'No more Merick for me:' More stories of foreigners in Ashland
I have found many stories in local newspapers about immigrants in the early decades of the 20 century. The press, as perhaps expected, was drawn to more sensational tales, so these stories are not representative of the typical immigrant experience. Nor were the reporters as politically correct as we would expect today, but I share these as a way of providing a glimpse into another era.
In 1903, a section gang of 20 or so Italian workers were putting in a double track on the Erie between Ashland and Mansfield. The workers lived in a railroad car that had just been moved to the Milton Township side where they could not get beer in the evenings, and they went on strike. The newspaper quoted one of the men: “We getta no beer, we no worka.” The railroad solved the problem by bringing in a new carload of workers to replace the strikers, and work went on.
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One man dies after 'drunken row' near Jeromesville
Alcohol also played a role in a tragic 1911 incident near Jeromesville. The Times reported several Italians assaulted one of their companions in a “drunken row.” When the victim died the next day, three men were lodged in the Ashland County jail.
The men had been working on the A&W railroad. Early reports called them Italians, but this was later corrected to reflect they were all Slavs.
The reporter struggled to get the names of the men, as he claimed they were speaking “gibberish” in the excitement. As near as I can tell, they were Joseph Brodick (or Jeromias Brodach), George Magerick and Mike Melick, and the victim was Martin Sabaal (or Szabol.)
The first two were held as suspects, while Melick was a witness. Following the autopsy and coroner’s inquest, the victim was buried in Jeromesville.
Melick was the chief witness during the coroner’s inquest, although authorities considered him innocent of any crime. He was kept in jail apart from the others, only so he could testify at the trial. Sadly, he did not understand his situation due to the language barrier, and he committed suicide about a month after the inquest, writing “goodbye, my friends” on the cell door. Melick was buried in the potters field section of the Ashland cemetery.
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Trials over and men free, heading to 'old country'
The county announced in early 1912 it would auction the rings, watches and other personal effects belonging to Szabol and Melick to offset their burial costs. Any funds remaining would be sent to the families of the men back in Europe.
Brodach stood trial in April 1912 and was convicted of a lesser charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to five years in the Ohio penitentiary. In June, George Magerick faced first-degree murder charges, but was found not guilty and released. Upon appeal, a circuit court sent Brodach’s case back to the grand jury, which declined to bring further charges. This meant he would go free after having spent about 13 months behind bars.
Upon being released from the penitentiary, Brodach was quoted as saying, “No more Merick for me, me go back to the old country.” He intended to work just long enough earn his fare back to Europe, and to stay away from America henceforth.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Immigrants had rough time in early 1900s: No beer, 'drunken row'
