The Great Horse Trading Scandal
A Tale of Deception in 1912 Iowa
Historical Document Provenance
A newspaper article dating from June 1912 has been preserved through three generations of careful stewardship. The clipping was originally saved by Frank O'Brien, who passed it to his wife Cecil. Cecil maintained this historical document among her personal papers before entrusting it to their daughter, Mary (O'Brien) Herzog. This preserved newspaper clipping represents a century-old connection to the family's history, having been carefully maintained and passed down through the O'Brien-Herzog lineage since its original publication in 1912.
The Fateful Trade
Page 1 of The Mail Press, published in Strawberry Point, Iowa on Thursday, June 13th, 1912
Last week the O'Brien Brothers traded horses with a professional or traveling horse trader. What seemed like a routine business transaction in the bustling town of Strawberry Point would soon become a cautionary tale of deception and loss that would be remembered for generations.
One of the horses proved to be crampy, and a few days later the trader showed up again, and another trade was made, with the O'Briens paying a difference of 80 or 90 dollars. The brothers, Frank and Tom, trusted in the time-honored tradition of horse trading, unaware that they were about to become victims of an elaborate swindle.
The Russian Connection
After the trader left town, it developed that the last team traded was stolen from another horse-trading outfit on the 6th of June, while they were camped near Dubuque. The parties claiming to own the team were a band of Russians, traveling around the country making a business of trading horses.
After parleying around a couple of days, and receiving legal advice from various sources, the Russians were finally allowed to take the team and depart. The O'Brien brothers found themselves caught in the middle of a complex web of theft and deception, victims of circumstances beyond their control.
Chronicle of Events - 1912
Page 5 of The Mail Press, published in Strawberry Point, Iowa on Thursday, May 23rd, 1912
Register And Argus, June 20, 1912, page 6
Life Goes On
Despite their business setbacks, the O'Brien brothers continued with their lives and social activities. Frank O'Brien and Nat Scovel spent Sunday evening at Cox Creek with their lady friends, showing that the scandal had not dampened their spirits entirely.
Mail Press (Strawberry Point) Sept 19, 1912 Page 8
The Buggy Accident
Morris Hesner and Frank O'Brien encountered considerable misfortune on their evening journey to a dance in Wadena. The incident occurred on the road between here and Volga when their team of horses became unmanageable, resulting in a concerning accident.
The gentlemen were unceremoniously tipped into a ditch, after which they were dragged several rods. Their buggy sustained damage in several places during the ordeal.
(a rod is 16 feet)
Fortunately, with the assistance of fellow travelers on the road, the team was eventually brought under control. Despite their misadventure, the determined young men proceeded to their intended destination, arriving at the dance in due time.
Mr. O'Brien escaped with only a few scratches, while Mr. Hesner suffered a lame shoulder. Both gentlemen expressed their relief that the injuries were not more serious.
Business Continuity
Despite their earlier misfortune with the horse trading scandal, the O'Brien Brothers demonstrated remarkable resilience. By November 21, 1912, they were advertising their livery, feed and exchange stable in Strawberry Point, showing their determination to continue in the horse business despite the costly lesson they had learned.
Mail Press (Strawberry Point) Nov 21 1912 Page 4
O'Brien Brothers advertise their livery, feed and exchange stable
Additional Provenance Note
This is an instance of old newspaper articles from 1912 which were scanned from the original newspaper clippings kept by Mary (O'Brien) Herzog. These documents have been preserved as part of the O'Brien-Herzog family archives, providing a unique window into the history intentionally left behind.