MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1993
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Friday that criminals can receive longer prison terms for physical assaults motivated by the race, religion or sexual orientation of victims. The 9-0 ruling on a Wisconsin law gave legal authority to “hate crimes” laws in more than 20 states, including Tennessee, that permit judges to impose stiffer sentences on defendants whose crimes grow out of their biases. Civil rights and religious leaders hailed the ruling.
50 years ago — 1968
The Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday that it had hired a long-time chamber administrator, David W. Cooley of Jacksonville, Fla., as its chief executive officer to put new vigor in Chamber operations. The energetic Jacksonville official comes to Memphis after having led a successful citizen campaign there to consolidate the city and county governments into a metropolitan government similar to that in Nashville.
75 years ago — 1943
WASHINGTON — President Roosevelt in a direct plea to the Italian people, yesterday urged them to overthrow their betrayer, Benito Mussolini, and to restore a free government in their homeland. His appeal coincided with the surrender of Pantelleria, fortress island at the tip of Italy, which had reeled under Allied air attacks for 19 days.
100 years ago — 1918
HENRIETTA, Okla. — Two hundred Creek Indians are reported to have launched a draft rebellion at the Old Hickory stamping ground, where the Crazy Snake uprising took place 10 years ago. Three white farmers who sought to force members of the band into the armed service were reported killed.
125 years ago — 1893
A great brawl broke out on an excursion train from southern Kentucky yesterday. One passenger said that there was heavy drinking aboard the train and that many of the men were mixing Kentucky and Tennessee whiskies — a sure recipe for trouble. As the train pulled out of Gallatin, Tenn., knives, razors, clubs and empty bottles appeared and were used with terrible effect all the way to Westmoreland Tunnel. Our informant says he never saw anything like it — one man was killed and another thrown from the train.