A BIG CATTLE STEAL

A big sensation was started last week over the report that two hundred head of cattle had been stolen from

Barnet Devine's herd in the northern part of the county, and Mr. Devine went through town Wednesday on a

hurried trip of investigation, taking D. A. Haggard with him. The result of the search was the discovery of a

large number of his cattle scattered in various herds in the neighborhood, and 47 head entirely missing,

which have not yet been found. The news of the loss was first brought to Mr. Devine by the wife of his

herder who had missed the cattle. The suspicion was of course that they had been stolen, but it now seems

probable that through careless watching they had simply become detached, and that eventually the missing

47 will be found. It is entirely possible, however, that they have been taken and shipped to Chicago or some

other market. Such steals have been made before, and in a herd of 800 cattle a few can be taken without

attracting much attention.

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 15 June 1887, page 4

A Quarter Century Ago

From the Courier, 24 June 1887

Barney Devine has not found his cattle yet. Senator Chubb, who has a large herd in the same locality, has

lost a large number of cattle and has been looking for them all week.

--Algona Courier, 21 June 1912, page 4

Nearly if not all of Barnet Devine's cattle have been found, and it is now believed that carelessness on the

part of the herder was the cause of all the trouble last week.

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 22 June 1887, page 4

LUVERNE

John Devine [Barnet’s brother or nephew] had a horse killed by lightning Saturday evening, at his farm

south of town.

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 10 August 1887, page 4

A Quarter of a Century Ago

From the Courier, Jan. 27, 1888

Barney Devine foresaw last fall that corn was likely to appreciate in value and needing a large quantity to

feed his stock he contracted forty thousand bushels at 22 cents a bushel. When corn went up he notified all

with whom he had contracted that he would pay 25 cents, and all or nearly all, were satisfied. Mr. Devine is

wintering 500 head of cattle at his place south of town, besides many more at other places. He has 300

steers on full feed now, and will ship them in the spring. He is the cattle king of this county.

--Algona Courier, 24 January 1913, page 4

A Quarter of a Century Ago

From the Courier, May 18, 1888

Barney Devine took ten car loads of steers to Chicago this week, and when he gets home he will start again

with a train load of hogs. We would actually be willing to trade the receipts of our year's business for

Barney's.

--Algona Courier, 23 May 1913, page 4

Barnet and Frank Devine, of Livermore, were in this part of the county looking after their cattle this week.

--Bancroft [Iowa] Register, 6 September 1888

Barney Devine, of southern Kossuth, was in town several days since our last issue receiving some cattle he

had bought. He now has over nine hundred head of three and four year old steers which he will fat and ship

during the winter. Barney is the Cattle King of Kossuth County.

--Bancroft Register, 20 September 1888

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Rachel (Scherf) Levine

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