Uncle Frank Suchla - a bad man probably

Having given one of my husband's ancestors a bad name, I should do the same for mine,

I knew a lot about Frank Suchla before this last bit of researching, but there are some new stories which seem to possibly corroborate what I heard before, but also to deny it, which I will disclose at the end.

All the newspaper articles are from the Jamestown Sun.

May 15, 1905

Held Inquest.

An inquest was held Thursday at the residence of Frank Suchla, who lives north of the lake, over the body of John Soboda, aged 18 years. He died on the 10th Inst. at the Suchla house. Several circumstances such as having no physician and being rather mentally unbalanced let to the holding of the inquest. Everything was found alright in connection with the death and the burial of the deceased was made yesterday at the Catholic cemetery at Fried. Decease had been in ill health for
sometime. He left no property.

1905

Frank Suchla was accused by Kryst Schweitrtz of having assaulted him and threatening to kill him, pleaded not guilty to the charge in Justice Pearson's court today. There seemed to be considerable question as to whether Schweirtz was not more frightened than anything else and Suchla was released on his furnishing a bond of $200 to keep the peace. One story as to the row is that Suchla wanted Schweirtz to agree to charge so much for threshing but the latter would not enter into any combine.

June 6, 1912

BLIND PIGGERS WERE BOUND OVER (US, slang) The operator of a "blind pig" or
speakeasy.

City and County Officials Arrest Alleged Violators of Liquor Law.

Violators of the North Dakota prohibition law are having hard sledding in Stutsman county these times, the latest offenders, according to a complaint of the States Attorney, being Mr. and Mrs. Frank Suchla of Jamestown. Also concurring were The Sheriff, Chief of Police, and City Attorney
who entered the Frank Suchla residence, South Sixth Avenue, Monday night, securing evidence of violation of the state prohibition law, and the husband and wife were both arrested, charged with keeping a commercial property where intoxicating liquor was sold. The hearing was rearranged in Police Magistrate Murphy's court and many witnesses testified Tuesday.

About eight witnesses were examined and three testified that they had purchased intoxicating liquor at the place and paid for same; others that they had taken a social drink when invited, but did not pay. The interrogation was briskly conducted by the lawyer, Attorney Kasaf who appears for the
defense, and States Attorney Fred Kneeland prosecuting.

The two defendants were bound over to county court by Justice Murphy, under $300 bond, which they obtained.

Frank Suchla was my Grandmother's brother. The Suchla family emigrated to Arcadia, Wisconsin in the 1880's, and joined many of their friends and relatives from a little town in Poland called Sielcowitz, who were already established in Wisconsin. My grandmother, Mary Suchla, married John Alexander Woychik, and they moved to the farm he had homesteaded in North Dakota. A short time later, the whole family followed her and homesteaded on land adjacent to theirs. Each of
Mary's brothers had their own piece of land as well as the one that Mary's father, Simon Suchla, claimed. (Her brother, John Suchla took my grandfather to court for horse whipping him. He was fined $50 for doing it, which he said was "very good value and he might well do it again." John and his wife were childless so when my mother was born, they asked her mother if they could have her, as she already had four children, but my grandfather wouldn't let her do it.

Frank married Julia Sobata who was from the same community in Wisconsin, and her sister Mary, who was two years older than she, moved in with them, and stayed there. They had two children, Frank Jr. and Katie. Some of the records show Mary as the mother, but most show Julia having that
role.

When Julia died (according to a remote cousin) Frank was suspected of having killed her. She wasn't found for some time, and eventually her remains were found in a burned out haystack on his farm. Sometime later, he married his sister-in-law Mary Sobata, and the picture above is from his second wedding.

His reputation of drunken violence followed him all is life, and when he was making out his will, he said that he would leave everything to his son Frank, as long as Frank Jr.  made sure he was buried in the Catholic Church.

New evidence to
contradict my previous idea.

26 Feb 1914

Death of Mrs. Frank Suchla.

Mrs. Frank Suchla died on Monday at 4 o'clock at her home on north Twelfth Ave after a severe illness lasting nine years. About that time she was operated upon at St. John hospital and the Sisters thought she would not long survive. Following the operation she slept for about nine months and when she was again able to converse she told her husband that she knew all that went on around her but could not speak or move. In her last hours she suffered greatly.

She was born in Arcadia Wisconsin. 35 years ago. At the age of 18 Julia Sobata married Frank Suchla. in Jamestown and lived for 13 years on his farm north of town and in the last four years she resided in the city. She leaves her husband, two children, Frank 14 and Katherine 12, and
three sisters, Mrs. Anthony Neva, Mrs. George Rippley and Miss Mary Sobata. The funeral will be held at 11 o'clock Thursday Feb 26 at the Polish church at Fried. The remains will be laid at the cemetery in Fried.

I still have some doubts, as I don't think an ailing woman would have been taken off to stand a charge of Blind Piggery, and it is my guess that her sister took over when she was ill, and everyone assumed she was the wife. And then evenutally she was.