Other Times
100 YearOs Ago – 1919: Seven policemen, three of whom were mounted, spent the whole of Saturday night at Third and Howell streets, on account of the reign of terror staged in the West End the past week by a lot of ruffians armed with revolvers. Several hold-ups were reported, unofficially from the vicinity of Third and Tilghman streets, only three blocks away from the bluecoats, but they were not confirmed.
75 Years Ago – 1944: The Fourth War Loan Drive in the Chester area is now beyond 85 percent of goal, with a total of $10,400,000 reported through Feb. 9, Chairman Richard G. Burn said this morning. Rose Valley Borough went over the top with a total of more than
$55,000 in sales on a quota of $50,000. This is the first county borough to break through the goal. Judson Laird is leading the bondsellers in the community.
50 Years Ago – 1969: A manhunt is on today for a Marcus Hook man wanted in connection with the knife-slaying of a number of a rival motorcycle club early Sunday in Philadelphia. Police said the fatal stabbing touched off a wild brawl between five motorcycle clubs. When the smoke cleared: Four men – two of whom are from Delaware County – had suffered gunshot wounds; thirty-one persons had been arrested on a variety of charges, including assault with intent to kill, narcotics violations and disorderly conduct. Two were from Delaware County.
25 Years Ago – 1994: Meredith Wertz’s cookie store is open all night. Meredith, an enterprising 10-year-old from Havertown, is hospitalized with a broken leg from a sledding accident. She is selling Girl Scout cookies from her bed in Delaware County Memorial Hospital. Nurses on the night shift are among her best customers. “People come in to her room to buy the cookies,” her mother, Patty, said. “Word travels fast. It’s kind of selfservice. She lets them get their change.”
10 Years Ago – 2009: When Springfield fourthgrader Billy Booth saw the stern eyes of Mrs. Sharon Destefano glaring at him as he danced his way through “Jingle Bell Rock” during Scenic Hills Elementary School’s 2007 Christmas concert, he was sure he was going to receive a detention. Instead, the 11-year-old and his family won $10,000, an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles, and a chance to win $100,000 as a video – which his mother, Erin, taped for his father, Bob, out-of-town during the concert – of him dancing was featured on an episode of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” in December.