Looking Back

(Editor’s Note: This column looking back at St. Francis County’s history is featured each Friday on this Lifestyles page along with the week’s History Photo. The items included in this column were printed in previous editions of the Times-Herald.)

December 1904

Did You Know - Prof. Redard, of Geneva, discovered a new anesthetic by means of which a tooth may be painlessly extracted with none of the after effects caused by ether and chloroform. Finding that the nervous system is influenced by colored light, the professor experimented with each in turn and perceived that blue has an extraordinarily soothing effect on the nerves. The practical result of his discovery was that by shutting the patient in a dark room and exposing his eyes to a blue light of 16-candle power for three minutes, he lost all sense of pain, although at the same time returning his senses.*** Women who go in deeply for sanitation and hygiene in the home are adding annealed glass bath tubs to the equipment of their bathrooms. Of German make, the tubs are rather more expensive than the porcelain tubs, until recently looked upon as the height of luxury. It is said for them that the glass tubs are microbe proof, a fact which will find favor in the eyes of ultra-particular housekeepers.

Returned - Mr. Thomas Parham, who recently resigned his position as book keeper for Fussell, Graham & Company, in order to enter Yale, returned last week, having given up the idea of going to school this year, stating to a Times man that he had concluded he would rather go to work. He had nothing definite in view when we last saw him, but he is a good man and will no doubt soon have a splendid position.

Lost Three Children - Rev. and Mrs. W.B. Harper and G.W. Harper, of Prairie Township, were in the city on business and visiting their numerous friends. Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Harper have recently been bereaved by the loss of all of their children. On Oct. 25, they lost a little boy, aged five years, of laryngitis and last Sunday morning, Nov. 27, their sweet little baby, aged 16 months. Five and a half hours later, a beautiful little girl of three years died. Both of these died of a complications of whooping cough and congestion. These good people have been living on Rev. Harper's place near Palestine but in their grief and sorrow, will shortly move to this city where they will keep house.

Death of Mrs. Pippin - The numerous friends and acquaintances of the family will regret, as we did, to learn of the death of Mrs. Susie Pippin, of near Falwood, Johnson Township. The sad event at 5 o'clock, of pneumonia, aged 34 years, 9 months and 2 days, having been born Feb. 27,1870.

Pioneer Settler Dies - Isaac N. Harper, Stuttgart's pioneer citizen, is dead at the age of 70 years. He built the first house on what is now the site of Stuttgart. He came to Arkansas in the early 1880s from Illinois and drove a stake in the middle of the prairie where is now located one of the most thriving towns in the state. He had great faith in the future of that country and lived to see his belief justified.

Horse Killed - Mrs. M.T. Howe and Mrs. J.C. Wahl were seriously injured at Little Rock by a street car colliding with the vehicle in which they were driving. Their horse was caught beneath the car, which had to be pried up to allow the carcass to be removed. The shock threw the ladies out and though they fell clear of the car, they were injured internally by the force of the fall.

Locals - Mr. Robert I. Pettus is having the Prof. Prewitt place, which he bought last spring, cleared up and put into cultivation. He has about 50 hands at work on the job and was very pleased and interested spectator of the work yesterday. ***Mrs. J.T. Dement and children returned from a month’s visit to her relatives at Beebe and elsewhere, last Thursday and were accompanied by Mrs. Jane G. Catadime, grandmother of Mr. Dement. She is 83 years of age and will spend some time here on a visit. ***Through the prompt exertions of the bucket fire brigade, the Richmond Gin at Widener, was saved from destruction by fire. Fire was discovered in a two-story tenant house about 60 feet south of the gin and for a time it was feared that the gin would burn. The heroic work of the brigade however saved it from burning. The house belonged to the Sweet Bros. and was totally destroyed. Origin of fire unknown; no insurance.

City of Dead - Col. Thos. A. Hughes, of Telico, and who resides near the cemetery of that name, which was originated by his father and upon which he has extended a great deal of time and money, making it one of the most beautiful cities of the dead in the county, was in town on business and circulating among friends. He says there are many bodies being interred in the Hughes Cemetery as there are in the Forrest City Cemetery. He is very proud of it and justly so. It is too bad that this city is too poor, too stingy, too lazy, or too something to have a beautiful place in which to lay away all that remains of their loved ones who are dead. We greatly need a new cemetery.

Hillside - Mrs. M.A. Finnerty was down town and gave us a pleasant call on business. She's greatly distressed at the fact that her home has been greatly damaged by the washes of the hillside and thinks that the city authorities should protect her as much as is consistent with the fact that she has been paying taxes in this town for over 30 years. She says also that owing to the big ditches, the road to or by her home has become impossible; that the street leading to the home of Mrs. Mathews, and also the alleys, are fenced in with wire, and that she is practically shut out of town so far as a vehicle is concerned and that her old friends are forced to walk and trudge to get up to see her. She claims to have been promised relief by the chairman of the street committee, but that he has utterly failed to keep faith with her. We call the attention of the city council to the complaints of this old citizen who has paid her taxes so long and faithfully, and they should certainly investigate the matter and give her such relief as is consistent with a wise expenditure of the public funds.

Street work - Work on the brick pavement on Hill Street, between Rosser and Washington, was progressing nicely after delay of several days on account of unfavorable weather. It will fill a long felt want and be greatly appreciated by all pedestrians who have heretofore had to take the mud or gravel along that thoroughfare, either of which is disagreeable enough.

Who's To Blame? - Squire W.S. Nugent, of Palestine, was in the city Saturday and gave us a very pleasant call. The Squire was complaining about the irregularity of the arrival of his Memphis paper. We have had a great deal of complaint lately of our subscribers not getting our paper. We have a lot of patience, but if this continues, we will be compelled to place the blame where it belongs, by official investigation.

Saved By Grace - About a year and a half ago, J.E. Edwards, a negro of St. Francis bottoms had an altercation with another negro, in the course of which Edwards hit the man with a single tree, it inflicted several injuries. He was indicted by the grand jury, but has been at large until Tuesday morning when he was arrested and lodged in jail by chief deputy R.L. Stockard, after two exciting chases and probably a narrow escape from death at the negro's hands. Mr. Stockard learned that Edwards was in Widener Tuesday morning and made haste to get over there on a speeder. He arrived in time and found his man conversing with several people on the street. Approaching Edwards, Mr, Stockard informed him that he had a warrant for him and commanded he come with him to Forrest City. The man asked if he could speak to one of the attendants a minute and when this was refused he gave a jump through the air and made a dash for liberty. The officer pursued and soon over took him and it has at this time the man attempted to draw a pistol. The deputy sheriff had drawn his weapon and pursued the man and when he saw the movement to draw. Stockard covered the negro and positively assured him that he would kill him if he drew his gun. Edwards then made another dash and Mr. Stockard again ran him down and with the assistance of Mr. Lee Taylor, handcuffed him and upon searching him found a brand new S&W 38 caliber special 7 inch barrel revolver underneath his overalls. The gun is a fine one and probably cost a lot of money. After the arrest, the man claimed that he was carrying the gun to protect himself from boars which he said infested the road from his fence to town where he had to come to sell his cotton and declared that he had no intention of shooting the officer even if he had succeeded in getting out his gun. The officer has been trying to capture the man for some time and he thinks that while he would have been justified in shooting him that he did the right in capturing him alive. He has no desire to shoot any human being unless necessary but desperadoes had better not take too many chances.

In The Jail House Now - A white man named S.L. Love, of Bledsoe, recently obtained about $550 through the endorsement of Mr. F.A. Rolfe, by false representation of securities and a warrant was sworn out charging him with obtaining money under false pretense. Officers learned that Love was in Marianna and Sheriff McKnight sent Mr. Riley Hunt, as a special deputy, to that city to make the arrest. Riley arrived without incident and as he got off the train, Love boarded it and went to Helena. Mr. Hunt did not know Love and thus was unable to identify him in the depot even though he had seen him. After he began to inquire for Love, Riley learned that he had gone to Helena and promptly phoned the chief of police to look out for him. This was done, Love was arrested and brought up to Marianna on the local by the Helena officer and returned here and locked up by the special deputy.

Burned Flesh - Louis Grobmyer, aged three, after being stripped and while getting ready to go to bed, was playing around a very hot stove, when the fleshy part of his backside came in contact with and stuck to the stove and he was severely burned. He is still suffering intensely and the sore is not healing as rapidly it seems as it should. Albert Grobmyer is also sick with tonsillitis and Mrs. Grobmyer says she has a regular hospital house. We hope both boys will be well shortly.

Married - Mr. J.S. Conger and Miss Maggie Richardson of Colt were happily married in their buggy in front of the Baptist parsonage. Eld. J.A. McCord officiating. They were accompanied by several friends whose names we have been unable to learn and we join them in hearty congratulations and best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Almost Eaten By Hungry Old Cow - Miss Fannie Winfield was painfully though not seriously hurt a few days ago while walking up Front Street, and when in front of Fondren & Smith's grocery, this being the main street of this city, by a hungry old cow, that gets her living out of the garbage boxes and the farmers wagons. Miss Fannie does not know whether the crazed cow was making a mad rush at her, or trying to escape a farmer's whip but she is painfully aware that one horn struck her hand and arm and the other her side and slipped under her belt. It is a miracle that someone has not been hurt before and it is a shame that these measly old vicious cows should be allowed to run at large in a city of our pretensions. Owners of cows should be required to keep them up and feed them.

Back In Jail - It was rumored several days ago that Sam McFall, who is out on bail, awaiting action of the supreme court on his appeal, had run away or was making preparations to do so. The rumor reached the ears of his bondsman and they notified the sheriff to take charge of him. A deputy was sent after him and found himself, wife and children hard at work in the field gathering their crop. It did not look like he had any intentions of running away and we don't think he has any reason to do so, but nevertheless he is now in jail. He was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary for killing T.J. Withers.