Grundy County, IL

Phoenix Advertiser
Minooka News

November 19, 1903
Vol. 28, No. 47


Mrs. B____ O'BRIEN who came here recently from Seattle, 
Wash., and expected to go to St. Louis for the winter has 
changed her plans and leaves this week for Dayton, Ohio, 
where she will remain for some time.

The social event of next week will be the Thanksgiving ball 
to be given by Minooka Lodge No. 626, Knights of Pythias, at 
Union hall in this place. Over two hundred invitations have 
been issued and there will undoubtedly be a large attendance 
at the function.

Mr. and Mrs. William BUCKLEY arrived here a few days ago 
from Seattle, Wash., where they had lived the past five 
years. Mr. BUCKLEY is suffering from a pulmonary affection 
which the damp climate of the coast seemed to aggravate and 
for that reason he will not return. If he finds that the 
climate here agrees with him he expects to remain here or 
near here, but if not he intends going to New Mexico where 
the climate is just the reverse of the Seattle brand. In New 
Mexico it is very dry and the altitude is fairly high.

Work on the construction of the new St. Mary's church was 
begun last Friday. Contractors FOSTER, of Morris, and POWERS, 
of Joliet, have the contract for the entire work. About four 
feet of earth will be excavated for the basement which will 
be used as a furnace room and other purposes. The heating 
plant will consist of two hot air furnaces each supplying a 
single register located near either end of the church. This 
is now regarded as the most practical way of heating. The 
grade floor will be about four feet above the sidewalk grade.

The wedding of Mr. Charles O'BRIEN and Miss Mary BRADY, two 
highly popular young people of Minooka, was solemnized at St. 
Patrick's church in Joliet Wednesday morning, Nov. 17, 1903. 
The bride has always lived here and is well known for her 
many graces and accomplishments. The groom came here from 
Iowa three years ago and established a reputation for 
honesty and sobriety that is second to none. Mr. and Mrs. 
O'BRIEN will reside here and they are attended by the best 
wishes of all of the many friends who know them.

A telephone message was received by the relatives here last 
Sunday from N. J. COMERFORD at Storm Lake, Iowa, announcing 
that he was ill at the home of John CONNELL in that place.  
Mrs. COMERFORD and N. J.'s brother, Thomas COMERFORD, left 
the same evening for Storm Lake and arrived there the 
following forenoon. Later advices state that Mr. COMERFORD 
is greatly improved and that there is no danger to be 
apprehended. The trouble seems to have been a nervous 
attack. Mrs. CONNELL is a cousin of Mr. COMERFORD and he 
stopped there for a short visit on his way home from Dakota 
where he went two weeks ago.

I. V. HOOPER, the well-known and popular Minooka 
tonsorialist, has been the victim of a very sad attack of 
mental aberration since last Saturday night about 10 o'clock. 
Mr. HOOPER conducted his usual work at the barber shop during 
the day Saturday and his customers noticed nothing unusual 
until late in the evening when two or three noted that the man 
handling the razor was extremely nervous and they were 
considerably alarmed until their work was finished and were 
released from the chair.  No demonstration was made by the 
affected man, however, until he went home when suddenly he gave 
a scream and started from the chair where he was sitting, 
seized his wife by the arm and pulled her out into the street, 
all the while shouting incoherently something about being good 
if the constable would leave him alone. Down the street he led 
his wife and with the children following until two or three 
men were aroused and took charge of the deranged husband. They 
succeeded in getting him back to his home and he attempted no 
violence although he was quite demonstrative. Medical 
attendance was summoned and opiates were administered to 
induce sleep. He remains in a rational state nearly all the 
time now with an occasional aberration of the mind that 
indicates that all is not yet right. The patient in his 
rational periods remembers all that has transpired and seems 
to understand his condition. He has confessed to having lately 
indulged in drinking and gambling to a mild extent and his 
seems to be a highly nervous temperament that cannot endure 
dissipation. Mr. HOOPER is highly esteemed for his honesty, 
integrity and industry and his affliction enlists for himself 
and family the sincere sympathy of all. The physicians in 
attendance hold out hope that a complete recovery may soon 
take place.

Transcribed 11/11/1998 by Deb Haines