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The Traveler… Perrone explodes… Hoffa and Kennedy… Twin Towers plans…
January 20, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to Detroit through The Detroit Free Press dated January 20, 1964. There I found the bold headlines dealing with the mafia figure Santo Perrone who’s legs were serious injured in a car bombing incident. This includes photos of his car, now in twisted metal.
Also on the front page is the reporting of Jimmy Hoffa’s lawyers seeking to have Attorney General Robert Kennedy called to testify at Hoffa’s upcoming trial for jury tampering. “…If Kennedy tried to claim immunity because of his Cabinet post, Berke said, the defense would ask Chattanooga Federal Judge Frank W. Wilson to ‘use whatever power he has to compel attendance…'”
Inside the issue, I also found “World’s Tallest buildings are planned in New York…” This is in reference to the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center and includes the illustration of them as well.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Oklahoma ship sinks… suing from beyond the grave…
January 6, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed through Omaha, Nebraska, via The Omaha Daily Bee of January 6, 1914. The issue had the report of the oil tanker Steamer Oklahoma splitting in two and sinking south of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Several of the crew had perished in this disaster while others were rescued by other ships.
Another article is one of the Supreme Court handing down a decision permitting Miss Florence Schenck, who had died just a few hours earlier, to prosecute a suit against Charles H. Wilson to vindicate her good name. Mr. Wilson had induced her years earlier to marry him in a ceremony in England. She later found that he already had a wife living in England as well and was suing for damages.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… give all for son… radium for cancer… “yuletide and goodwill”…
December 16, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s journeys brought me to San Francisco via The Call dated December 16, 1913. The reporting of General Terrazas being willing to offer himself as a human sacrifice to General Villa for his son. This was in regards to General Villa’s treatment to the people in Chihuahua.
The back page of the issue had a report “Cancer Now Cured by Radium”. “…The power of the rays of radium over cancer is not only wonderful, it is appalling almost unbelievable…”.
The front page contains an article pertaining to the recently recover Mona Lisa painting and an interesting story of an undertaker that was arrested for beating a man that blocked a funeral procession.
In closing, the “Christmas Ship Brings ‘Yuletide and Goodwill'” relates of three passengers on the list of the Anchor line steamer California. They were the Rev. James Yule, Robert Tide and Miss Helen Goodwill.
I wish health and happiest to all. Merry Christmas!
~ The Traveler
The Traveler… a proclamation with a fishy smell to it…
December 2, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed to Boston through the Boston Gazette of December 2, 1813. There I found numerous reports pertaining to the Battle of Chrysler’s [Crysler’s] farm. Within this one issue is the “American Un-Official Accounts”, the “British Official Accounts” and the “American Official Accounts”. This battle took place on November 11th between the British under the command of Lieut. Col Morrison and Canadian under the of command Capt. Mulcaster against the Americans under the command of Maj. Gen. Wilkinson, fighting on both land and on waters. The American troops encountered a high number of injuries and deaths “…The dead rest in honor, and the wounded bled for their country and deserve its gratitude…”.
Also included is a proclamation from *Maj. Gen. Wilkinson. “…Those, therefore, among you who remain quiet at home, should victory incline to the American standard, shall be protected in their persons and property — But those who are found in arms must necessarily be treated as avowed enemies. To menace is unmanly — to seduce dishonorably — Yet it is just and humane to place these alternatives before you…”. If one didn’t know better, this proclamation sounds as if it may have come from a non-American General (see note below).
~The Traveler
*Background (wiki): James Wilkinson (March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825) was an American soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but was twice compelled to resign. He was twice the Commanding General of the United States Army, appointed first Governor of the Louisiana Territory in 1805, and commanded two unsuccessful campaigns in the St. Lawrence theater during the War of 1812. After his death, he was discovered to have been a paid agent of the Spanish Crown.
The Traveler… the nation mourns…
November 22, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week I traveled to Dallas, Texas, via The Dallas Morning News (November 23, 1963). There I found the headline that saddened this great nation, “Kennedy Slain On Dallas Street”. One article headline reads “Gray clouds went away – Day Began as Auspiciously As Any in Kennedy’s Career” but at half past noon, lives would be forever changed when the first shot from the book depository rang out.
I was in first grade when this occurred, and still remember our custodian, Ralph, knocking on our window and telling my teacher, Miss Snyder, that the President had just been shot. He was on the way to the flagpole to lower it to half mast. Some events will stay vividly with you for a lifetime.
~The Traveler
AS a sidebar… Over the years various lists have circulated comparing Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. The response to the uncanny similarities provided by Snopes is worth reading: Snopes on Lincoln/Kennedy Comparison
The Traveler… at the theatre…
November 4, 2013 by The Traveler · 1 Comment
Today’s journey took me to Washington, D.C. via the Daily National Intelligencer (November 4, 1863). There I found an article advertising a new theatre tragedy at Ford’s 
Theatre entitled “The Robbers” written by a German author. What is most intriguing is find that a cast member that they are applauding is the son of Junius Brutus Booth, John Wilkes Booth “…probably as good an interpreter of its interpreter of its many intricate and difficult portions as could be desired… Mr. Booth will, as a matter of course, appear as Claude Melnotte, a character which he is admirably suited to sustain, both by personal and mental gifts… those desirous of witnessing the honest and sincere efforts of an aspiring young actor in all of the best acting tragedies should make their arrangements accordingly.”
It is hard to image his following appearance on April 14, 1865…
~The Traveler
The Traveler… let her in… hard to replace…
October 21, 2013 by The Traveler · 4 Comments
Today I traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, by the way of The Omaha Daily Bee dated October 21, 1913. There I found a very interesting British lady had been detained at Ellis Island for the past three days, that being militant suffragist leader Emmeline Pankhurst. She had come to the States to do lecture engagements. “…It was difficult to imagine that the slightly built, gray haired little woman who stepped ashore from the ferry boat at the 
Battery was the same person that for several years had caused the British government so much trouble by reason of her militant tactics in behalf of woman suffrage or her incitation to militancy for the ’cause,'”. It took President Wilson and the Secretary Wilson of the Department of Labor issuing an order of release to allow her admittance into the country.
Did you ever think that you were irreplaceable on your job? A maid, Rose Bergenhammer, found this to be true. She was engaged to be wed and gave her employer, Mrs. Dwight, three weeks notice. Mrs. Dwight went to every employment agency and could not find anyone to take her place. When Rose tried to leave, Mrs. Dwight called the police and tried to have her fiance, Mr. Lee, arrested on attempted kidnapping charges. Rose must have been a fantastic maid!
~The Traveler
The Traveler… “Don’t give up the ship”…
October 7, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed to Baltimore, Maryland, through The Weekly Register (dated October 9, 1813). As Commodore Perry commenced battle on Lake Erie, he raised a flag with the infamous words “Don’t give up the ship” on it. “…They speak of the battle as being one of the hottest ever fought…” (see below).
In the report of the Battle on Lake Ontario, Commodore Chauncey references the news of the battle on Lake Erie. “…There is a report here, and generally believed, that Capt. Perry has captured the whole of the enemy’s fleet on lake Erie. If this should prove true in all its details (and God grant that it may) he has immortalised himself and not disappointed the high expectations formed of his talents and bravery…”
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Birmingham church bombings… and baby makes how many?
September 16, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to New York City through The New York Times (dated September 16, 1963). There I found the headlines “Birmingham Bomb Kills 4 Negro Girls in Church; Boy Slain in Protest Riot”. This 
bombing occurred five days after the desegregation of three previously all-white schools in Birmingham, in which President Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard and the Federal Courts issued a sweeping order again Governor Wallace due to his defiance. This church was the same one which was used as the staging point for anti-segregation demonstrations led by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in May of that year. Dr. King was reported to be coming to Birmingham to “plead with my people to remain non-violent in the face of this terrible provocation”.
The front page also was providing an update on a special birth that was reported the previous day. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Fischer delivered quintuplets, four girls and one boy. They had five children at home, ages 3 1/2 to 7 years! I did a little research on them and found that they also had one more child after the quints too. The quints were the second surviving set to be born in the Western Hemisphere and the first to be born in the United States.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Edison’s ears… cheaper at night…
September 2, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed to Springfield, Massachusetts through the Springfield Daily Republican (dated September 2, 1913) where I found an article on the “Genius of Thomas A. Edison”. William H Meadowcroft, who was closely associated with Edison, was interviewed and spoke of Edison’s capacity of long hours of hard work. Even though Edison was significantly hard of hearing, he could detect unusual other sounds and he used this ability to perfect recording techniques.
There also appears to have been a pricing war between the newspapers in San Francisco. “…The field is now sharply divided, with all four afternoon newspapers selling for one cent each, and the two morning papers adhering to the old price of five cents.” I guess the headline of the article says it all, “Cheaper to Read at Night”.
~The Traveler