Douglas County Past: Youth hurt in rifle discharge; Clerk-treasurer accused of misconduct resigns
Dec. 23—Dec. 23, 1947
Superior housewife receives $37,814 bequest in Nelson will
Final judgment in the $59,333.67 estate of Lester Nelson, 60, has been filed in county court, Judge Robert E. Curran disclosed Tuesday, with Mrs. Arthur R. Johnson, a cousin, who resides at 1520 N. 11th St., the principal beneficiary.
Mrs. Johnson will receive a net sum of $37,814.27 from the estate, after payment of taxes, and Nelson stipulated that she could either divide her share or keep it all. There are 12 other surviving cousins.
Second largest beneficiary was Mrs. Florence Kratzig, Norfolk, Va., who will receive $4,485.34 plus household goods valued at $309. Mrs. Kratzig was described as a friend of Lester Nelson, whom he had known when he resided in Virginia.
Other specific bequests include $2,000 to the Pilgrim Lutheran church as a memorial to Nelson's twin brothers, Oliver and Elmer, who died within four days of each other last January. It was from these two twin brothers that Lester, who died April 5, received almost the entire estate.
Police looking for owner of glasses
Superior police are endeavoring to locate the owner of a pair of women's shell-framed glasses that were found in front of Roth's store at 14th Street and Tower Avenue sometime during the Monday evening shopping hours.
Dec. 23, 1987
Driver is charged in triple fatality
A Superior woman has been charged in connection with an accident that resulted in triple fatality outside of the city.
Vickie J. Milinkovich, no age listed, 2017 E. Sixth St., was charged with three counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle. She appeared in Douglas County Circuit Court Tuesday and requested a preliminary examination.
The complaint charges Milinkovich in connection with the Aug. 28 head-on collision with another vehicle on Highway 105 near Oliver. The complaint alleges that Milinkovich, who was injured in the accident, had a .117% blood alcohol content when treated at the hospital.
All three occupants of the second car were dead at the scene. Killed were Elmer Zoltak Jr., Zachery Zoltak and Karina Medansky.
Youth hurt as rifle discharges
An 8-year-old boy was listed in fair condition Wednesday morning by personnel at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth where he is being treated for a gunshot wound that resulted from a Tuesday incident at Foxboro.
Royce A. Snowdon told Douglas County Sheriff's Department investigators he was shot in the left knee when another male youth discharged a 30-caliber lever-action rifle that was loaded with a live round. The incident occurred at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Cory Martell residence on Denham Road.
A preliminary report indicates the shooting was accidental because the boy who fired the rifle apparently thought it wasn't loaded.
Dec. 24, 1947
Elaborate railroad crossing lights now in operation
Climaxing efforts of the Superior and Douglas County Safety council and the city of Superior in campaigning for motorist protection at railroad grade crossings throughout the city, an elaborate system of eclectic red light flashing signals, warning bell and manually-operated gates has been installed and is now in operation at the 21st Street nine-track crossing of the Soo Line railroad.
Installation of the entire setup is estimated by the safety council to have cost $7,500, and cost of monthly operation, including salary of three watchmen working around the clock and maintenance is figured at $700.
Dec. 24, 1987
Harvey resigns township post
Township of Superior Clerk-Treasurer Myra Harvey, who has pleaded innocent to job-related felony charges of theft and misconduct in public office, resigned her post at a closed-session town board meeting Wednesday night.
"I feel for the benefit of our township, I do not wish to continue in the office of clerk-treasurer," Harvey said in a written resignation.
Last December and in April, the township board resisted moves by residents to oust Harvey. Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Rustam Barbee filed the charges following audits of town books that, according to investigators, revealed false entries of tax payments and a sum of funds exceeding $50,000 that Harvey could not account for.
Harvey has filed nomination papers for re-election to the Douglas County Board, where she represents the 21st District. Despite the state's allegations of misconduct in public office, she was re-elected to the clerk-treasurer position in the April 7 election.
Harvey is scheduled for trial on the charges on March 7.
Morning fire guts home in Hawthorne
HAWTHORNE — A Hawthorne man was awakened early Christmas Eve morning by his smoke alarm and escaped unharmed before his home was completely gutted by fire.
The fire reportedly started in the south end of the basement of the home of Tom Grekoviak, who lived alone. The house was formerly owned by the Glenn Hunts, and located on the River Road between County Trunks B and V. Greskoviak reportedly discovered the house filling with smoke and called the fire department from a neighbor's house at 4 a.m. since his phone was already out.
Responding to the call were the Hawthorne, Bennett and Lake Nebagamon fire departments, which fought the blaze until it was contained about 7 a.m., according to firefighters at the scene.
Articles and pictures courtesy of retired librarian Judy Aunet with Superior Public Library.
