Often, we do not know about a family member’s brush with the law until we find a notice about their arrest or report of a court case in the newspaper. Early newspapers are full of articles listing upcoming court cases and the results of court cases.
One example in my husband’s line is the case of Ludwig Wilhelm “Louis W.” Wollenweber. He lived in Louisville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana, which was just across the Ohio River from Louisville.[1] He owned a saloon at 90 Market Street in Louisville selling liquor and wines.[2]
One way to be on the wrong side of the law with a saloon is to not pay for the business license. In May 1865, L.W. Wollenweber petitioned for a license for his tavern on Market Street between Third and Fourth Streets.[3] When a list of successful petitions for licenses was printed in the newspaper for taverns and groceries of the Western District, L. W. Wollenweber’s name was on the list.[4] So far, so good.
He appeared in court at other times. Two newspaper articles in 1867 mentioned him. In October, he was found guilty of doing business without a license and fined $100.[7] The next month, he submitted an appeal.[8]
In July 1868, he was on a list of bankrupts in Kentucky, having filed in Louisville, Jefferson County.[9]
In October 1868, he was arrested and charged in Commissioner’s
court with carrying on the business of a retail liquor and tobacco dealer.
However, this time he was able to prove he had a license and was discharged.[10]
Research Challenges
To find out more about these cases, I need to locate the
city court records, likely located in Louisville. They don’t seem to be at the
Kentucky State Archives but I’ll send an email to check. I have sent an email
to the Louisville City Museum to see if they have the records and if not, where
might the records be. Often, the only records available are minute or order
books which might not give any of the details. The only records I could find at
FamilySearch were for Louisville police court.
[1] Census
records and city directories show him living in Louisville in the 1860s and in
Jeffersonville in the 1870s until his death in 1873.
[2] Edwards'
Annual Directory to the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing
Establishments, Business, Business Firms, etc, in the City of Louisville (Louisville:
Southern Publishing Co, 1861), p. 601 & 682, Louis W. Wollenweber.
[3] “Board
of Common Council,” Louisville Daily Democrat, 13 May 1865, p. 1, col.
6.
[4]
"Board of Common Council," Louisville
Daily Democrat, 10 June 1865, p. 1, col. 7.
[5] “Ordinance
Warrants,” Daily Courier (Louisville, Kentucky), 12 Jun 1866, p. 2.
[6]
Louisville Police Court, Jefferson County, Kentucky, v. 44, p. 349, FamilySearch
(https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/7760720),
image 181 of 675.
[7] “The
Monthly Docket,” Louisville Daily Democrat, 9 Oct 1867, p. 2, col. 2.
[8] “The
Courts,” Louisville Daily Courier, 20 Nov 1867, p. 1.
[9] “Bankrupts
in Kentucky,” Louisville Daily Courier, p. 1, col. 5.
[10] “News,”
The Louisville Daily Journal, 27 Oct 1868, p. 4.
I knew my great grandfather was an alcoholic (Nana always referred to him as "the old rummy", but I found a story in the newspaper about how he fell out of a second story window onto the sidewalk at home and refused medical attention. He was apparently unhurt! I found the house on Google Maps.
ReplyDeleteDon't you love the stories from old newspapers!
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