This timeline is a work in progress. It is the initial first step in the process to create an article on what is known on the notorious Amelia Berg over the course of her time in Stevens Point, expounding on Wendell Nelson's previous work. We found Amelia's story so sensational that we could not help but share our progress with you. Mrs. Berg has already proven to be an interesting character of Stevens Point's past, but honestly, the story is just getting started. Please enjoy this next selection of our timeline on the life and literal trials of Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg.
PCHS/UWSP archives circa 1895
After an eventful 1895, the year of 1896 was quiet in the newspapers for Amelia Berg and her “boarding house.” the next few years, however would not be quite as quiet.
1897 Slipping Through the Cracks
March 13, 1897. Amelia Berg sought out the protection of the “district attorney, city attorney and the sheriff.” She reported that two young men broke one of her windows at midnight on Friday. She chased them through the street barefoot, but police would not make arrests because they did not witness the crime.
June 1897 Ole Berg was granted a new liquor license “providing that all connection between his saloon and a questionable resort next door be dispensed with.”
Aug 23 1897 Amelia arrested again! Police again raided her brothel on First Street. When Amelia “opened the door and found that her caller was the chief of police, she tried to shut it in his face.” Jessie Ross was arrested and fined $24.50 for fines and costs. This was Amelia’s second arrest for “keeping a house of ill fame.” Two young men were also found in the house and arrested as well. Court costs and fines came to $13.50 each. Amelia paid a bond of $150.
Sept 2 1897 Amelia Berg’s case adjourned until Sept 4. “Mrs. Berg was arrested on the night of Aug 23, charged with keeping a disorderly house.” JH Brennan for the Defendant and FB Lamoreux for the city.
Sept 4 1897 Amelia Berg trial, charged with keeping a bawdy house, Six witnesses for the city, four for the defense. Adjourned until the following Monday.
Sept 6 1897 SET FREE! Amelia Berg freed due to technicality of the rescheduled date being set on a legal holiday, all charges dropped! And the Madame Amelia Berg “slipped out of the meshes of the law.”
1898 Her Own Niece Takes Her to Court
Jan 1898 Sanborn Map shows a saloon at 126 Clark Street and a boarding house at 114 S First, later listed as 115 S. First. The connecting building between the two is gone. The Commercial Hotel is now Hotel McGregor.
July 1898 Signe Anderson, niece of Amelia Berg, who came from Norway at Amelia’s request, took Amelia to court accusing her of refusing to return her clothes when she had moved out. Signe said Amelia owed her $5 for a watch, too. Settlement for the plaintiff.
1899 The Woitals
Aug 24, 1899 Matilda “Tillie” Michalksi Woital was arrested at the complaint of her husband for “being an inmate of a house of ill fame.” Tillie had been staying at Mrs Berg’s “boarding house.” He wanted “her to stay at home and do the housework, cook his meals and the like, but she says the living is too poor up there and that she prefers city life.” The Woitals were living in the Town of Hull (some reports of Town of Dewey) near Casimir. Apparently, Tillie left and took a job working as a cook at the Hotel McGregor across the street from Mrs. Berg’s, maybe finding it convenient to rent a room from her. But according to her husband, his runaway wife was also working for Berg in her house of disrepute. Tillie pleaded guilty and told to pay $15 in fines and costs or sit 30 days in jail. Amelia Berg paid her fine. Tillie was arrested again in October, but this time her husband paid her fine. She was sent back home to live with him but slipped out when she was given money for groceries and ended up back in the city and then in Waupaca. Soon after she filed for divorce.
Dec 1899 MURDER! Shooting in front of Citizen’s Bank! Woital shot his wife in broad daylight! She had come to Stevens Point from Waupaca to see her lawyer regarding divorcing her husband. She was staying again at Amelia Berg’s place. Tillie and Daisy Clark had just walked out of Brill’s store on Main Street when Constantine came up behind them and shot Tillie in the back of the neck. The bullet came to a rest just under the left of her jaw, taking a tooth with it. The paper provided a quite the gruesome description of the wound and event. Woital was apprehended almost immediately. It is reported that he said, “he was sorry he had not killed his wife and did not see how he missed hitting her directly in the back of her head or neck, as he intended,” but later denied saying it. Matilda Michalksi Woital was taken to the Bergs’ where she died 4 days later. She was about 23 years old. Woital was her second husband. He was charged with murder.
Much sensationalism followed with the trial throwing Ameila Berg even more in the spotlight. She testified along with Daisy Clark, one of Berg’s regular girls. Daisy was living in the brothel during the time that Tillie had been staying there and she, of course, was there when Tillie was shot. Constantine Woital was found guilty and convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He was shipped off to Waupun where he died in 1906 of gangrene.
In 1899 Ole and Amelia stopped living together according to an article regarding their divorce. Maybe the ordeal with the Woitals proved to be too much for the Bergs.
Watch for Part 3 of our abridged timeline on the ever sensational life of the industrious notorious Mrs. Amelia Berg.
Historic Stevens Point 
The square is so unique. Some things never change.
Great picture.
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