Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

William Bramwell Sizer Diaries
May 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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MAY 1897

5-1-1897
Mrs. Gregorsen, 33rd and Fond du Lac reported to me that someone stole 7 chickens from her last night. I followed the tracks to Burleigh. One was a pointed shoe No, 8. One womans shoe and one broad toed shoe. Cold this morn., cloudy, froze some. Went to the Sta. and reported Mrs. G's loss at 8:45 AM. Got check cashed at Winkels. Got checks this PM.

5-2-1897
Sunday. Rain all day. Nothing going on.

5-3-1897
Arrested Monroe Norton at 27th and Fond du Lac at 8 AM. Charge, disorderly(begging for money). Found guilty. Fined $1.00 and costs or 10 days in H of C. Got back to my beat at 10:30 AM
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Went to Secretary's office and paid Interest, $30.00. Went to Stellen's and paid $10.00 on Walter's watch. Weather clearing up. Wind N. cool. Sun shown a few minutes before sun set.

5-4-1897
Weather fair and warmer. Wind NE. Dead dog, 2443 Center. Got orders at 10:40 AM to cover Miller's beat as far as 12th St. Fair and warm all day.

5-5-1897
Fair and warm this noon. Dead dog, 2414 Kilbourn. Warm all day. Wind SW.

5-6-1897
Thursday. Drill day and inspection of Helmets, dress coats and pants. Weather fair and very warm. Wind changable. Put on summer underwear this noon. Wind changed to NE at 2 PM. Grew chilly very fast towards evening.

5-7-1897
Fair and cool, wind NE. Quiet all day.

5-8-1897
John Holton, 509 E. Water, cutting sod without a permit on 22nd half a block north of Burleigh. Miller reported for duty this morning. Weather, fair. Wind SE. Warm all day. Showers at 415 PM.

5-9-1897
Sunday. Cloudy and warm this morning. Showery. Wind, W. Went to see Frank Gerds, 2017 Center, said his daughter was at 15th and St. Paul Ave. in a saloon. Told him to go to Police Station and ask for advice. Baseball at Park this PM. Kansa City vs. Milwaukee.

5-10-1897
Fair and warm this morning. Wind West. Partly cloudy toward evening. Quiet all day.

5-11-1897
Showers this morning. At 5:45 PM, Agnes Berensen, 598-24th St. found on 22nd between Hadley and Locust. Taken to 20th and Center and from there I took her homr.

5-12-1897
Rain this morning, clearing at 6 AM. Showers at 8 AM, clearing at 8:30 . Cooler. Wind West. Herman Martin, 1212-18th St. complains that his stepbrother, Chas. Draess stole his watch last night.

5-13-1897
Aug. Equitz, 1200-3rd St., 21st wd. Pd. tax, $2.03. Partly cloudy,. cool, very fine, wind West. Drill day. Took my gray helmet to Casper the Hatter, 13 Grand Ave. to have it cleaned. Turned in $2.03 tax monet from Aug. Equits to Sec. Haukohl.

5-14-1897
Cold and showery this forenoon. Warmer after dinner. Two little boys, 3 yrs. old, were taken up by people living at 2930 Center. I was called at 11:20 AM, Telephoned from Chair Factory, was told they lived at 2810 Vliet St. Operator said he would notify parents. Wind, West.

5-15-1897
Partly cloudy and cool this morn. Wind, East. Went to Stellens and got my watch. Quiet all day. Cool all day. Cold in the eve.

5-16-1897
Sunday. Warmer. Wind, West. Add. to bldg. 1475-20th. Wind changed to E during day. Some person dumped part of a load of night (soil) on Hopkins between 20th and 21st.

5-17-1897
Warmer today. Wind SW. New building 24th and Chambers.

5-18-1897
Warmer this morn. Wind, west. Kelley arrested August Siecker for stealing bicycle and his father and mother for resisting an officer. Stolzenfeld went as a witness against the family. The arrests were made last night at 10 o'clock. Quiet all day. Cool this eve. Wind, North.

5-19-1897
Warm again this morn. Wind N.West, changing to SW. New Bldg. on 21st bewteen Center and Hadley. Quiet all day up to 6:30 PM. Cloudy, looks like rain. Wind SW, warm.

5-20-1897
Alice's birthday, 28 yrs. old. Rain last night. Showery this morning. cloudy and warm. Wind, west. Dead dog on vacant lot between Burleigh and Hopkins, west of 20th St. Drill day. Cold wave at 2:30 PM. Wind changed to East. At supper at Notbohms at 8:30 PM with my family. I took Walter and Ada on the car.

5-21-1897
Cold this morning. Wind, East. Fair. 5:20 PM wind E. Fair. Quiet all day. warmer tonight.

5-22-1897
Partly cloudy this morn. Southerly Wind. Night soil dumped on 33 rd and Concordia 20 rods SW from the bridge near Wm. Landers house. Showers all afternoon. Wind changable.

5-23-1897
Sunday. Wind west. cool all day. Miller goes on vacation. Took in his beat as far as 12th St. Head achached all day. Went home and laid on the lounge until the folks came home from church. Quiet all day.

5-24-1897
Shower last night. Cold and cloudy this morn. Wind, NE.

5-25-1897
Fair and cool this morn. Wind, East. Light frost last night. Carl Duchrow, 1206-22nd. Geo. Duchrow, 1206-22nd drowned in cistern in rear of house at 0ne o'clock PM. 2 1/2 yrs. old. Dr. Boerner was called but child was dead. I notified Central and they notified the coroner. I heard of the affair at 2:45 PM. Fair. Wind, East all day. Quiet cool.

5-26-1897
Frost this morn. Wind, East. Cool. Fair. Wind changing to SE in the PM.

5-27-1897
Cloudy this morn. Warmer. Wind SW changing to S. East. Add. to bldg., 29th north of Burleigh. Drill day. Cloudy this evening. Wind, SE.

5-28-1897
Shower this morn. Partly Cloudy in the morn. Cold. Wind, NE. Dead dog on vacant lot between Burleigh and Hopkins, 100 ft. west of 20th St. -- Second Report.

5-29-1897
Fair and warmer. Southerly wind this morning, changing to westerly. Broken culvert, 27th and Fond du Lac Ave. Court House employees played a match game of ball with the City Hall employees on Burke, Mann and Foley's Block this PM. Cloudy, trying to rain.

5-30-1897
Sunday. Decoration Day. Showers and cold this morn. Cold all day. Wind, NW. Went to Central Station at 3PM to get position for parade tomorrow. Quiet all day.

5-31-1897
Cold and clear this morn. Frost reported in some places. Leween Bros. Circus at 12th and Wright. Orders to be at Central at 2 PM to take part in parade. Went to Central at 2 PM. Marched in parade and then all Day Men went to the Lake Front and kept order during the Military Review. Got back to the beat at 5:30 PM. Wind changed to SE. Cold and disagreeable.

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