SATURDAY 75 years ago Sept. 23, 1948
• Joe H. Boyd, well-known Poplar Bluff machinist, died at midnight at the Poplar Bluff Hospital. He was 53.
Described as one of the most competent machinists in this part of the country, Boyd retired as a machinist after April 1, 1941, when he inhaled ammonia gas fumes while working at the Arkansas-Missouri Power ice plant.
He suffered an attack of pneumonia afterward and spent about a year in a veterans hospital in Kentucky after a lung infection redeveloped. He later moved to Arizona, but returned to Poplar Bluff shortly before his death.
• The Southeast Missouri Fox Hunters Association chose Dexter physician E.G. Bailey as the president of their organization when they met yesterday (Sept. 22). In addition to the meeting, the members had an all-night fox hunt and held field trials of their hunting dogs yesterday.
Sept. 23, 1923 — No editions available.
Sept. 23, 1973 — No editions available.
Sept. 24 100 years ago Sept. 24, 1923
• Poplar Bluff Police Chief Hendrickson and Mayor G.N. Davis took nearly five gallons of confiscated moonshine liquor and dumped it in what the Daily American Republic described as a “booze party.” The whiskey had been confiscated in arrests and stored in the locker at police headquarters.
• Asa Harris was arrested yesterday (Sept. 23) by the Wayne County sheriff and several of his deputies when they raided the Harris farm north of Piedmont and captured a still and a barrel of mash. Harris posted a bond of $1,000 and is free pending trial.
75 years ago Sept. 24, 1948
• Art Wallhausen, former Poplar Bluff resident and publisher of the Charleston (Mo.) Enterprise-Courier, told the Daily American Republic the city’s recent switch to the council-manager form of government, which Poplar Bluff is considering adopting, was going smoothly.
“It is quite a contrast to attend one of our council meetings now,” Wallhausen said. “Nearly all of the detail work has been taken care of before the council meets. Ordinances and contracts, of course, must be considered and voted on, but most of the time-consuming problems which formally played the part-time mayor and council, have either been removed from the anxious list or scheduled for a brief, orderly discussion and consideration.”
50 years ago Sept. 24, 1973
• A total of 20 people were injured in weekend traffic accidents in Southeast Missouri, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports.
Among them was an accident just east of Doniphan which injured five people, three seriously, while others were injured in accidents near Dudley, Coldwater, Piedmont and Kennett.
• Vandals stole seven bronze grave markers and 12 bronze flower vases Saturday night (Sept. 22) at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Highway 67 south. The thefts were reported the day after they occurred.
Sept. 25 100 years ago Sept. 25, 1923
• The annual Butler County Fair will open tomorrow (Sept. 26) for a four-day session at the fair grounds south of Poplar Bluff. Among the featured events are a “perfect baby” contest and animal races.
• W.B. Lankford of Bloomfield was arrested yesterday (Sept. 24) at the Butler County fairgrounds by Deputy Sheriff Clyde Hogg. Lankford was later released on bond and returned to Bloomfield to await trial.
75 years ago Sept. 25, 1948
• A fire which is believed to have started in a compressor destroyed the grocery store, service station and living quarters of Bob Rushin at the intersection of Highway 67 and Stringtown Road (now M Highway) in front of the State Highway Patrol station last evening (Sept. 24).
Rushin estimated his loss at about $1,600 in merchandise and $2,000 in furniture and household effects. Part of the losses are covered by insurance.
• More than $130,000 will be involved in the Feeder Cattle sale at Poplar Bluff on Sept. 28. More than 1,000 head of cattle will be sold at auction to buyers from as far away as California. This sale will be operated by the Southeast Missouri Livestock Producer’s Association.
50 years ago Sept. 25, 1973
• Lloyd Dewaine Cowin, 22, of Van Buren pleaded guilty today to three charges of first-degree murder and received three concurrent life sentences in a Greene County court for his role in the murders of the Kitterman family on Jan. 17, 1973.
Cowin is the third and final defendant charged in the extortion slaying of Grandin banker Robert R. Kitterman, his wife Bertha and his teenage daughter Roberta. Two other participants in the slayings, Dallas Ray Delay and Jerry Rector, received life sentences for their roles in the crimes earlier in the year.
The case was heard in Greene County on a change of venue from Ripley County.
• The badly decomposed body of 16-year-old Linda Sue Adams Coulson, who was reported missing about four weeks earlier, was found by a fisherman Monday (Sept. 24) at the edge of a New Madrid County drainage ditch.
Coulson apparently was the victim of foul play. New Madrid County and Dunklin County authorities, along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, continue to investigate the case.
Editor’s note: This is part of a new regular series looking at today in Poplar Bluff’s history through the pages of the Daily American Republic and its early predecessors.