Other days
100 YEARS AGO May 23, 1919
PINE BLUFF — In attempting to arrest two negroes, whom he supposed to be bootleggers, Deputy Constable Elliott early today had a narrow escape from death when one of the negroes whipped out a revolver and fired point blank. The bullet passed through Elliott’s clothing, breaking the skin on his abdomen. Elliott fired three bullets into the negro’s body as he grappled with him; the negro pitched forward down into a steep ravine at the side of the road. Although a thorough search was made for the wounded negro, not a trace of the man could be found. In a suitcase carried by the negro, four quarts of whiskey were found along with a quantity of silk and satin dress goods and other articles.
50 YEARS AGO May 23, 1969
■ The North Little Rock police arrested five persons late Thursday after raids at 100 Skyline Drive and at a residence at Fifteenth Street and Pike Avenue. The police said a large quantity of marijuana and barbiturates were confiscated during the arrests, which ended more than two months of investigation. The names of those arrested were being withheld pending the filing of charges. … The arrests were made after two rookie police officers working as undercover agents gained entrance to the Skyline Drive house. Detectives smashed in the front door during the first raid about 10:10 p.m.
25 YEARS AGO May 23, 1994
■ Little Rock city directors say it would be a mistake to demolish the Little Rock Jail once the new Pulaski County Jail opens — just in case the extra cell space is needed later. City Manager Charles Nickerson wanted to ensure Little Rock government stayed out of the jail business by removing the temptation of an available city jail. A new county jail will open in August. Cities within the county intend to consolidate jail operations at the new jail, with Pulaski County assuming responsibility. But the board last week scuttled Nickerson’s recommendation to spend $250,000 to demolish the jail. … The change approved by the board called for the $250,000 jail appropriation to instead go to golf course improvements and golf carts, park repairs, and new equipment and landscaping for the recently opened Southwest Little Rock Community Complex.
10 YEARS AGO May 23, 2009
■ Two lesser-known caves at Devil’s Den State Park in southern Washington County will be closed as soon as next week as state officials attempt to slow the spread of a deadly bat fungus. The move to close Farmer’s Cave and Big Ear Cave came Friday, a day after federal officials announced an emergency order closing about 800 caves throughout the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. The closures are part of an effort to slow the threat of white-nose syndrome, a fungus that forces bats to wake up early from winter hibernation. Once awakened, the bats need insects and fruit to eat, but since it’s early, there is no food and they starve. It is believed that spelunkers, moving their gear from state to state and cave to cave, spread spores from the fungus. The fungus was discovered three years ago in the northeastern United States and has spread as far south as Virginia this year. To give researchers time to study the fungus and how it is spread, the U.S. Forest Service has closed all public caves on service land to spelunkers.