Memphis in 1958
25 years ago — 1993
Christian Brothers University president Brother Theodore Drahmann said Monday that he plans to resign his post to take a job in Washington. Brother Theodore, 66, has been named director of education for the Christian Brothers Conference, a Catholic organization that directs seven colleges and universities, including CBU, and 75 secondary schools in the United States and Canada. He is scheduled to begin his new job Sept. 1. Brother Theodore will remain president of CBU until an interim appointment is made by Christian Brothers officials in St. Louis, home of the order’s regional headquarters.
50 years ago — 1968
The award fund for the arrest and conviction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s murderer grew to $100,000 yesterday while the search for the assassin spread throughout the nation. The City Council guaranteed yesterday to underwrite $50,000 to be added to the $25,000 offered Thursday by The Commercial Appeal and an additional $25,000 put up by Scripps-Howard Newspapers for the reward fund. The body of the 39-year-old civil rights leader left Memphis yesterday morning in a bronze casket and a chartered airliner.
75 years ago — 1943
LONDON — From 700 to 800 four-engined RAF bombers attacked the German naval base of Kiel Sunday night in the greatest air offensive of all time. As a follow-up last night, American bombers struck German war factories in Antwerp, Belgium. At the same time 100 American Flying Fortresses battered the harbor of Naples.
100 years ago — 1918
At last there is available an eyewitness account of the sinking of the City of Memphis by German torpedoes Jan. 23, 1917. It has been secured by the Cossitt Library. The steamship sailed from New York for Le Havre, France, with 97,000 bales of cotton and a crew of 56. She was torpedoed but not sunk 200 miles off the English coast while trying to pick up survivors from a sunken British ship. On the voyage back to the States, the Germans began torpedoing her again, this time off the coast of Ireland. The German submarine flew the signal AB (abandon ship) and waited for the City of Memphis crew to lower its boats and get a safe distance away before firing into her at pointblank range. The City of Memphis mascot, a cat, could not be found and went down with her ship.
125 years ago — 1893
A very enjoyable party was given Wednesday night in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Loeb by Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Peres at their home on Shelby Street. There was an elegant supper and an evening of cards, first prize being won by Louis Herzog.