Other Times
100 Years Ago – 1918: Complete success attended the Smileage Dance conducted in the Sixth Regiment Armory in Chester last night by a group of popular young ladies to provide Smileage Books for our soldiers in the cantonment campus in this country.
75 Years Ago – 1943: Mrs. Anna M. Brice, R.N., president of the Health and Social Agencies of Chester, stated this afternoon that she is ready to take up her duties as Chester’s first policewoman. “If the mayor appoints me, I will accept,” said Mrs. Brice. The position has an annual salary of $2,400. It is understood that Mrs. Brice ranked first among the candidates who took a civil service examination for the position.
50 Years Ago – 1968: A 28-year-old Marine captain from Yeadon and his father-in-law have received the Navy’s highest military honor for their heroism in Vietnam. Capt. George R. Christmas of Bonsall Avenue, father of two, received the Navy Cross in ceremonies in Washington, D.C. He was cited for “dynamic leadership” during a Feb. 5 assault against an enemy stronghold in Hue, South Vietnam. Marine Col. David Lownds, 47, of Planation, Fla., received the Navy Cross for “leadership and command ability while serving as commander of
the combat base at Khe Sanh.”
25 Years Ago – 1993: A Philadelphia man was jailed after he allegedly showed up drunk for a drunken driving hearing at Aston District Court. Minutes after his hearing was continued, the 32-year-old staggered out of the courtroom and again was charged with DUI – his third such offense this month, police said. After noticing “all the classic symptoms,” Judge David J. Murphy said he really became suspicious when the man wheeled from the bench and began to lecture an infant who was resting in the arms of a woman on the perils of drinking and driving.
10 Years Ago – 2008: A convicted Megan’s Law offender from Parkside allegedly punched a 17-year-old girl in the face, assaulted her boyfriend and attempted to assault several police officers while in a drunken rage Friday night. The 20-year-old was allegedly under the influence when he tried to head-butt police officers, then kicked and slammed his head against a patrol car, damaging the window frame. When the officers arrived, they found the man, shirtless and bleeding from his nose, walking in the middle of the road shouting profanities, while tanked up on beer and Mad Dog wine.