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Extreme Lawlessness....circa 1919

Michael Goodman immigrated as a child to Wisconsin from Ireland with his family.  The family lived south of LaValle, Sauk county, close to Michael’s uncle, Thomas Goodman.  Michael’s father, Peter, and his uncle Thomas worked at the pig iron foundry in Ironton.  After processing, the iron was shipped to Lake Michigan, but when the port facilities did not materialize the foundry closed.  This is probably what prompted a move to Janesville by the Peter Goodman family where Michael eventually became a livery man.

 

Because horses and wagons were the primary mode of transportation in the 1800’s livery stables were an integral part of the community.  A livery stable offered horses, teams and wagons of all sorts for hire. 

Funeral Cortege in front of livery stable in Janesville, Wisconsin

 


As automobiles became available in the early 1900’s livery stables slowly converted to include the use of cars for taxiing individuals.  Michael Goodman’s livery stable was no different.  He was the first to incorporate cars into his livery business and used them to provide a taxi service in the Janesville community.  This is what led him afoul of the law. 

 

In May, 1919, Michael Goodman, taxi-cab livery owner, was in Municipal court charged with exceeding the speed limit on the Afton road.  How fast could he possibly be going? 

 

In November, 1919, a “Concerned Citizen” wrote a letter to the editor of the Janesville Daily Gazette suggesting that it would be “well if a stop could be put to speeding on South Main street”.  The writer goes on to note that each time they have visited South Main street they have seen cars running at the speed of twenty or thirty miles an hour. 


 

Another citizen was brought before the court on the charge of speeding.  The speed for which they were fined was 40 miles per hour.  Nothing like the 100+ miles per hour chases of today. 

 

Michael Goodman appeared in court on May 7, 1919, and at first, denied the charge of speeding. He changed his mind and plead guilty after which he was sentenced to a 6-month term in the county jail.  This seems like an extreme punishment as other speeders in that same year were fined and released.  As an example, another speeding taxi driver appeared in court in December 1919, plead guilty after first denying the charges, was fined $25, and released. 


The published article in the Janesville Daily Gazette concerning Michael explains that he was “hired” to his sister-in-law, Mrs. P. S. Goodman.  This allowed him to work while he was incarcerated.  What a price to pay for a little joy ride in the country!

 





Horse-Drawn Hearses in a Funeral Procession, unknown date, Wisconsin State Historical Society, Accessed at https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM108404, 16 AUG 2020. 

 

Letter to the editor, Janesville Daily Gazette, November 5, 1919, page 5, column 2.  Accessed at Newspapers.com 16 AUG 2020

 

Sentence Taxi Driver to Six Months in Jail for Rural Speeding, Janesville Daily Gazette, 7 MAY 1919, page 5, column 6.  Accessed at Newspapers.com 16 AUG 2020


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