

• 8:10 p.m. May 4, 1915:

Officer Hopman reported a collision between a carriage and an unknown automobile on Deerpath near the entrance to F.P. Smith's. After the accident, the automobile pulled away before anyone could identify it. No damage was done to the horses, carriage or its occupants, but from appearances of the ground where the accident occurred it was believed that the automobile must have broken a radiator as well as a wind shield. Later, it was found that the automobile was driven by the owner's son. The car was brought to the Garage to have its radiator, wind shield and lamp repaired. The carriage owner chose not to prosecute despite everything showing who owned the automobile.

• May 6, 1915:

Sometime in March, Chief McGuire received a communication from the manager of the Claim Department of the Fidelity and Casualty Co., Corn Exchange National Bank Building, Chicago, stating that a Lake Forest resident, to whom his company had issued a burglary policy, had reported some valuable rugs stolen from his residence some time during the months of September, October or November, 1915. The resident seemed to be suspicious of a Chicago man who had been employed by him as a house man during the months stated above. The Insurance Company requested your Police Department to get for them all the information possible regarding the Chicago man.

This was done and on Saturday, May 6, Chief McGuire and the resident, after a talk with Lt. Larkins of the Chicago Detective Bureau, decided to get the man at his Chicago address on West Huron Street and have a talk with him. Detectives were sent to his house and got not only the man, but also all of the rugs, valued at over $500 and about $20 worth of towels, sheets and cut glass stolen from Onwentsia Club where the man worked before working for the Lake Forest resident and also after leaving his employ

On Saturday afternoon, having received the above information, Chief McGuire swore out a warrant for the Chicago man and taking Officer Sales with him, went to Chicago and got his man and brought him to Lake Forest and placed him in a cell. On Wednesday, May 10, the man was given a hearing before Justice Vickerman at 3 p.m. The Onwentsia Club and Lake Forest resident both filed complaints and appeared against the man. Justice Vickerman bound him over to the Grand Jury, which convenes in October, under a $2,000 bond. In default of bail, he was taken to the County Jail in Waukegan.

- Historical Police reports courtesy of Lake Forest resident John Walker.