100 Years Ago Today - May 2024

Look at these statements from headline articles in The La Porte Daily Argus in May 1924. Terminology, capitalization, and what makes headline news can be different. Yet accidents, business, crime, and war still make headlines. Want to read the whole article? It’s on microfilm in the Indiana Room at the Main Library. Staff will be glad to help you access it. 

 

May 1

Warren T. McCray, yesterday governor of Indiana, arrived here at noon today and immediately was taken to the federal penitentiary where he will begin serving his ten year sentence for using the mails to defraud.

May 2

(Washington) – The public debt of the United States is now $21,282,717,427, the treasury department announced today.

May 3

Miss Helen Kamman, eighteen years old, was quarantined in her home by the illness of her younger sister. Clair Rolkie Jr., her fiancé was impatient. With notes pasted on the glass panels of the French doors, he conveyed to his sweetheart his intentions of eloping. Miss Kamman pasted a note on her side of the glass door agreeing to his plans. Ignoring the Board of Health quarantine, the girl left the house and now the young couple are receiving the congratulations of friends after obtaining family forgiveness.

May 5

(Chicago) – John Bigger, 45, today shot and seriously wounded his wife, Margaret, then killed himself when he learned that she had reported to the police that he had been drinking and had failed to support her.

May 6

A report was made to the local police department today by John Antus, LaPorte, R. 8, that a barn on his farm in Springfield township had been completely burned down about 4 o’clock this morning. Three cows, two horses, five tons of hay and six bushels of corn were burned with the building. Mr. Antus was of the opinion that the fire was the result of an attempt to injure him and wished the police department to take some action in the case.

May 7

(Chicago) – An appeal for help, voiced over the telephone to her brother, William Beistress, today sent police scouring the countryside north of Chicago for Mrs. Elsie Walker, 20, who said that she was being held prisoner in a house somewhere between Chicago and Milwaukee, a hundred miles away.

May 8

(Washington) – A fist fight between two members of congress in which books and chairs were hurled around promiscuously and spectators scattered for cover, was staged today in a meeting of the house committee that deals with District of Columbia affairs.

May 9

Benjamin Benson, 55, life long resident of Springfield township committed suicide about 10:30 o’clock this morning. Mr. Benson’s lifeless body was found hanging from a rafter in the barn by his grandson, Wilbur, aged 10. Members of the family and close personal friends were unable to find a motive for the act.

May 10

In connection with the government’s campaign for “better homes,” President Coolidge will deliver an address by radio tonight on the subject speaking from the white house.

May 12

The opening of the May term of the LaPorte circuit court today was marked by the conviction of two men who were arraigned on all charges of failing to support their families.

May 13

William J. McDonald, a cook at the Central restaurant, 616 Indiana avenue, pleased guilty in the circuit court this morning to a charge of transporting intoxicating liquor, and was given a suspended prison sentence of from one to two years and fined $100 and costs, totaling more than $200. McDonald’s car, a new Chevrolet touring automobile, was ordered sold by Sheriff Frank Fosdick.

May 14

(Hammond, Ind.) – The Calumet City murder mystery, scented when a handbag containing bloody knives was found on Burnham avenue, blew up today when Chief of Police John Nitz learned that students from Chicago had accompanied the remains of an elephant from the Lincoln park zoo to the rendering plant at Globe Station to skin the animal and take back his hide. The bag of tools had bounced out of the auto.

May 15

Announcement was made today of a change in the name of the Webber Hardware company to that of the Kabelin Hardware company.

May 16

Two midnight fire alarms were answered by the department last night. At 11:55 the department was called to the rear of the residence at 204 Park street where smoke coming from a smoke house in which meat was being cured led a passerby to believe the building was on fire.

May 17

(Tokyo) – The three American round-the-world fliers were today celebrating the successful leap across the Pacific, from Attu to the Japanese Kuriles. They are expected to arrive here within the next few days.

May 19

Bills and claims totaling $6,533.04 representing the expenses in connection with the primary election on May 6, were allowed by the board of county commissioners Saturday afternoon. This amount covered the cost of the election to the county.

May 20

(Mexico City) – The department of agriculture forecast today that the wheat crop this year probably will be so large that Mexico will not have to import any large amount of flour.

May 21

An epidemic of smallpox has broken out at Lakeside, Mich., according to reports brought here today by New Buffalo and Lakeside physicians. Fifteen cases of the disease have already been reported and fear that others will break out has been expressed.

May 22

(Washington) – The Anglo-American rum treaty went into effect at 10:45 o’clock this morning, when official ratifications were exchanged between the United States and Great Britain. The treaty was signed for the United States by the Secretary of State Hughes and for England by Sir Esme Howard, and prevents the smuggling of intoxicating liquor into the United States. The treaty was dated originally Jan. 23, 1924.

May 23

Lucien Coupet soared to a new world’s record when he piloted his plane to a height of nearly 12,400 feet, carrying a load of 2,200 pounds.

May 24

(Cedar Rapids, Ia.) – Mrs. Dean Harger, 20, was recovering today from one of the most baffling cases of blindness ever called to the attention of specialists through this section. Four days ago, after partaking of a hearty meal, blindness seized her and the following day an itching rash broke out all over her body. Her eyelids were paralyzed and she was unable to move them. 

May 26

(New York) – Babe Ruth hammered out his eleventh home run of the season today in the first inning of the game against Detroit, Stoner was the victim.

May 27

One of the most amazing stories ever recorded on the local police blotter is that told by Karl Deyo, 33, auto mechanic, clerk, expert photographer and confessed store robber, who walked into the police station at 2:15 o’clock this morning and requested Desk Sergeant Wiedenbeck to lock him up.

May 28

Although he has been blind since childhood, Paul Farthing of East St. Louis, Ill., completed his studies, graduated from law school with highest honors and has been practicing law for eleven years.

May 29

Charles Mahaday, proprietor of a butcher shop on east Second street, Michigan City, was the vicitim of a daring daylight hold up staged about 7 o’clock this morning by two unmasked men. After rifling the cash register in his market the two pushed Mahaday into the refrigerator and fled.

May 31

When the curtain swept aside disclosing the stage set for the fifty-fifth commencement of the LaPorte high school, with a chorus of about one hundred boys and girls, it was like a gorgeous cluster of vari-hued flowers held carefully in the hand of a mighty master artist.