25-50-100 Years Ago -- Sept. 24

Susan Guynn, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·3 min read

Sep. 24—100 Years Ago

Sept. 24, 1923

Robert Brooks, Leesburg, Va., jailbreaker, and his associate James Robinson, were arrested near Point of Rocks Sunday morning about 9 o'clock after a thrilling chase, which lasted nearly two days, following their escape from the Leesburg jail late Friday night. Brooks, some time ago, robbed the store of C.R. Harris, Taylorstown, Va., and was arrested a few days later on the Potomac river bridge by a posse from the Virginia town. Robinson was charged with burning a school house in the vicinity of Middleburg, Va., and was with Brooks when arrested.

In a setting of historic surroundings just east of the Braddock Heights ridge, Frederick county's first annual dahlia show will be opened on September 30, and will continue for eight days. The show, which will be attended by Gov. Albert C. Ritchie, and experts from the Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Botanical Gardens, Washington, marks the first year of Frederick's Dahlia Gardens, operated by Frank C. Hargett, this city, who for a number of years conducted an experimental garden in this city for the Department of Agriculture. It is estimated that there are now 20,000 dahlia blossoms that could be cut. At Gov. Ritchie's visit a new dhalia, hybridized by Mr. Hargett, will be christened "The Barbara Fritchie."

Several former Fredericktonians who are now residing in Detroit, Michigan, are interested in forming a Frederick Club composed of native countians. Although no longer residents of Frederick, they point proudly to the fact that they are "from this historic section." Quite a number from here have settled in Detroit or close by and an effort is being made to get a complete list of the names and addresses in order to form the organization.

50 Years Ago

Sept. 24, 1973

Good Morning!: "If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want." — Anonymous

The Baltimore Eagles are probably very happy that they are through with the Frederick Falcons in regular season play. They played them two weeks in a row, losing 15-10 last week in a game in which they took the early lead and then 28-3 Saturday at Brooklyn Park in a game completely dominated by the Falcons.

25 Years Ago

Sept. 24, 1998

More than 300 people will gather at the new Seventh-day Adventist Church in Frederick this weekend to commemorate a remarkable partnership between the national church and the Army. Roughly 2,300 church members volunteered as subjects for military medical research from 1954 to 1973 as part of Project Whitecoat, receiving experimental vaccines for deadly diseases and occasionally exposing themselves to illnesses like malaria and Q fever. Whitecoat was located at Fort Detrick for all but the first two years, when it was headquartered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The Rev. Frank Fritsch travels in a trailer and his congregation includes the "headless woman" and the guys who run the Roc-n-Rapids. The Rev. Fritsch is a carnival pastor as well as a school teacher for Reithoffer Shows, the carnival that brings rides and games to the Great Frederick Fair.

(Editor's Note: The News-Post does not have access to archives from 20 years ago for April 16 through December 2003. The "20 Years Ago" summary will return Jan. 1, 2024.)