#brueggerhoff building

2 JAN 1884. Austin Daily Statesman.

CITY MATTERS IN BRIEF.

Burglars took a crow-bar or some similar instrument and forced open the front doors of the “Black Elephant” saloon yesterday morning, and stole $130 from the drawer. There were $1500, in a sack in the same drawer which they failed to find. The affair is involved in somewhat of a mystery.

The ball masque last night was largely attended and a highly pleasant affair. Miss Hattie Kinney impersonated a cigar girl, and the committee decided it was the best represented character among the ladies, and awarded her the prize, a beautiful jewel casket. Miss May Inglehart, as the Queen of Chess, was given the next place of honor, and little Miss Annie McKay received the third place of honor in her impersonation of a flower girl. Among the gentlemen George Calhoun, as an Indian, took the prize, a gold-headed cane. J.E. Hunter, as a quack, got the second place of honor, and Frank Brown, as the dude, the next, and some person whose name our representative failed to catch, who appeared as a cavalier, the fourth. The dancing continued until quite late, and the enjoyment seemed to be unbounded.

A STRANGE CASE. Chas. Dyer, the Well Known Saloon Man, Missing. -- His Wife Fears Foul Play or Mental Aberration.

No man in the city of Austin is better known than Charley Dyer, who for some time has kept the Brueggerhoff cellar saloon. He has been a man of most exemplary habits, strictly honest and honorable in all his dealings, and it is perhaps not even too much to add he hardly had any enemy in the whole city. In his family he has been a most devoted husband and father, and when not at his place of business he might always be found at home with his wife and children. For some time his wife has noticed that something was bearing heavily upon his mind, and he seemed to be despondent and at times absent-minded. This has been the case for a month or more. Saturday evening he told his wife he intended to spend the next day, Sunday, with a friend, Mr. Ed. Givins, near Onion creek, and that he would start at 4 o’clock in the morning. Mrs. Dyer detected nothing peculiar in his conduct except that he seemed weighed down with some trouble, but no more so than he had been for some time. He told his wife he would return Sunday evening, and would not go to his place of business, but come directly to the house.

At 4 o’clock Sunday morning he arose, dressed himself as usual and without taking any extra clothing mounted his saddle horse and started as Mrs. Dyer supposed, for Onion creek. He instructed his negro servant to go to the saloon and open it early, and when Mr. McDermott, the bartender, came to inform him he would not be in during the day or not until night anyway. This was the last that his wife has seen or heard from him. Sunday night came, but Mr. Dyer did not return. Monday morning did not [...] men such an absence would not indicate anything wrong, but with Charley Dyer it was otherwise, for during all their married life he had never been abroad without his wife’s confidence in regard to his plans; and his habits were such that for him to remain away in such a manner was wholly at variance with all his former conduct. 

25 JUNE 1883. Austin Daily Statesman.

City Matters In Brief.

Carpenters, brick and stone masons, laborers and stone-cutters are in great demand here, at good wages.

The building boom not only continues here with great power, but building material goes from here to other places by the car load.

Slightly Smashed.

As Mr. Chas. Orndorff and a companion were driving in a buggy Sunday afternoon, they attempted to turn sharply around the corner of Lavaca and Linden streets, which threw the momentum of the vehicle on two wheels.  They gave way with the strain, and made a complete smash of both wheels.  Mr. O. happened to be driving one of Mr. Miller’s well trained horses, and no further damage was done, and no one was hurt, though the occupants were very much frightened.

Snake Stories.

The other night Mrs. Jones heard her little canary making a terrific noise, and went to the cage and found that a chicken snake had coiled himself around the perch, completely hiding it, but she could not see anything of the little bird.  On getting the snake out and killing it, she discovered that the reptile had wound the bird to the perch in the folds of its coils, completely crushing the life from the poor little canary.  The snake was over three feet in length.

The Courts.

District Court. A. S. Walker, Presiding.  J. P. Hart, Clerk

F. M. Brown, convicted recently of the theft of a check of $25 from Mrs. Greenley, and further indicted for stealing $20 in money and a diamond ring from the same lady, an of embezzling some pictures which one J. S. Pierce, it will be remembered, was indicted for stealing from Mrs. Edna White, withdrew his motion for a new trial, and was sentenced to the penitentiary for six years.  The Pierce case is set for July 16.

George Reed, a white man about forty-five years of age, was placed on trial on a charge of having February 3d last, stolen about $125 from the safe of Simon’s saloon, opposite the Raymond hotel, on Congress avenue.

Still at Large.

Mr. Wm. Pearson, who was shot by Costley Friday, died of his wounds Sunday afternoon.  So far no direst tiding have yet been heard of Costley.  It is believed that the rumor that he intends to come in and surrender and depend upon clearing himself on proof of self-defense, is intended as a soothing syrup to lull the officers into carelessness in order to allow Costley to annihilate more distance and destroy more space, so to speak.  Time alone, however, will tell.  Now is a good time for Mr. Costley to come in.

Died.

In this city, on Sunday, June 24, 1883.  William Brueggerhoff, in the forty-third year of his life.

Mr. Brueggerhoff was a Prussian, being born in that country November 8, 1840.  He came to Austin a boy of less than fifteen years, and from that time, even through his youthful days, has been closely connected with the business and growth of Austin, having married here and fought his way from the foot to well nigh the highest point of our business community.  For more than two weeks he suffered all the terrors of mortal sickness, but at last died peaceable, and it is believed with a full consciousness that the end was at hand.