MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1994 West Memphis – Chris Byers had fled the carport his stepfather had ordered cleaned up. Michael Moore’s sister called him to dinner but couldn’t reach him. Steve Branch was breaking in a new bike, a gift from his grandfather. It was about 5:30 p.m. on May 5, 1993, as the 8year-olds took off for Robin Hood Hills, four dense acres of ash, elm and bitter pecan trees along the slab of interstate that is West Memphis to people who know it only as a blur of motels, fast food and truck stops. But West Memphis is a community, and 8-year-old boys go into the woods to play. It’s still not clear which one was clubbed down first. Damien Wayne Echols, Jessie Lloyd Misskelley Jr. and Charles Jason Baldwin were arrested a month later and were convicted earlier this year. Baldwin and Misskelley are serving life sentences. Echols was sentenced to death. All have filed appeals. Insp. Gary W. Gitchell told reporters after the arrests that, on a scale of 1 to 10, his confidence in his detectives’ work was an 11. Yet questions persist. 50 years ago — 1969 Space Center Houston – Apollo 11’s astronauts ended their first day in space “fit as a fiddle” last night and sped toward man’s greatest adventure — the landing of two astronauts on the lunar surface next Sunday afternoon. President Nixon, who told the astronauts before their launch that their flight would “lift the spirits of the American people and the whole world,” ordered government offices closed next Monday. Armstrong and Aldrin are scheduled to walk on the moon’s surface early that morning. While stopping short of declaring a national holiday, the President asked Americans to spend the day concentrating in “a national day of participation.” 75 years ago — 1944 “Snowballs, did you say?” Police Saturday night thought the near-100 degree temperature had finally got the best of a caller who said six boys were standing at the corner of Waldran and Overton Park throwing snowballs at passing vehicles. Patrolmen W.W. Wilkinson and J.W. Torrey wiped their foreheads and went out to investigate. They arrested six boys at the intersection. The boys, officers said, got the ice snow from Home Ice Co. on North Waldran. 100 years ago — 1919 Through an arrangement with the Memphis Aerial Co., the Phil A. Halle Store now delivers clothing by airplane. The first trip was made yesterday to deliver a rush order to Clarksdale, Miss., and Arthur Halle, manager of the store, says similar trips will follow. 125 years ago — 1894 Chicago – The great railway strike enters its second week today, ushered in by mob rule and violence with which the troops cannot contend. Railway service across the nation is crippled, millions of dollars worth of freight lies spoiling in train yards and in nearly every state angry strikers have derailed trains and torn up the rails. Eugene Debs, president of the American Railway Union, still apparently holds the fate of national transportation in his hands.