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May 10, 1938
Above, a little mishap on the city's sainted streetcar system is blamed on "man failure." I think they might have done well to come up with another term. The motorman on the westbound "J" car on Jefferson Boulevard ran a stoplight because he was "overcome by nausea" and broadsided the "U" car heading north on McClintock Avenue, The Times says.
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Below, a police official refuses to give a written statement in the trial of Police Capt. Earle Kynette in the Harry Raymond bombing ... Meet the other Adolf Hitler, a Jewish watchmaker in Dzeidzice, Poland, whose shop was shop was vandalized.
May 10, 1908
Above, I'll leave it to someone else to comment on women's concepts of body image in the early 20th century. Below, interesting coverage of the Laporte, Ind., "death farm." The Times reported yesterday that Belle Gunness had been captured. Today's story speculates on whether she died in a fire at the farm. Meanwhile, a separate story explains that police arrested the wrong woman. Oops.
Building of the Week
May 10, 1908
A century later, the church is still standing, as shown in Google's street view feature. The building was designed by Franklin P. Burnham. The article notes that a speaker can be easily heard anywhere in the auditorium (recall that this was before microphones) because of the carefully designed acoustics.
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May 9, 1958
Above, a mother who claimed she strangled her 2-year-old son when he actually died of pneumonia drives up to Mulholland and kills herself ... Below, a Peruvian mob blocks Vice President Nixon as he tries to enter the gates of San Marcos University. Students spit on Nixon and pelted him with rocks, The Times said. Nixon didn't lose his temper until he learned that students tore an American flag from a wreath he left at the statue of San Martin, the paper says. The vice president also visited a Catholic university where he found students more receptive but also encountered further protests charging that America supported Latin American dictatorships.
Commies
May 9, 1958
Los Angeles
By Keith Thursby
Times staff writer
Opponents of the deal to build the Dodgers a baseball stadium in Chavez Ravine apparently tried to paint the proposal in a 1950s shade of red.
According to a story in The Times, a group called the Committee for Public Morality distributed literature claiming the contract was "a plan for collectivizing city and nation" and that "we are at war at our very doorsteps with a totalitarian clique."
The story quoted E. Talbot Callister, vice chairman of the Taxpayers Committee for Yes on Baseball, as denouncing the literature as "the all-time low" in the campaign. Los Angeles voters would have their say on the city's contract with the Dodgers on June 3. The story listed Robert M. Angier as chairman of the public morality committee but didn't provide much else about the opponents. Readers didn't learn where the literature was circulating or anything about the group. Angier wasn't quoted in the story and it wasn't clear if there had been any attempt to reach him.
Callister did get a few swings in, however. He noted all the money the Dodgers planned to spend as part of the deal and said if Angier thinks that's communism, "He hasn't read the baseball contract or the communist manifesto."
May 9, 1938
Above, a bottle of Pepsi costs a nickel (71 cents USD 2007) and is worth a dime ($1.43 USD 2007) ... Below, unemployed actor and author Charles E. Royal finds another career telling tourists about City Hall in staggering detail. Royal, City Hall information clerk from 1936 to 1951, wrote more than 2,300 songs, The Times said. His wife, the former Olga Shuey, was a "child adagio dancer" ... Geraldine "Gerry" Humason is chosen as a "typical outdoor coed" at UCLA ... And the government is encouraging foreign-born World War I veterans who served with U.S. forces or left the country to serve with the Allies to apply for citizenship.

May 9, 1908
Above, a banjo recital that makes everyone feel like getting up and dancing ... Below, Belle Gunness is captured as investigators uncover more bodies on the Laporte, Ind., "death farm" ... Problems at a convention for the unemployed: "Gas House" Kelley is elected to go to Washington to lobby for public works programs that would provide jobs, receiving 86 votes. Alas, only 56 eligible voters were present, prompting charges of fraud and a call for another election.
May 8, 1938
Above, an arresting and perhaps inflammatory title for a book that's fairly obscure today. It appears to have been written by a Swedish Christian who advocated assimilation ... The book also appears to have evoked a response from Rabbi Stephen S. Wise. Below, police chemist Ray Pinker--who figured in the 1947 Black Dahlia case--is under police guard because of his testimony in the Earle Kynette trial ... The warden of the Nebraska penitentiary gives $5 to inmates serving 10 years or longer so they can send flowers for Mother's Day--plus paper and a stamped envelope so the inmates can write letters to their moms.
Quote of the Day: "I am certain that for Rome as well as Germany there will result a future that will be glorious as well as prosperous." --Adolf Hitler, sealing Germany's alliance with Italy during a visit to Rome
Found on EBay
Here's an image of Harvard Military School, which covered 10 acres at Western Avenue and 16th Street, an area then known as Pico Heights.
The original postcard is for sale on EBay.
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May 8, 1908
At first I thought this story was left over from April Fool's Day. Then again, maybe not. Anybody else notice a key question that hasn't been addressed? Below, meet hard-drinking Police Officer Clarence E. Logie, a colorful character in early 20th century law enforcement.
Quote of the Day: "It took three policemen to put Logie in the [patrol] wagon and he fought all the way to the station." --The Times, on the exploits of Officer Clarence E. Logie, who was drinking on duty and spending time with a lady
May 7, 1958
Above, in Louisiana, even the boxing ring is segregated ... Below, problems for Bing Crosby's son Dennis. A "tall, willowy, Hollywood brunette" says he's the father of her 5 1/2-month-old daughter Denise--and there are allegations that the man who performed Dennis' Las Vegas wedding to Pat Sheehan is no longer accredited by his church ... An Illinois firm wins the contract to build the county's Hall of Administration ... And Julie Andrews marries her childhood sweetheart, Tony Walton.



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