Tales of Fisticuffs and the Long Arm of the Law

 An amazing story from the Little Falls Transcript, November 12, 1909:

ARE FINED FOR PITCHING INTO MARSHALL
Two cases of assault and battery, in both of which John P Brown, the marshal of the village of Buckman was complainant, came up for trial in Justice Gerritz's court Wednesday morning. In one, Jos Otremba of Buckman was defendant. He pleaded guilty and was fined the costs of the case, $7.85.  In the other, Anton Hesch was defendant.  He pleaded guilty and was fined $5 and costs, a total of $12.85. They paid their fines and were given their freedom.
The above cases resulted from a quarrel and fight between Anton Hesch and the marshal, during the course of which Jos Otremba became mixed up in it, stating that he did so thinking that the marshal was reaching in his hip pocket for a weapon.

Grandpa Anton would have been 26, not yet married. Joe Otremba was his mom's brother.  Hmm...possibly, they were in a saloon at the time?  

I never thought of grandpa as a scrapper, and certainly haven't had an opinion of the Otrembas before this either.  From January 8th, 1897 Little Falls Transcript, here's something about another Otremba:

 A PARTNERSHIP SCRAP

_________

Christ Olson Polishes the Countenance of his Partner, Carl Otremba

_________

The firm of Olson and Otremba, proprietors of the saloon on First street near the German America bank, became involved in a quarrel Monday, which resulted in Otremba receiving a severe drubbing, a "shanty" being put over each eye, and a swing on the jaw gave his face the appearance of being much fuller on that side than the other.  
Otremba entered a complaint against Olson before Justice Shaw, and the latter pleaded guilty to the charge of assault and was fined $10 and costs.
The trouble between the two business partners has been brewing for some time. Olsom claims that Otremba appropriates the receipts and will not give up anything to pay the bills.
The collector for the Little Falls brewery was in to collect for the beer furnished and Olson demanded Otremba to disgorge from his "hold out" sufficient currency to liquidate the indebtedness.  Otremba refused and then Olson cleared off a portion of the floor and went after his man. His calculations were good for Otremba did not fall much outside of the space cleared, and although he received a hard whipping, he cannot bring an action for damage done to his clothing.
Those who frequent the place sympathize with Olson.
The firm has an application in for a renewal of their liquor license, and now each one of them has made an application for a license for the same building.  The outcome is uncertain.  Olson offers to sell his interest or buy his partner out, and the latter, it is said, will not consent to either proposition.

As far as Larry and I know, there was only one Charles (Karl) Otremba, whom we mentioned before, HERE.  Turns out Karl left Minnesota permanently a few years later ☺.

THANKS, LARRY!