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Some legal notices never change…
August 8, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Although the wording may be different, some legal notices placed in newspapers haven’t changed much in over 200 years. Note this item from the “New York Journal” of January 7, 1768.
A legal conundrum…
August 1, 2009 by TimHughes · 4 Comments
“The Olympia Transcript” newspaper of Washington Territory, Nov. 30, 1867, poses an interesting question:
“Suppose a man owns a skiff; he fastens the skiff to the shore with a rope made of straw; along comes a cow; cow gets into the boat; turns around & eats the rope; the skiff thus let loose with the cow on board, starts down stream and on its passage is upset; the cow is drowned. Now, has the man that owns the cow got to pay for the boat or the man that owns the boat got to pay for the cow?”
Any thoughts from our readers?
Competition isn’t always friendly…
July 25, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “Amador Dispatch” newspaper from Jackson, California—small mining town in the northern part of the state—has two related items in its April 8, 1882 issue. The first is a report from the neighboring “Plymouth Reporter” newspaper concerning a pen knife which was found noting the owner could have it by proving ownership & by paying for the newspaper notice. The other is an editorial note from the competing “Dispatch” which includes: “…why in thunder don’t you give it up to her without putting her to the trouble of proving property, and charging her for such a small notice. We hate to see such petty avariciousness on the part of a high toned editor.”
I guess competing newspapers were not always friendly towards one another.
Definition of “half drunk” and “whole drunk”…
July 4, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The Massachusetts Spy newspaper of Worcester, dated July 21, 1830, includes in interesting tidbit on the intoxication levels of four young surgeons in London.
A 19th century alternative to divorce…
June 27, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “New York Transcript” newspaper of March 19, 1836 included an article reporting divorce cases in New Jersey. More than just reporting the news, the editor chose to take considerable license in expressing his own opinion, providing a bit of comedy for us more than 170 years later.
Male chauvinism has its drawbacks…
June 13, 2009 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
The newspaper with a curious title of “The Tickler” from Philadelphia, January 22, 1812, contains a comical little item at the bottom of the back page. Little “treats” such as these may be found throughout old newspapers. See the photo.