Looking Back
Teresa McCrary, Times-Herald Publishing
(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.)
May 1895
Locals - Shell Ezell killed three big gobblers at Blackfish. *News from the CutOff reports Mrs. Lou Davis (nee Ashworth) seriously ill. *Van Izard Jr., came over from Little Rock to visit his parents. *Walter Taylor has suffered intensely with rheumatism this week and is confined to his bed. *Miss Marie Bach of Newport, has been in the city several days this week visiting Miss Lala Casteel. *James Fussell is on the sick list. *Mrs. A.D. McDaniel, of Bonair, spent the day in the city, the guest of Mrs. W.H. Izard. *The residence of C.A. Folbre, near the school house, is assuming stately proportions and when completed will be classed among the prettiest cottages in town.*
Wheatley Times - Jeff Neeley spent several days at home this week. *Miss Fannie Lovejoy visited Goodwin. *Mrs. C.F. Hemenway visited our neighboring town of Brinkley. *Miss Grace Hemenway is spending several days in Forrest City visiting friends. *Miss Lone Diamond gave a delightful sociable Monday evening complimentary to Miss Blanche Nichols. *Misses Fannie Lovejoy and Kate Howell spent Saturday and Sunday with Misses Irene and Minnie Dickson near Moreau. *Miss Cora Poole, of Moreau, re-entered school at Wheatley, after an absence of several months. All welcomed her back again. *Mrs. Wm. Lovejoy and her daughter, Mrs. Bradford, moved back to Brinkley, after having sojourned in our town for several months. We regret to lose these estimable ladies from the society of our town. *A very sad death here Tuesday. Hattie Miller, a little girl 11 years old who lived with her grandmother near Wheatley, was taken quite suddenly ill about 10 o'clock. She began having convulsions and then lost the use of her limbs. In a short while she was already dead. Congestion is thought to have caused her death. She was buried at Johnston's Graveyard. A large crowd of sorrowing friends and relatives accompanied her body to the grave. She was quite a favorite with the little girls of her own age and her loss is greatly deplored by them.
Out Of Control Bicycle Bicycles are almost as tricky as the untamed mule. While descending a hill north of town Sunday evening Miss Alice Rollwage's wheel ran over a rock, became unmanageable and she was thrown into a barbwire fence, sustaining severe and painful lacerations of arms and hands.
Drake Killed By Snipes - Dr. W.B. Snipes, of Spring Creek, Lee County, shot and killed Clay Drake a negro. Drake had sold Dr. Snipes a lot of cattle and had received his pay for them. Afterwards he discovered that he had sold a cow belonging to his wife, and as the doctor refused to give it up a writ of replevin was sued out. The case came up for trial and Drake was on hand with a negro lawyer. Dr. Snipes undertook to reprimand Drake for his action and a fight was the result. Both men struggled over a stick for awhile and the doctor got out his gun, which was accidentally discharged before he could get to his feet, the ball entering the top of Drake's head, killing him instantly. Dr. Snipes gave himself up to the officers.
Boney Bride - The wedding of Mr. T.W. Barrow of Forrest City and Miss Carrie Chew of Shreveport, La., was solemnized in the Episcopal Church here on Tuesday April 30, 1895. Mr. Ralph Chew, a brother, gave the bride away. The happy couple left for Forrest City, their future home, that night, attended by a number of friends and well wishers from here. The Index tenders its congratulations and hopes Mr. and Mrs. Barrow will have a future replete with happiness and prosperity. - Marianna Index. Yes, Tom Barrow and Miss Chew were happily married and the sequel of their romantic meeting is thus enacted. The genial groom and his boney bride arrived safely home and were met by a score or more of friends at the train and escorted to the home of the groom's mother, where they will abide. Mr. and Mrs. Barrow were at home to their friends on the evening of their arrival and the cosy little cottage home was filled with admiring and well wishing friends, who bestowed upon them their hearty and sincere congratulation and best wishes, in which The Times most earnestly participates. A sumptuous wedding feast was spread at 11 o'clock and the occasion was one of much good humor and sincere appreciation.
Attacked By Catamount While the wild varmints in the bottoms not very numerous, yet every once in a while some person falls a victim to their savage ferocity, especially at this season of the year. A person is accounted foolish who undertakes to wander around in the cane brakes of St. Francis unarmed. The catamount is perhaps the most savage of all wild beasts and when disturbed will attack man or beast and fight until the last and will betide the object that comes in contact with their claws. Last Sunday morning a tourist by the name of Pat Loftus, had difficulty with one of these animals, the remembrance of which will last him a lifetime. Pat is a tailor by occupation and had counted the ties from Memphis as far as Cicalla station, 20 miles east of here and right in the heart of the bottom lands, reaching there Saturday night. Next morning, just at the peep of day, while waiting for his breakfast, he sauntered up the railroad a short distance, to see if he could sight the eastbound train. A short distance from a trestle, he passed by a clump of bushes, when two animals sneaked out. One of them went down the embankment, but the other one sprang at his throat. Fortunately, Pat had a club in his hand and met the animal halfway, knocking him down.
Disoriented by the sudden attack, the tailor took to his heels, yelling at every jump. Not noticing the direction taken, he fell through the trestle. The section force hearing his cries came to his rescue and brought him back to the station, where he remained until the westbound passenger train came along and brought him to Forrest City. The man is terribly bruised – one side of his face cut horribly, his right knee cap being either broken or knocked out of joint. He refused all offers of medical treatment; fearing that he would be bedridden here away from his home in St. Louis. His son was telegraphed and the man left for his home Monday evening. The man's description of the animals leaves no doubt as to their identity as catamounts.
It Must Be Paid - May 2,1895 Mr. Editor - It is not often that a woman allows her curiosity to push her into print, and I should not so indulge mine now, but for the precedent and encouragement of "a married woman" in one of your recent issues. She, it seems has a grievance in the matter of philopenas and so have I. There was a time when in the simplicity of my heart, I supposed if a gentleman owed a lady such a forfeit he would straightway to the florists or confectioners, or a vender of gloves and fans; and the word was associated in my mind with roses and bonbons, trinkets and trifles. I am wiser now and sadder. So I venture to echo the query. "Why, when a gentlemen owes a philopena to a married lady does he not feel obligated to pay? It is a burning question. Please Mr. Editor try to settle it. I close with a word of warning to married ladies. Don't ever, ever, eat philopena with a gentleman if you value your peace of mind, for you will be forever tormented with the wonder – why does he not pay? Another Married Woman. For a whole week the writer has searched the scriptures, delved into history, ransacked the archives and spent sleepless nights hoping to discover something, ethical or otherwise, which would meliorate the breach, or totally or even partially exculpate the man who deliberately or for any reason, fails to satisfy a married woman to whom he is indebted a philopena forfeit. It is with a great deal of regret, for we may possibly be one of the guilty and our heart naturally sympathizes with our brother man, that nowhere do we find such an excuse, or anything of a palliatory nature. It may be possible that the guilty wretch has "wheels in his head,” or has been dazed by one of "Coin's confessions" reprinted in the Helena World, under which circumstances and no other that we can call to mind, he would be in great measure blameless. Such wanton betrayal of confidence in our sex and such total disregard for the longings of the other, stands out the most unpardonable of neglects and public sentiment, aroused by the disclosures of our fair correspondents, recognizing no resent ether, unanimously condemns the monster and demands his banishment.