This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website

 

William Krebs, Main St Grocer

605 E Main St

Business and home

1906

10 26

Tuesday disclosed the fact that another forgery had been perpetrated in Watertown, adding one more to the long list of these depredations which have been worked here during the past few months.  The victim this time is William Krebs, the Main street grocer.

 

On Thursday evening of last week a man entered Mr. Krebs's store and made a purchase of groceries amounting to a little over $2. In payment, a check for $12 on the Wisconsin National Bank payable to Jas. Fremont and signed “Edward T. Bartlett,” was presented.  Thinking that the check had been issued by Edward L. Bartlett, the contractor for labor performed and not detecting the difference in the initial in the name, Mr. Krebs readily cashed the check.  His suspicions were not aroused, also for the reason that the fellow presenting the check was dressed and conversed like a laboring man.  The fellow made the claim that he had worked for Mr. Bartlett on the street improvement work at Jefferson and also made the claim that he had worked on sewer construction work here for Mr. Bartlett . . . The check was honored at the Bank of Watertown, but was refused and declared a forgery when presented at the Wisconsin National Bank, which was on Tuesday.

 

The party presenting the check at the Krebs store was a young man about twenty-seven years of age, of medium size and wore a mustache.  He was dressed like a workingman and his conversation would not lead to the belief that he was a rogue.

 

1909

01 22          William Krebs [Jr], son of William Krebs [Sr] and wife of this city, died at Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday, January 19, 1909, of typhoid pneumonia.  Deceased was born April 24, 1869, in this city.  His wife, and two children survive him.  His parents were with him when he died.  His remains were interred at Omaha.   WG

 

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Max Krebs

1876 - 1898

 

Krebs, Max, b. 1876, d. 1898, Co B 1st Wis Inf Sp AM War 1898

 

Watertown Gazette, 10 21 1898

 

Private Max Krebs, son of William Krebs and wife of this city, died in the U.S. hospital at Jacksonville, Florida, on October 14, 1898, of typhoid fever.

 

Upon the second call for troops at the breaking out of the late war with Spain, young Kreb’s patriotism asserted itself and he enlisted in Co. B., First Wisconsin Volunteers, in what is known as the Fort Atkinson Co., he being the 10th member of that company to sacrifice his life in defense of his country.

 

June 21 he enlisted and went with his company into camp at Jacksonville.  A few weeks ago his regiment left Jacksonville and the members thereof went to their homes.  But Mr. Krebs, with a number of others, was too sick to undertake the journey home and remained behind.

 

He made a good fight against that dreadful disease, typhoid fever, and was on the road to recovery when he suffered a relapse and grew steadily weaker until death relieved him.

 

A few days before his death his mother reached him and did all a mother could to nurse and comfort him in his dying moments.

 

Previous to enlisting he was employed as a tinner by D. & F. Kusel.

 

He was 22 years of age and unmarried.

 

Sunday night his remains arrived here at 10:25 o’clock, about 500 citizens being at the depot to receive them, and were conveyed to his parents’ home at 605 Main Street.

 

Monday afternoon his funeral was held from his parents’ home to Turner opera house, where a public funeral was held.

 

Before leaving the home of the deceased Adjutant George Henzie, of the O. D. Pease Post, G.A.R., delivered an address in German.  The exercises at Turner opera house were opened with music by the Sinnissippi band and the Iroquois male quartet.

 

Major Charles H. Gardner then delivered an appropriate funeral address, after which Capt. R. C. Burchard of Co. B., under whom Private Krebs served, paid an eloquent tribute to the memory of the deceased as a man, citizen and soldier.

 

The opera house was appropriately draped in mourning and was packed to overflowing with people, and though the rain poured down in torrents during the afternoon, hundreds of people were unable to obtain admittance.

 

From Turner Opera House the funeral cortege wended its way to Oak Hill Cemetery in the following order:

 

Northwestern University Band

Northwestern University Cadets

German Old Soldiers’ Society

The Liederkranz

Members of the G.A.R.

Sinnissippi Band

Fire Department

Turner Society

Other Societies

Co. B., 1st Wisconsin Volunteers

City Council in Carriages

 

Lieutenant Colonel Solliday, Surgeon F. C. Moulding and Private George Aumann of the Second regiment on horseback headed the procession, Lieut. Col. Solliday being in command.

 

Five armed comrades of Co. B. acted as the guard of honor and six members of the same company were pall-bearers.

 

Arriving at Oak Hill Cemetery, salutes were fired by the military and the usual military services were conducted, and the remains of Private Krebs were laid to rest to await the final bugle call.

 

It was the largest and most impressive funeral ever held here, and speaks well not only for the character of the dead soldier, but for the patriotism of the people.

 

The deceased was one of Watertown’s most esteemed young men, and his death has caused many a silent tear to be shed.  As a boy at school, as a fellow-workman and as a soldier, he was a model young man, possessed of the highest traits of manhood, which were truly exemplified when he went to the defense of his country; hence all who knew him could not help but honor and respect him.

 

He died for a good cause, the defense of his country and for the relief of a half-starved and persecuted people; hence the bereaved parents and family, no doubt find solace in their sadness when they view the matter in this light.

 

About thirty members of Co. B. came up from Ft. Atkinson to attend the funeral, and while here they were entertained and given dinner and supper by the Woman’s Relief Corps in the G.A.R. Hall.