Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

William Bramwell Sizer Diaries
January 1897

Milwaukee County Police Department

These diaries are a mixture of work and family affairs of William Bramwell Sizer. William was on the Milwaukee Police Department and a member of the Sherman Street Methodist Episcopal Church, later transferring their membership to Kingsley Methodist Episcopal Church and died in 1916. The diaries give a pretty good view of life in the years involved. The diaries were given to me for presentation on this site by family members see contributors page.

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Key to names and places in this diary

JANUARY 1897

1-1-1897
Beat changed this morning. Boundaries now are Wright St, 20th St, Fond du Lac and city limits. Chaoman called this evening and said a Polish girl was at his house, wanted to stay all night.. Said she lived in Wausau and expected to walk home. Told them to take her to Frellson in the morning.

1-2-1897
Rained all night. Went down and paid out taxes this moooorning. $22.20. Helen's $16.98.

1-3-1897
At 10:45 got orders to go to 1397-14th St. A woman had drowned her child. Found Miller there. Miller telephoned for the coronor and I the wagon and the wagon came and took the woman away. Name, Caroline Berndt drowned her 1 yr. old Child in the cistern. She seems to be insane. Miller and I staid there until the coroner came and took the body away. I called up from 11th and Burleigh and went home to supper.

1-4-1897
Fire broke out in one story frame store, 2320 Fond du Lac, owned by Val. Gerhardt, occupied by Schatzkek and Frank. Caused by oil can explosion in basement- used as tire shop. Officers Lutfring, Doepke, Jaunke and myself and Stolzenfeld.

1-5-1897
Dead dog, 1091 27th St.

1-6-1897
Very quiet all dayt. Met Rev. Sprowls at 21st and Center at 5:45.

1-7-1897
Walter's birthday. Went to Zillmers and bought him a suit of clothes and a pr. of shoes. Drill. Shooting record 7-1-8.

1-8-1897
August Karoff, Larkin St. works for Chas. S. Davis dumping ground on Heller's lots on east side of 21st St. between Locust and Chambers.

1-9-1897
Two boys broke in or entered with a key into the Wisconsin Parlor Frame Co. factory used as a store room for bottles at 30th and Meinecke this noon when I was on my way to dinner. Ma's birthday, 63 yrs. old. After dinner I telephone Stolzenwald to meet me there and investigate. Saw the proprietor, he said let the matter rest as no particular damage was done.

1-10-1897
Sunday. Wind, NW, cold. Very quiet all day.

1-11-1897
Colder flurries of snow. Wet, all day.

1-12-1897
Dead dog, 974 24 1/2 St. Dead cat, 2502 Fond du Lac Ave at rear. Black horse 1000 lbs. belongs to Chas. Felsch, 1086-26th St. got out of barn last night. Dangerous hole at 24 1/2 and Clark.

1-13-1897
New building, 24 1/2 and Hadley. 3 new buildings on 28th St. and Burleigh. Wm. C. Large met me on Fon du Lac at 3:30 PM. Showed him the way to our house after he had walked around with me for an hour or more. C. Felsch horse was found at 1015-24th St. Notified him.

1-14-1897
Drill day. Shooting record. 7-0-8. Quiet all day.

1-15-1897
Dead chicken, 2430 Fond du Lac Ave.

1-16-1897
Quiet all day.

1-17-1897
Sunday. Rain and snow. Colder toward evening.

1-18-1897
Cold wind, NW. Bo't pr. of overshoes at Zillmer's. $1.00.

1-19-1897
Quiet all day. Met Sergt Schneider at 22nd and Wright.

1-20-1897
Rain and snow. Cloudy all day. Dead chicken at 2201 Center. DEad Cat at 2216 Hadley. Fire broke out in the two story frame house SE cor. 33rd and Locust. Owned by Mrs. Margaret Zingen occupied by Pat Murphy (up stairs). Fire caused by cook stove. Murphy was not at home at the time. Damage $400.00, insured $500 on furniture and $1700 on home. Officers present- Miller, Dopke, Stolzenfeld and Sizer.

1-21-1897
Drill day. Shooting record 7-0-5. Quiet all day.

1-22-1897
New building on Center between 23 & 24.

1-23-1897
Cold and snow all day.

1-24-1897
Sunday. 19 degrees below zero this morning at 8 AM. Froze our faces on Fond du Lac between 27th and RR track. Froze my face on same trip at 2:45 PM.

1-25-1897
Cold. 20 degrees below zero. Quiet all day. Ordered two tons of coal, egg and pea.

1-26-1897
3 degrees warmer today.

1-27-1897
Some warmer today. Ida Cole married to H. C. Seidel tonight.

1-28-1897
Little Arthurs birthday. Would have been 5 years old had he lived. Drill. Shooting record 7-0-9. Warmer today.

1-29-1897
Warmed today. Thawing very fast. Met Sgt. Scheider at 20th and Center, 9:45 AM. Went to the station and got a letter for Theo. Horn, 1195-21st.

1-30-1897
New building, 24th and Hadley. Dead chicken, 927-22nd.

1-31-1897
Mrs. Amelia Louisa Kegel, living at 1355-11th St., an insane woman, came to 1159-10th, Bannbach's Drug Store and would not go away. I was sent there at 5:45 PM. Called up Central and told them the circumstances. They sent Roundsman Schneider. Mrs. Kegel is about 50 yrs. of age. Has one daughter 11 years old. We tried to persuade her to go with the neighbors but she would not. Then we told her we would take her to the hospital and she went with us to the West Side Station on car. I left the Station at 8:20 PM.

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