Why He Was Elected

1895

A member of the Ohio legislature of some years ago had been elected from a district which had always sent a representative of a different political complexion, and it happened that he was given to bibulosity. He did well for a week or so, but then the temptations of a great city like Columbus were too much for him, and he began to drink. He kept it up for a whole week, and for that long he never appeared about the capitol. Then his friends looked him up.

"By George, old man," said one of them, "you'll have to quit this and get down to business."

"Oh, I guess not," he replied carelessly.

"You're bound to, or your constituents won't stand it. They sent you here to do something for them, and they expect you to do it."

"No; they didn't," he insisted.

This was a poser.

"They didn't?" exclaimed the spokesman. "What did they send you for, then?"

"Why," he laughed, "they had to send me to keep the other fellow from coming."

— Detroit Free Press.

Old Glory

1895

General Miles at a dinner party in this city surprised the guests by reminding them — a fact little popularly known, by the way — that the flag of the Union is older than that of any other now used by any other nation. The French tricolor is antedated by the stars and stripes a few years, and the British union jack as now flown came a little later. All other national flags have been modified to their present unfurling even after that period. Then what bird is older of creation and fuller of longevity than the eagle? If there be any, let him scream. — New York Mercury.


And That Settled It

"But, great heavens!" said the man, "you are already an editor, postmaster, justice of the peace and undertaker. Why in thunder should you have the county clerkship?"
"Sir," said the other man, proudly drawing himself up to his full height, "I was born in Ohio." — New York Recorder.


Trivia

During the reign of Trajan a Roman laborer paid 6 cents for two pieces of woolen cloth to serve as socks.

Earthen dishes, large enough to hold the carcass of a lamb, were found in the Pompeiian kitchens.

A fair article of molasses can be made from the stalks of the common maize.

Louis Joliet furnished a name to Joliet, Ills.

Girlless-town Swain Awaits Bride in Vain

1920

Says He Sent Her $20, but She Failed to Appear.

CINCINNATI, Ohio. — Girls, a true-blue man has been discovered. Also a town has been found where there are no eligible girls and at least twelve young men who want brides.

The man is Robert Alldaffer, 24, of Snyder, Mich., who passed his second day of waiting at Central Union station for his fiancee. He never has seen her, but promised to meet her in Cincinnati.

"There are only two girls among the fifty inhabitants of Snyder," Alldaffer said, "and they are engaged."

Alldaffer sought a wife thru a matrimonial agency. A furnished house in Snyder awaits the "bride-to-be," who represented herself as Cora Graham, widow, 25, Afton, Tenn.

The courtship dated from May 15, when she wrote to him in reply to an advertisement in the matrimonial paper. She wrote that she had no money. He mailed her $20 to pay for a railroad ticket, he said. He also provided a blue bow similar to the one he wore on his coat, for it was by the blue bow that the lovers were to identify each other.

He has scanned the faces of every woman traveler, but the young widow failed to appear. "I'm afraid she's sick," he said. "It must be that or some trouble she experienced while traveling." Alldaffer still believes in the sincerity of his bride-to-be, but finally decided to buy a ticket for home.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 5.

Bandits Slay Mine Boss; Get $11,000

1916

FIVE HUNDRED WORKERS HUNT OUTLAW PAIR.

Pay Roll Carrier's Car Is Halted and Official Shot Without Warning — Driver Unhurt.

MARTINS FERRY, Ohio — Police and specially employed detectives are still out searching for the two masked bandits who shot and killed Lee Rankin, superintendent of the Youghiogheny & Ohio Coal Company, and escaped with $11,000 which Rankin was carrying to the mine to pay the employes.

Rankin was on his way back from the bank at Martins Ferry in a taxicab driven by Paul Pickens. At a lonely spot in the road two masked and armed men emerged from the bushes and without giving the two men in the taxicab a chance for their lives, began to shoot. Pickens threw up his hands and was spared.

The robbers quickly seized the money from a suitcase and disappeared. Rankin was hurried to a hospital by Pickens, but died without regaining consciousness. In Rankin's pockets was found $1,000 that the bandits overlooked.

Rankin was popular with the miners, most of whom are foreigners, and a posse of 500 men was formed as soon as the news of the robbery reached the mines. Armed with rifles and revolvers, these men hastened out to scour the country, declaring they would kill the murderers on sight.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 5.

Did You Ever See a Calf Like This?

1916

It Lived Six Months and Could Eat With Either Mouth or Both, Just as It Liked, Until It Caught Cold.

We often see calves with more than their normal share of legs, but did you ever see such a calf as this?

This freak was born on the farm of Charles Brunson, near Dayton, Ohio, and was of Jersey parentage. The little fellow was perfectly healthy and could eat with either mouth or with both, just as it liked. The heads were perfect, and performed every function that such heads would be called upon to do.

For nearly six months the calf lived and seemed to be happy, but grew very little. Then it developed a cold and died, in spite of the efforts of three veterinarians to save it. The calf was mounted and is being preserved as a curiosity.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 7.

An Agnostic Marriage

1901

First Ceremony of Its Kind Performed in Cincinnati.

The much heralded marriage of agnostics, declared to be the first marriage of the kind to be celebrated, took place the other day in College hall, Young Men's Mercantile Library building, in Walnut street, when Frederick Federle, employed in a very modest capacity by the Pittsburg Coal company, and Miss Martha Seaman were married according to the pledges and rites prescribed by the new agnostic society of Cincinnati, of which Charles S. Sparks is the head.

At the conclusion of the agnostic Sunday school services the couple were made man and wife on the stage of the hall, which was decorated with the American colors and mottoes of the society, says the New York Times. Mr. Sparks acted as master of ceremonies. Mr. Federle and Miss Seaman repeated the pledges after Sparks, and acquiesced in them by spoken words and by nods. The voluminous pledges were in effect that they be frugal in habits, that the man at once insure his life for the benefit of the woman, that they avoid wrangling, and if they found in time they were not "mated" that they separate. The woman also repeated the words: "I will not bring children into the world not born of affection." Both promised to rear their children, should children be born, in the agnostic faith and after the teachings at the agnostic Sunday school.

Magistrate Alexander Roebling took the couple after they had taken the agnostic pledges and completed the ceremony, according to the civil law requirements as administered by magistrates. The magistrate, however, according to instructions from Mr. Sparks, did not use the word "obey" in his form of ceremony. After the magistrate Mr. Sparks again stepped to the front and in loud tones declared, "These who have thus bound themselves together in a marriage contract let no man or woman put asunder, or seek so to do under pain and penalties of dishonor and of the law."

Bear Saves Child From Its Mate

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Oct. 6. — Frightfully mangled by a captive bear in Idora Park, 10-year-old Selma Lewis, daughter of Fred Lewis, was saved only by the interference of the companion bear in the cage. The little girl was feeding acorns to the bear when it suddenly reached through the bars of the cage, scalping her, frightfully mangling her right arm and biting off three of her fingers. She screamed and the other bear in the cage rushed at its mate, compelling it to loosen the hold on the child. The girl was taken to the city hospital, where her death is expected at any moment.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Oct. 9, 1909.

Newark Soldier is Convinced By Gypsy War Will Soon End

Ohio and Alabama, 1917

One of the Newark boys at Camp Sheridan, Ala., writes a friend of a queer coincidence that happened him a few days ago. In company with a comrade they engaged a livery auto in Montgomery to show them points of interest, taking two lady friends with them as companions.

They were out in the country several miles when something happened to the machine and the chauffeur told them it would require about an hour to repair the same. The soldier boys and lady friends started on a little hike and walked about a mile and a half when they came across a gypsy camp and all had their fortunes told, the writer of the letter being last.

The soldier asked her numerous questions and finally said, "When will the war end?" "In latter November or December," replied the fortune teller. "How do you know?" inquired the soldier. "Just as I know that the driver of your auto is lying under his machine back in the road, dead," replied the gypsy.

They hurried back to where they had left their car, the young women almost hysterical and the soldiers doubtful. There was the chauffeur under the car and life was extinct, as foretold by the gypsy. An examination proved that he died from apoplexy.

The young Newark soldier vouches for the truth of the story and is now convinced, although never a believer that some people are gifted with second sight.

—The Newark Daily Advocate, Newark, Ohio, Nov. 10, 1917, p. 6.

Cold Winter Signs

Nov. 1917

There is always a great deal of predicting by old-fashioned prognosticators at this time of year, of what kind of a winter we are going to have.

Some are saying the winter will be a cold one, because the corn husks and the fur on the animals are thicker than usual. It sounds reasonable. But, it really isn't. The corn husks and the fur are thicker because we had a cool summer, not because we are going to have a cold winter.

Then too, these wiseacres say the birds left early and that means a long, cold winter, which is also arguing from a lack of knowledge. Most birds have a certain time for leaving the northern latitudes and leave on schedule time, irrespective of the weather. The swallows go while we are still drinking ice tea and hunting the shady side of the street. But the hardier birds, like the robins, bluebirds, meadowlarks, stay as long as the food supply is good. A well-fed bird is a warm bird. That is why we sometimes have large flocks of robins wintering with its even in zero weather.

On the other hand, the fact that we are over 700 degrees behind on temperature for the year doesn't mean that this will be all straightened out this year. It may take 10. So the only thing to do is to sit tight and take what comes. A warm winter would be pleasant, but a cold one is better for us. — Ohio State Journal.

Big Tarantula in Prison

1905

Interesting Pet Prisoner in Ohio State Penitentiary

Besides the big yellow rat catcher Tabby and the Maltese Dan, which will do all the tricks commonly done by dogs, such as jumping through the hands, sitting up to "say his prayers," etc., the Ohio penitentiary boasts another interesting pet.

He arrived recently from the sunny south in a bunch of bananas and is a great tarantula, which looked so ferocious they put him in solitary confinement on sight, although no misdemeanors can be proved against him. When standing with his legs spread out he just fills the bottom of the pint milk bottle in which he slept last night. A hole was cut in the cover for air and Mexico Pete, as the guards have named him, did very well last night, but will require larger quarters when he desires to exercise.

His chief amusement was tying into bundles the numerous flies which by some odd song or perfume were attracted into his bottle. Those he couldn't eat he spun a chain around and laid by for future provisions. Pete is dark red and very hairy — for his covering is too long and coarse to be simply "fuzzy" — and although he has ten legs, like any tarantula, his body is larger, and he has a head something like a turtle's. He is also blessed with a ravenous appetite and his mouth could be plainly seen opening and closing last night, already in anticipation of his morning breakfast of bananas.

Filipino Bride Smokes a Cigar

New York, 1910

With a fat cigar between her little white teeth, the first Filipino bride-to-be ever received in the marriage license bureau of this city walked down the steps of the city hall the other day. With her was a little brown man, who through an interpreter admitted the pair wished to be married.

Both bride and bridegroom hail from the mountain districts of Luzon, Philippines, and both are living in Coney Island, where they are members of an amusement park show.

Miss Tu-Go-Dan, the prospective wife, and A'lao, the man, were accompanied to the city hall by Chief Chemingo, ceremonial chief of the Bontoc or head-hunting Filipino tribe.

The couple were much amused by the ceremony, the little brown girl smiling broadly at everyone. Immediately after the tying of the knot, Mrs. A'loa brought out a package of cigars and coolly lighted one. — New York Press.


Sympathy from Chicago

The people of Cleveland have adopted a civic motto. It is: "Onward, Cleveland, onward," If the citizens who are in favor of the abolition of the smoke nuisance there could have had their way the new motto would doubtless have been: "Hurry, Cleveland, hurry."

Harry Potter, 55, Former Resident, Called by Death

Zanesville, Ohio, 1932

Former Agent for Union News Co. Local B. & O. Passenger Station

Friends here have been notified of the death of Harry Potter, 55, former well known resident of Zanesville, which occurred Friday morning at his home in Cincinnati. The funeral will be conducted there Monday afternoon and burial will be made in Cincinnati.

The deceased for a number of years was in charge of the Union News company's stand at the local Baltimore & Ohio passenger station, and left this city about six years ago. Shortly after leaving Zanesville he was badly injured in an automobile accident and since that time he had been in failing health.

Mr. Potter was an ardent sportsman and was a great baseball fan. He was also a race horse enthusiast and was well acquainted with prominent known sportsmen throughout the country. Surviving are his widow and one daughter, Miss Harriet Potter, all of the home.

—The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, April 23, 1932, p. 2.

Sees Glare in Thug's Eyes; She Humors Him

1915

Felt He Was Insane, so Lay Still to Be Bound — Summons Police by a Moan

Suppose you were all alone in the house —
And the back door bell rang just about the time the grocer's boy usually came around for morning orders —
And instead of the grocer's boy a man stood there pointing a gun at you —
What would you do?
Scream? Run? Bang the door shut? Become paralyzed with fear? Try to grab the gun? Pray? Let the thief in?

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Dec. 16. — Pretty Lucille Hoyt, a 17-year-old high school pupil of this city, opened the door in her home to find a man pointing a gun at her.

Lucille says she just backed slowly away.

"As soon as I reached the dining-room door I intended to run and lock myself in the upstairs room," Lucille said.

"But the thief caught me in the dining-room. My impulse was to struggle, but as the burglar grabbed me by both shoulders and shook me, I knew by the glare in his eyes he was insane.

Lay Perfectly Quiet

"It flashed thru my head that some one had said the quieter you were with insane people the less violent they would be.

"So when the fellow threw me on the floor and grabbed a couple of card table covers to tie my wrists and ankles with, I lay like a dead person.

"Then he gagged me with a napkin. The knot was loose and the gag slipped down.

"But the man didn't notice. And he stepped right over the telephone that had fallen to the floor, and ran upstairs.

"I wriggled over to the phone, and just as I got it into my bound hands it buzzed.

Moans "Send the Police"

"It was my cousin, Mrs. B. A. Gilliland. I heard the thief coming down the stairs, so I just had time to say 'Send the police,' when in he rushed.

"He ran past me, cursing. Then I heard him lock the back door as he went out.

"I lay there waiting for the police and I kept thinking 'Where have I seen that face before?'

"Then I remembered he was the same man who had come to the back door to ask for a drink of water Monday. I was all alone, then, too. But he didn't try to get in that time."

The police broke thru the window to release the girl.

Tallest Man Reported Ill

1915

Captain Bates, Aged 70, Is Nearly 8 Feet in Height

SEVILLE, Ohio, Dec. 16. — The tallest man in Ohio is ill at his home near Seville. He is Capt. M. V. Bates and is 7 feet 11½ inches tall. Bates' wife, who is caring for him, is slightly over five feet.

Being ill is a new experience for Capt. Bates. Until a few weeks ago he worked daily on his 150-acre farm here.

Capt. Bates quit the circus sideshows in 1880 and settled on his farm. He is now seventy years old.



Bullet Kills Rat; Also Man

Glances Off Rodent's Body, Hitting Spectator in Stomach

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Dec. 16. — The bullet which killed a rat in the restaurant at 239 Cedar avenue, claimed its human victim when Daniel Golden died at the City Hospital.

Tuesday night Thomas Christo, employed in the restaurant, took a shot at a big gray rat. The bullet killed the rat, glanced and struck Golden in the stomach.

Centennial Anniversary of William Abbott Holcomb, Ohio

Article from Leon, Iowa area, 1904

Mrs. Helen J. Close has returned to Mt. Pleasant recently from Ravenna, Portage county, Ohio, where she attended the family reunion and one hundredth birthday anniversary of her relative, William Abbott Holcomb, which was celebrated on Monday, September 5th. Mrs. Close writes that she has just completed a delightful two weeks' tour through the state of Ohio and after a few days' rest at the home of her sister at Mt. Pleasant she will leave for a brief visit at the St. Louis Exposition.

The Ravenna Republican contains a well written account of the Holcomb reunion and picture of Mr. Holcomb and some of his descendants. From this article we learn that William A. Holcomb was born in Westfield, Conn., Sept. 5, 1804. His great-great-great-great grandfather was Thomas Holcomb born in Devonshire, England, in 1590, and afterwards became one of the founders of Dorchester, Mass. Caroline Holcomb married John G. DeWolf and died in 1891.

When William was 18 years old he set out afoot for the Ohio wilderness carrying on his back an 18 pound package containing all his earthly possessions. He remained one year in the wilderness and then returned on foot to Westfield. He worked as a brick mason and also in the iron works. On Sept. 24, 1826, he married Lydia Olmstead, a demure Quaker maiden. They emigrated to Portage county, Ohio, where Mr. Holcomb engaged in farming and later on as a railroad contractor. He built Hiram College in 1840. In 1865 he moved to Ravenna and purchased residence property. Besides his elegant city home he owns a valuable farm of 205 acres near Ravenna.

Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb were the parents of ten children, only two of whom are living. The wife died in 1894. The living descendants of this remarkable centenarian number two children, 17 grand-children, 25 great-grand-children, and one great-great-grandson.

Students Take A Cow Up Two Flights

1900

Sensational Acts of Students of Mount Union College

Alliance, Ohio, Oct. 27. — At midnight last night 100 students of Mount Union college, robed in white and closely masked, obtained entrance to the ladies' hall by breaking in a window sash. President Riker's family cow, which had been captured, was then taken into the building and shoved and carried up two flights of stairs to the third story and securely tethered.

Then, amid cheers and songs, the students made their way to the college, overpowered the watchman and overturned the stoves and piano and threw all movable furniture out of the windows. The family were then serenaded, after which the white-robed figures made their way downtown and ended up the night's demonstration with a war dance on the public square.

It is expected that any action from the faculty as a result of demonstration will meet with concerted resistance.


Grandpa's An Ape?

At a dinner-party a young man was once talking rather foolishly about Darwin and his books, speaking very contemptuously of them, and be said to the Bishop of Winchester (Wilberforce): "My Lord, have you read Darwin's last book on the 'Descent of Man'?" "Yes, I have," said the Bishop; whereupon the young man continued: "What nonsense it is, talking of our being descended from apes! Besides, I can't see the difference it would make to me if my grandfather was an ape." "No," the bishop replied, "I don't see that it would; but it must have made an amazing difference to your grandmother!"


100 Years Ago

Just a hundred years ago last July the Frenchman Lebon made the first public demonstration of the use of gas for illuminating purposes.

She Stops Traffic To Light Her "Fag"

March 1920

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Street car traffic on a busy street was tied up while a young woman smoked a cigarette. It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't chosen to sit down on the street car track and light her "fag." She made matters worse when, after an argument with an angry motorman, she blandly asked him for a match to light a second cigarette.

Dick Allen, former policeman, removed the young woman from the track and escorted her to the police station.

"You're stewed," remarked the booking clerk.

"You tell 'em; I stutter," she said, as she was led away to the matron's room to sober up.


Inmates of Jail Escape

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Sheriff W. T. Baker woke on a recent morning to find the county jail empty. Some time after midnight the eight prisoners sawed and cut their way to liberty.


New Electric Dental Engine

A new electric dental engine runs on either direct or alternating current or on that supplied by dry batteries where no other supple of electricity is available.

Fake Beard Lands Gary Man in Cell

March 1920

Merchant-Sleuth Finally Released by Detroit Cops

DETROIT, Michigan — Wearing a false goatee and mustache, Isidor Vila, a well-to-do business man of Gary, Indiana, was arrested here.

Vila conducts a grocery store in Gary. During the strike there last summer a large number of the strikers opened charge accounts at his store. Many of them disappeared without paying their bills, some of them coming to Detroit. Vila decided to go on a collecting trip. He provided himself with false scenery, as he figured he would have a better opportunity of locating his debtors.

Detroit was the first city he visited, and five minutes after he left his hotel adorned with the camouflage he was spotted and arrested, despite his strenuous objections. The Gary authorities wired the Detroit police that Vila was a law abiding citizen and he was then released.


Weds Girl To Whom He Restored Beauty

PEORIA, Illinois — Two years ago Miss Ruth Wheeler, a Peoria school teacher, went to the offices here of Dr. Raymond C. Willett, orthodonist. An otherwise beautiful face was slightly marred by teeth which had grown crooked. She appealed to Dr. Willett to perform an operation to straighten them. Recently, in Chicago, the couple married. Miss Wheeler is the daughter of one of Peoria's prominent families. Dr. Willett is one of the best known practitioners in Peoria.

"Strangler" Lewis Under Ban in Ohio

1920

Youngstown Promoters Want Wrestler Barred From the State

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The Youngstown Boxing and Wrestling Commission took action which bars "Strangler" Lewis, the Chicago wrestler, from appearing in contests here, following presentations of a formal protest by Alex Thomas, wrestling promoter, charging Lewis with failure to appear for a scheduled bout here.

The commission also drafted a letter to all Municipal Boxing Commissions in Ohio asking their cooperation in barring Lewis from appearing in the State.

Lewis' non-appearance was his second offense here. He had signed articles to appear twenty-four hours in advance of the hour for the proposed exhibition. The match was called off when he sent a substitute.


Ball Star Grows Walnuts

"Wahoo Sam" Crawford Has Farm in California

DETROIT, Michigan — Wahoo Sam Crawford, former Tiger slugger, is no longer a barber shaving nuts in Wahoo, Nebraska. The veteran outfielder and slugger is raising 'em.

Sam is no longer a resident of Wahoo, where he entertained stove league fans between the strokes of the razor, but has moved to California, and is a neighbor of Red Killifer of the Cubs, at Hollywood.

He has eleven acres of walnuts and is making money off the ranch. Sam played with the Los Angeles club last season and battled .360.

Gum Chewing Girls Bother Movie Fan

1920

Their Jaws Work So Rapidly That His View Is Obstructed

UNIONTOWN, N. Y. — Andrew Touser is the movie bug of the village. Touser has not missed a picture since the show was started five years ago, but he threatens to quit if the management does not draw the line on the girls chewing gum during the performance.

Recently Touser entered a protest. He says that every night several young ladies take seats in front of him; that they do not remove their hats and as soon as they are seated commence to chew gum. Touser states that the girls work their jaws so rapidly that their hats bob up and down, thus obscuring his view. He says it is the bobbing of their hats which bothers him.

Manager H. H. Whaley promised Touser that he would talk to the girls and try to get them to give up the practice of chewing gun in the house.


Oldest Dog Is Registered

Canine Aged 19 Now Has Gray Hair Instead of Black

SANDUSKY, Ohio — The oldest dog in Erie County was registered for taxation here recently. It has just passed its 19th birthday, and is the property of H. M. Andress of Vermillon. When he came to the line in the application for registration referring to color, Andress wrote: "He was black, but he now has so many gray hairs that he is an iron gray in color."