Dakota Datebook: Letters to Santa; Editor Jailed

Letters to Santa

In 1930, there was great speculation of whether letters to Santa Claus might induce the jolly fellow to make a personal visit to ND.

Lenard Moffit wrote, “I am reading the Bismarck Tribune about Santa Claus. Do you think he will come to my house. I am 10 years old and live five miles south of Dunn Center, the place where the windmill [is] right besides the road. Our chimney is pretty small but you can leave some presents on the back porch. I want a box of paints.

“I got two little sister six and nine year old and one little brother seven year old. He wants a toy automobile. You know that girls always like dolls and candy, but they need handkerchiefs most. There are some kids live near us, will you please remember them. If I am asking too much of you leave out my paints and give them something. Their names are Paul Stuart, 12 years. Oliver 10 years. Dorothy Stuart 7 years and Ruth three years.”

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Editor Jailed

One doesn’t normally think of newspaper editors as life threatening, but in 1910 one was sitting in jail in Cando. Mr. Treadwell, editor of a Rock Lake newspaper, had shot two men in a pool room earlier this week, and nobody was sure if the men would survive.

The District Judge in Towner County set bail at $2,000 – a thousand for each victim, but Rock Lake folks wanted the judge to raise it.

The Devils Lake Journal read, “It seems that the people of Rock Lake are afraid of the editor, and as he has made threats on different occasions and is believed to be insane at times, the citizens are afraid that, if released, he will return to Rock Lake and do more damage. For this reason... a petition has been... forwarded to the judge... the prayer of which is that the amount of the bonds be increased.”

Unfortunately, the

Rock Lake paper didn’t publish the outcome; the editor was away from his desk.