Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

William Bramwell Sizer Diaries
January 1901

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.

Back to the Index
Key to names and places in this diary

JANUARY 1901

1-1-1901
10 deg. W. wind. Fair. Cold sharp air. Got home from Watch night service at Wash. Ave. ME Church at 12:45. We walked both ways. Change day. Linden on the North Dist. Cold all day. 1/2 hr. extra for dinner. Attended Ladies Soc. Union Entertainment at Kingsley Church this eve.

1-2-1901
Zero deg. MW wind. Fair. Cold but pleasant. Went to pay taxes this morn. Got back to beat at 9:40 AM. Made the trip in 55 min. Cold all day. 10 PM 3 deg. below zero.

1-3-1901
Zero deg. SW wind. Fair. Zero weather. Drill day. After Drill I went to Herzbergs, 304-305 Pabst Bldg. & pd. $5.00 on my insurance policy of $1000.00 (Prudential). App. made through M.A. Fee. Asked per. to go of Sergt. Linden. Got back to beat at 4:40 PM. Met Dr. Neilsen at 32nd & Elm St. at 12:20 & gave him $1.00 for call when Ada was sick Eddie Cushmann took a handful of cigars from show case at Meiers. I took hime home.

1-4-1900
24 deg. SW wind. Fair. Much warmer. Thawing some at noon. Notified E. Bauer, 1027-21st St. to take wagons off st.

1-5-1901
14 deg. NE wind. Partly cloudy. Warmer toward noon.

1-6-1901
28 deg, Southerly wind. Cloudy. Looks like rain. Subpeonaed witnesses in Hartkopf case, Abandonment. Frellson, comp. Witnesses Marth Buchholz 809-9th St., Mrs. Hartkopf, Mrs. & Miss Cramer 1079-20th St. Commenced raining at 1 PM. Turned to snow toward eve. Met Linden at 2:15 PM.

1-7-1901
22 deg. Northerly wind. Cloudy. Very slippery. Walters birthday. 17 yrs. old. Miss Brower came today.

1-8-1901
33 deg. S wind. Cloudy. Rain. PM colder. NW wind. E.L. Priessing applies for saloon license at 1154-21st St, Met Linden at 2PM, 27th & Fond du Lac. Pa & Ma came today. Were at house when I went to dinner.

1-9-1901
13 deg. N wind. Cloudy. Cold. Ma's Birthday - 67 yrs. old. Called to City Atty's office. Dist. Atty Schurz wanted to see me in appeal case of City vs. Louise Gerke., Mrs. Runke, comp. Got subp. for witnesses in case for Jan. 15th.

1-10-1901
22 deg. Northerly wind. Cloudy. 6 inches of snow this morn. Drill day: Back to beat at 4 PM. I was guide of the co. at drill. My first experience at that position.

1-11-1901
24 deg. Northerly wind. Looks like snow. Clerks Office Comp. vs Peter Schwister 1259-24th. Snowed all PM. About 2 inches fell.

1-12-1901
15 deg. NW wind. Cloudy. Cold. Good sleighing around town. Letter this morn. from Hugo Horn from Manila P.I. He is a soldier, wrote on Nov. 9th.Pleasant at noon. Fair & warmer, w. wind. Met Linden, 22nd & Center about 3 PM. He was going east.

1-13-1901
24 deg. NW wind. Cloudy. Looks like more snow. Went to see H. Kasten 1232-30th complaining about dogs on 27th & Burleigh. Went & told Braun & Mathaeus to take care of their dogs.

1-14-1901
36 deg. NW wind. Cloudy. Rain in the night & early morn. turning coldeer after day light. Warmer at noon. Sun shining bright & thawing very fast.

1-15-1901
28 deg. SW wind. Partly cloudy. Going to Municpal Court in "appeal case" City vs. Gerke. Mrs. Runke's Comp. Change day. Schneider takes over North Dist. at noon. Left court at 11 AM. Mrs. Gerke found not guilty. Rept'd at 30th & North Ave. at 12:20. Went to dinner. Went on beat at 1:20 PM.

1-16-1901
20 deg. High W. wind. Fair. Growing colder. Met Fred Large at 10 AM, 27th & Fond du Lac. He wanted to see me about getting on the Police Force, Just like all the farmers. Met Sergt Schneider at 10:15. Went to Dr. Boerner at noon. Got Prescrip. for Pa. Got it filled & sent up by Albert.

1-17-1901
6 deg. High NW wind. Fair. Cold. Frost flying on air. Drill day. Got back to beat at 4:30. 1:30 PM. Mrs. Uecke, 1140-24th reports that someone stole $20.00 in $5.00 gold pc's in a locked book in a bureau drawer at he house during here absence this morn. bet. 9 & 10 AM. I went to Sta. & reported case. I think her son Max knows all about it.

1-18-1901
Zero deg. NW wind. Fair. Zero weather with prospect of warmer. Snow flurries all eve. & high NW wind. Crossman & family came over this eve.

1-19-1901
Zero deg. NW wind. Fair. Frosty. Signed for floral design for Father of Capt. JL, who died Thurs. the 17th inst. Letter from Dr, Patek asking for more information in regard to my Breast trouble. (Keloid growth)

1-20-1901
34 deg. High southerly wind. Fair. Warmer. Thawing very fast. 1:45 PM Went to North Ave. Bridge to meet Lt. JK. Found him at Busch's Boat House with a squad of Officers watching the crowds who were attracted by the Boat breaking the ice. There is an ice war on bet the trust & the anti trust companies. Left there at 6:15 PM.

1-21-1901
36 deg. W Wind. Partky cloudy. Growing some colder at 8 AM. 10:45 PM. Orders to report to Sergt. Schneider at N. Ave. Bridge at once. Went - and on arriving there was told to get dinner & return. Staid on ice above Busch's Boat House until after 6 PM. Lieut. JK ordering us home. West siders there, Wilde, Arnold, Bermel, Bock & myself. Called Dr. Nielson to come & see Pa. Came at 9:20 PM.

1-22-1901
28 deg. Southerly wind. Partly cloudy. Mild. 8:45 Ordered to the N. Ave. Bridge or rather up river. Went at once. Icebreakers were near the Woolen Mills. Afternoon- Staid until relieved by Night Men. Ice breakers on the timber opp. River Park. Meeting at Mission tonight.

1-23-1901
28 deg. Southerly wind. Cloudy. Sleet. 1:45 PM. Orders per tel. to go up to the river at once. Got there at 2:15. Found the Boat breaking ice a short way below Folsum Pl. Viaduct. Staid there till 6PM. Boat got far enough above the bridge to turn around there. As the crowd was gone on the west side of river, we were ordered home by Sergt. Schneider.

1-24-1901
24 deg. NW wind. Cloudy. Growing colder. Snow flurry warly this morn. Cold all day. 1:45 called in for mail. Drill day. Got back to beat at 4:30. Lutfring Resigned. Mr. Ruppert came over & spent the eve.

1-25-1901
16 deg. NW wind. Partly cloudy. Chilly & disagreeable. Am suffering with cold contracted up river.

1-26-1901
22 deg. Southerly wind. Cloudy. Commenced snowing at 7 AM. Snow all forenoon, about 3 inches fell. Met Sergt. Schneider at 10:30 AM, Fond du Lac Ave. Mail for Ald. Dettman.

1-27-1901
23 deg. Northerly wind. Cloudy. Looks like more snow. Snow flurries during day. 5 PM:- Saw a crowd at 19th & Locust. Went to 20th & Locust and heard that some one had been shooting. Followed the crowd to 23rd & Hadley, to the home of Bernhardt Koepsel (1072-23). Upon asking for information Koepsel told me he had trouble with Alb. Wiese, who was a former boarder, & had been going with his sister & had chased him & shot at him. Mrs.Seimetz 1144-21st saw Koepsel shoot & ran after him & caught him at 19th & Locust Sts. I arrested Koepsel & took him to the Sta. at 5:30 PM. Notified Mrs. S. to be in court in the morn.

1-28-1901
16 deg. Northerly wind. Partly cloudy. Cold. Snow flurries. Court this morn. with Koepsel. He is out on $25.00 bail. Mrs. Seimetz was sworn. Sentence suspended & revolver confiscated. Got back to beat at 10:45. On the way out of court, Mrs. Koepsel spit on Mrs. Seimetz causing quite a stir. Deputy Sherriff Roemer came to the house & subpeonaed me to appear in Judge Wallbers Court at 10 AM to-morrow in case of the Examination of Frances Riedel, the fat woman who formerly lived at 1081-21st St.

1-29-1901
26 deg. Snow flurries. Cold. Went to Judge Wallbers Court at 10 PM. in the case of the Judicial Inquiry into the mental condition of Frances Riedel. Got through at 3:15 PM. Back to beat at 3:55 PM. P.F. Meier went wtih me. Mrs. Rebhahn, Chief JTJ, Mayor Rose & others were on the witness stand during the day. Chas. Bach found not guilty in Police Court on charge of vagrancy. Jury trial. Helen came to stay awhile. Sergt. Schneider not at Sta.

1-30-1901
6 deg. NW wind. Partly cloudy. Cold. Ed. Preussing has saloon license dated Jan. 18th '01. Pa & Ma went home on the 1:50 train. Minnie took them to the Lake Shore Depot.

1-31-1901
10 deg. SW wind. Partly cloudy. Snow flurries. Drill day:- Got back to beat at 4:31 PM. 8th St. car. Ordered to pull the hook at 4:45. Was at 21st & Center. Average Temp. for month 18 deg.i

Back to the Index
Key to names and places in this diary