Tuesday, May 26, 2020

A Hundred Years Ago In Lorain – Part 2

Yesterday I posted a front page of the Lorain Times-Herald from May 24, 1920. It contained all kinds of criminal mayhem (unlike today’s papers, which seem to keep that kind of thing off the front page in favor of “soft news").

Well, I discovered I had the next day’s edition of the paper – from May 25, 1920 – in my files as well. So here it is for your breakfast reading enjoyment

It offers a follow-up on the shooting of Stanley Jacoboski by Michael Martini but also some other interesting items.

POLICE WATCH RUM RUNNERS ON LAKE ERIE was the heading for an article that reminds us that Prohibition had been underway for about 4 months at that point. The article noted, “Reports of rum runners operating from Canadian shores to Lorain harbor have kept police and U. S. Customs officers busy here since Sunday, it was learned today.

“Police received a tip Sunday that the Key Bell, Canadian steamer, booked here for coal, landed in port with a cargo of whiskey alleged to have been smuggled from Canada for distribution here.

However, a search of the steamer produced nothing. In fact, despite the headline, it seems that there was no evidence that any liquor had been smuggled at all.

THOMAS O’BRIEN FIFTY YEARS IN LORAIN IS DEAD was the title of an article announcing the passing of aged resident. “Thomas O’Brien, aged 95, 603 west 20th-st, Lorain pioneer, died at his home yesterday afternoon,” it noted.

“O’Brien has been a resident of Lorain for over 50 years. He was born in County Cork, Ireland and came to the United States and settled in Syracuse, N. Y., when he was 14 years of age. He lived in that city 29 years and from there moved to Lorain.

“He became an employe of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad upon coming to Lorain and worked for that company until 23 years ago when he was injured in a railroad wreck. His injuries necessitated the amputation of both of his legs.

“The deceased pioneer built the home in which he died 25 years ago. He recently sold the property to the school board but was given a life lease on the property.

If all of the data (dates and ages) about Mr. O’Brien were accurate, he was born around 1825, and came to this country around 1939. He moved to Lorain around 1870 or so, so he sure had a ringside seat to watch the city grow.

It looks like his property was located near where Hawthorne school was eventually built.

Anyway, what might have been the most interesting article ended up being unreadable. BOYS DEMOLISH TENT OF FORTUNE TELLER was the title. It looks like a ‘gypsy fortune teller’ with the last name of Mitchell on E. 29th Street reported to Lorain police that boys had raided her place and completely demolished the tent in which “she was plying her trade.

You’d think that as a fortune teller, she might have known they were coming.

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