Lorain Journal Front Page – 100 Years Ago Today

Let's see what the news was, 100 years ago today, on Feb. 9, 1926. Above is the front page of the Lorain Journal from that date.

Often when I do these '100 years ago today' posts, I wonder what the most interesting news item will be. In this case, there were a few contenders: the synthetic 'gin mill' story ('synthetic gin' being defined by Google AI as 'cheap, often dangerous illicit alcohol made by mixing pure alcohol with water and juniper oil, sometimes causing poisoning'); the Morgantown, West Virginia man who 'conducts a small lunch wagon' and set some kind of record for consumption of his own lunch fare; the West Dover man who was 'so anxious to see the super-highway between Lorain and Cleveland become a reality that he has offered to raise a million dollars single-handed towards the financing the project.'

I finally decided that the story of the South Amherst couple hoping to inherit part of the estate of a multimillionaire was the most interesting. 

To set up the story, this item appeared in the paper the previous year on June 22, 1925.

But then, as noted on the Feb. 9th front page, their hopes were dashed.

"An aged couple on Vivian-av have heard with sinking heart the news that a Michigan state prison convict may receive the entire estate of the late Edward B. Jennings, Chicago multimillionaire, which a court once said they would share.

"It meant to them that they may never see a penny of the $625,000 which a Chicago probate judge ruled eight months ago was to be theirs.

"Together they planned how they would build a nice home in Elyria and settle down to a life of ease and happiness for the remainder of the years.

"The couple is Mr. and Mrs. James C. Bogart. He is 72 and she is 68. They continue to toil and sacrifice as they have all their life.

"Mrs. Bogart was a relative of the Chicago recluse who died leaving an estate of $6,000,000. Like a bolt out of a clear blue sky came the announcement that she was one of the eight who would share in the money.

"Now Edward C. Koester, a convict at the Marquette, Mich., prison has filed in the Chicago court a will purporting to be that of Jennings.

"Koester alleges that his mother, now dead, was a sister of Jennings' wife."

It was a heartbreaking story – until I followed it to its conclusion.

The convict's claim fell apart fairly quickly, it would seem. The court case – Koester v. Jennings – is well documented online. The first will that Koester submitted revealed "discrepancies in the paper's production" which resulted in its denial by the pronate court. Koester then claimed that the first will was a forgery and that the original was lost. The second petition was also denied by the probate court. It dragged out in the Chicago courts until 1928.

But – justice prevailed and the Bogarts did get their money. I like a happy ending!

June 23, 1926

June 24, 1926

Mr. and Mrs. Bogart celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December 1928. Sadly, he passed away in mid-January 1929; at least he was able to enjoy a few years of wealth and medical care courtesy of his wife's inheritance. 

Mrs. Bogart (her first name was finally revealed as 'Cassie') ended up remarrying in October 1930, to Milo Moulton, a retired farmer. She lived to the age of 87 and passed away after an illness of six weeks in October 1946. Upon her passing, her husband waived his rights to the money he was entitled to, as well as his dower rights. The estate was then shared by his wife's four children by her first marriage as well as the family of a deceased son. 

Mr. Moulton celebrated his 90th birthday in Feb. 1948. He passed away in June that year.

All in all, an interesting story.