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Between 1870 and 1910, several families with the family name Neer (or Nier, Near) emigrated from Odessa Ukraine to the United States. Many in these families ended up on the wrong side of the law with remarkable regularity.
Many of the sons and daughters of David and Itel (Esther) Neer were the subject of criminal charges. Some, particularly Ruben Neer, were in prison several times. Ruben's most infamous brush with the law concerned his marriage to an underaged girl, Miss Gurevich. This got a lot of newspaper coverage at the time.
Several sons and daughters lived in Butte MT around 1900 - 1910 and made mayhem. Charges of assault by one sister against her sister's husband. Morris Neer (b. 1868) filed for bankruptcy. His business was taken over by his brother in law Mr. Fried. Morris Neer ended up in court again when he ran a pawn shop.
Moses (Morris) Neer (1853 -1905) of Cleveland and his sons had criminal records as well. Morris Neer lived briefly in St. Louis MO and was charged there in 1898. His sons Isadore (Israel) and Ben both served time in jail.