Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

William Bramwell Sizer Diaries
May 1903

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 1903

5-1-1903
32 deg. Southerly wind. Partly cloudy. Froze during night. Overcoat this morn. Checks this morn. Change day:- Linden on N. Dist. at noon.

5-2-1903
38 deg. Southerly wind. Partly cloudy. Raw wind. Asked per. to go to Sec'ys office to Pay int. Made the trip in just one hour. 8:45 to 9:45. AM.

5-3-1903
35 deg. NW wind. Cloudy. Chilly. clearing toward noon. Warmer toward eve.

5-4-1903
44 deg SW wind. Cloudy. Showers at 7:30 AM. Went home & got rain coat. Heavy shower at 9 AM. Met Linden at 4:15, 27th & Fond du Lac.

5-5-1909 49 deg. SW wind. Fair. Colby Tel. Lake-59. 1:45 Warr. for John Zimmerman Jr. 1159-21st St. John Sr. Comp. Charge disorderly. Went with Lineman to Wis. Furn. Co. Got shaving knife ground.

5-6-1903
48 deg. No wind. Cloudy. Foggy. Wind SE at 11 AM. Got up at 5 AM & went to Zimmermans 1159-21st St. & found that Jojn Jr. did not come home last night. 1:45 got Warr. for Jac. Ratzel 2418 Chambers St. A. Scholz, Comp. Disorderly conduct. Arrested Ratzel at his home 2418 Chambers at 5:45 PM. Subpeonaed witnesses & went to Sta. on car with R. Left Subp. at Sta for night officer to subp. two witnesses.

5-7-1903
32 deg. NE wind. Fair. White frost. Drill dat:- Back to beat at 4:30 PM. In court with Ratzel at 9 AM. Case called at 11:50. Cont. to May 12th. Went to Sta. with bail money & then to dinner. Back to beat at 1:40.

5-8-1903
32 deg. SE wind. Fair. White frost. 10:45 got order per tel. to go to City Atty's office & see Mr. Zimmers at once. Z. inquired about Ratzel's case. Got home at 12:30. Back to beat at 1 o'c. Met Linden at 27th & Center, 3:15. Took up defective walks on Center & Fond du Lac Ave. this PM.

5-9-1903
37 deg. Southerly wind. Fair. Light frost during the night. Warmer. Met Linden at 27th & Fond du Lac at 3:45 PM. Notice at 5:45 PM. that John Zimmerman Jr. gave himself up at the West Side Sta.

5-10-1903
56 deg. SW wind. Partly cloudy. Warm. Engelhardts Bakery burned early this morn. Subpoenaed witnesses in Zimmerman case.

5-11-1903
46 deg. W wind. Fair. Cool & very pleasant. Wind changed to NE toward noon. In court at 9 AM with J. Zimmerman Jr. Disorderly Warr. J.Z. Sr., comp. Found guilty. fined $1.00 & costs. I took him to Central Sta. Back to beat at 11:47 AM. thunder shower passed to the SE at 1 PM. Heavy shower at 2:30 PM. Miller & Ressel on vacation.

5-12-1903
50 deg. N. Wind. Fair. Cool & pleasant. Rising Temp. Very warm during the day. Jac. Ratzel in court. Cont. from last Thursday. Found Guilty. Fined $5.00 & costs. $18.65. Ratzel did not appear. City Atty. Zimmerman appeared for K. Took up sidewalks on 23rd & 24th Sts. this PM.

5-13-1903
44 deg. High northerly wind. Fair. Very cool. Cold all day. Schissler goes to Waupun today to serve a term of 25 yrs. for Murder.

5-14-1903
46 deg. NE wind. Cloudy. Rain. Drill dat:- Went home sick. Sent Ada to Stolzenfelds house to tell him to report me sick. Ada told S's girl & she didn't tell S. & so the dept never knew what was the matter.

5-15-1903
46 deg. NE wind. Fair. Cool. Linden came up this morn & asked what was the matter. I asked him if he did not know I was sick. He said no & didn't know whether I reported during yesterday PM. or not. I told him what I had done & he left. News came at 8:30 that Geo. W. Chapman was drowned out at the Night-hawk mine. Change day:- Schneider on the N. Dist. at noon.

5-16-1903
46 deg. Southerly wind. Fair. Cool & pleasant. I reported for duty this morn. Got a lecture from JK for failing to give notice of my absence from duty. It served me right. I had no business to trust a third party.

5-17-1903
54 deg. southerly wind. Fair. Warm. Met Schneider, Wright & Fond du Lac at 10:50 AM. Shower at 1:35 PM. Very warm. Marquardts little girl buried this PM.

5-18-1903
66 deg. SW wind. Fair. Very warm & pleasant. Orders to be at Expo at 7:30 PM. Put on summer underwear. Shower at 5:30. Went home at 5:45. Went to Expo at 7:30. Got home at 12 o'c.

5-19-1903
66 deg. SW wind. Fair. Warm. John Hahn Jr. married today at St. Ann's Church to a daughter of John Reichert on No. Ave. Mer Sergt. Scneider at Wright & Fon du Lac at 4 PM.

5-20-1903
58 deg. SW wind. Fair. Cooler. Very pleasant. PM. wind changed to SE.

6-21-1903
62 deg. SW wind. Fair. Very pleasant. Hot at 8:30. Wind changed to NE toward noon. Cooler. Drill day:- Back to beat at 4:30. 4:45 called to C.C. Woven wire works, found Geo. Grosenheimer in the office drunk & quarreling about his pay. After hearing his story & listening to Kunkels I told K. to go. He went out after threatning K. He hung around on the St. threatening Klein & I told him several times to go home. He would not so I placed him under arrest. Took him in the office of Wis. Furn. Co. & tel. for wagon.

6-22-1903
50 deg. W. Wind. Clouidy. Foggy & rain at 8:10. In court at 9 AM with Geo. Grosenheimer. Got Subp. for Kunkel & Klein. G. pleaded guilty & was fined $5.00 & costs. $8.74. Back to beat at 10:05 PM Willie Sieckert, Mathews & Peopping were arrested by Constable at N. Mil. for shooting birds. Willie was suspended from school Feb. 19th '03 for continued disorder & constantly annoying his teacher.

6-23-1903
50 deg. NE wind. Cloudy. Chilly. Thunder storm passed to SE this morn. at 5 o'c. Sprowls came on 10:39 train. Staid to dinner. Going to Waukesha to preach tomorrow. Mrs. Kate Raddatz died this morn at 4 o'c. from heart disease.

6-24-1903
54 deg. E. Wind. cloudy. Foggy & damp. Signed payroll this morn. Chapman to be buried this PM. Sergt. Scneider ordered me to go & help Stolzenfeld at Chapman 's funeral. Missed 2:45 rept. on acct. of above mentioned funeral. Went to Kingsley this Eve.

6-25-1903
50 deg. SE wind. Cloudy. Foggy & damp. 1:50 PM. Stolzenfeld & I arrested Mrs. Ernestine Lange, 717-14th St., at 2513- Center St. She was drunk. Took her to 27th & Fond du Lac. Heavy thunder storm at noon & at 2:45 PM. Showers came to stay all night. Mrs. Raddatz buried this PM.

5-26-1903
54 deg. SW wind. cloudy. Rain. Thunder shower alll morn. Rained every hour all day. Sprowels goes home this AM on 7:30 train. Grandpa Gallaher will be buried today. In court with Mrs. Lange. She was found guilty by acting Judge Ries & on her promise not to get drunk again, he suspended sentence. Went to faith Mission No. 1 & met the Holdens & Mr. Chapin & talked over organization for the Faith Mission work.

5-27-1903
62 deg. Southerly wind. cloudy. Warm. Showery. Showers all day. 1:45 PM Went to Sta. Got Clerks office complaint - Chas. Joers vs. Emil Kanitz 1156-22nd St. Served same at 3:15.

5-28-1903
58 deg. NW wind. Fair. Very pleasant. Wind changed to E. toward noon. Cool. Got up at 4 AM & painted the bathroom. Broke pin off my badge. Got badge 394 at Sta. & took mine to Stellars to get it fixed. Drill day:- Back to beat at 4:30. Clerks office comp. Katherin Dengel vs. Geo. Dengel 1190-30th St. Comp. served on Geo. Dengel at 8:30 AM.

5-29-1903
50 deg. NE wind. Fair. Chilly. Very cold all day. Letters at 1:45 for R. Schultz 1657 Hopkins, Grell & Son 1602 Hopkins, & T. French 1491-25th. All vacations suspended until after the Tanners strike is over.

5-30-1903
44 deg. NE wind. Fair. Cold & Chilly. Wearing woolen jacket & gloves. Checks this AM. Decoration day. Walter goes to Fredonia this morn. Will stay over Sunday. Went to Fox's 1518 Wright St. Old choir meeting.

5-31-1903
46 deg. NE wind. Fair. Cold & very chilly all day. Got home from Fox's at 12:45 AM. Thoroughly disgusted. Mrs. F's son Roy assisted by Ehlers gave an exhibition of sleight of hand & character portrayl & I to my utter disgust vow I'll never go there again. Average Min. Temp. for month - 49 deg.

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