News item, February 15, 1854 - "Cooper Clark Amputation" in The Republican, Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives November 10, 2003 by Bill Porter. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Transcriber's Notes: The following files were transcribed from a microfilm copy of The Republican newspaper obtained from the Wisconsin State Historical Society. Transcriber comments are shown between [ ] brackets. Issue transcribed: Volume 2, Number 1; 15 February 1854 Page 2, Column 3, as follows: [News item] Amputation – All for Whiskey We were present, on the second inst., by invitation, at the Poor House, in this county, and witnessed the amputation of Mr. Clark's (familiarly known as Cooper Clark) right leg, 8 inches above the ancle [sp.]. The left one had been taken off two days previous, at the same place. The operation was performed by Dr. J.H. Babcock, of this village, in his usual off-hand business manner. The cause of this awful calamity to Mr. Clark, was from freezing. On the evening of the 5th of January, ult., he left a neighbors house for his home, but the load of whiskey he had taken in proved too much for him, and when found in the morning his feet and hands were frozen so that he has now lost both feet, together with two fingers from his left hand, and is a sad spectacle of the evils of intemperance. He is doing well and will probably soon recover. He has no family, and being destitute of means was taken to the poor house. Such occurrences should teach our Legislators that the time has come when a prohibitory liquor law is greatly needed. We were much pleased with the neat appearance of the Poor House, under the charge of B. Orcott, Esq. who, with his attentive and accommodating lady, seem to do everything in their power for the comfort of the unfortunate creatures under their care. There were, at that time, eleven inmates.