Out of Our Past: Scandals and a manhunt enlivened Richmond news in 1884
Feb. 28 in history:
In 1646, Roger Scott was put on trial in Massachusetts for sleeping in church. Rudely wakened by a tithing-man’s punishment staff, striking him in the head, Scott returned the blow and garnered the verdict of a public whipping.
In 1939, the word "Dord" was discovered in the 2nd edition of Webster's New International Dictionary, quickly prompting an investigation. No one knew what it was, what it meant, or how it got there.
In 2012, the discovery of the world’s largest prehistoric penguin, Kairuku grebneffi, at nearly five feet tall, was announced. To say the penguin fossil stunned the scientific world is an understatement.
In 2013, the brains of two rats were successfully connected so that they could allegedly share information. No word on what the communications were.
More Out of Our Past: Concert pianist performed in Richmond before scandal overtook his career
The Richmond news of February 28, 1884:
Richmond has claimed much for itself on such a score of morals and piety that the reporters of other dailies take particular pleasure in enlarging the indiscretions of the males who hail from here. Last week’s sensational dispatches appearing in the Cincinnati Gazette were full reports from the Indianapolis dailies giving the particulars of three young men from the best families of Richmond who had visited a house of ill fame in that city. These reports were far from correct. There were only two males from Richmond’s best families, not three. – The Eds.
A runaway horse scattered pedestrians on South 12th last eventide. The animal had on a saddle and bridle, and some good-hearted folks were distressed for fear the rider had been thrown and badly hurt. They were satisfied and at ease, however, when the owner came running after the delinquent steed, using picturesque, indelicate language, quite abusive toward his steed.
Roger Buckley, being disturbed by the Wayne County weather, and thinking he might as well be "hung for a sheep as a lamb," bravely struck out for the frozen regions of uppermost Indiana this morning, hoping to first penetrate the outmost Polar Regions as far as Randolph County, if such a thing is humanly possible. Good luck to him. – The Eds.
William Laker’s family, on the north-side of Richmond, are said to be so destitute, their son’s body lies in the house awaiting interment. Mr. Laker, as honest a soul as ever lived, was discharged from the position of janitor at the city building at the time Eli Roberts was given the place, and has had no work since except odds and ends as he could pick up. The Solomon Meredith Post, of which he is a member, will help him bury the body with such things limited means will permit. They had better do it quick for the boy is getting fresh.
There seems to have been a mistake with regard to a party named in police court yesterday, charged for visiting a house of ill repute. The name was given as John Heckman. Either a fictitious name that is, or a mistake was made, for the John Heckman we know isn’t that kind of "John," and his wife this morning made sure we knew it. – The Eds.
Grant Hunt, the youth who recently shot through Harm Grothaus’s window and narrowly missing killing his baby, was arraigned this morning for malicious trespass in police court and fined $10.65. He was to be sent to jail for a time, to pay his debt to society, but was gone from home when the officers went for him, so they watched the house every night. On one occasion last week when Hunt found the police were coming, he jumped out of the second story window and got away. His mother rejoiced, "Oh, he’s too slick for you!” Last night a squad of Richmond’s finest tracked him to the brickyard by the depot and treed him by one of the barns. He was captured falling out of a tree, not quite so slick as his mom thought.
Contact columnist Steve Martin at stephenmonroemartin@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Out of Our Past: Scandals and a manhunt enlivened news in 1884
