Small-town politics turns a standard city council meeting into an overnight affair in 1949, as councilmen and the mayor haggle for hours over police commissions.
__100 years ago__
May 3, 1924
• A toddler is almost completely unscathed after falling from a second-story window this morning.
Eighteen-month-old Stanley Elmo Sisco fell through a screen at Greer Apartments on Vine Street at 9 a.m., landing on the Frisco train track and narrowly missing the steel rails. His mother saw the accident and ran down the stairs to find him relatively unharmed and in the arms of a passerby, who also saw the fall and ran to his aid.
A doctor was immediately called and found no broken bones or signs of internal injury. Mrs. Sisco said Stanley was in good spirits at press time, and his only sign of pain was that he favored one hip.
__75 years ago__
May 3, 1949
• “Some were hired, a few were fired and all were tired” was the summary of Poplar Bluff’s most recent city council meeting. The meeting began at 7 p.m. last night and concluded at 12:45 a.m. this morning, after a hours of arguing about police commissions.
The friction began after the regular meeting, when Mayor E.W. Robinson informed the council he’d issued temporary police commissions to three new recruits, recommissioned four current officers and opted not to recommission another three former members of the force. Fifth Ward Councilman Ira Melton, a Republican, objected to the mayor unilaterally granting the commissions without consulting the board, to which Robinson replied all the officers question worked under the commission of his predecessor and state law allowed cities to commission policeman for one year. City Attorney George Scott said no police officers had been confirmed in Poplar Bluff since 1947 and described the rules as “a confused mess.”
Police Chief Lester Massingham remained notably neutral during the argument because he believed no law enforcement official should involve themselves in politics.
Heated back-and-forth voting began. Confirming the officers as a group was voted down, so Robinson asked for each officer’s confirmation one at a time. A few were commissioned unanimously, while others squeaked by with margin of one or two votes.
An argument broke out between councilmen over two candidates: the mayor’s pick for a temporary commission, Homer Burke, and one of the veterans denied recommission, named Robbs. The councilmen offered to approve Burke if Robbs was recommissioned. Massingham declined to support the effort, since Robbs had helped Massingham’s campaign for police chief and endorsing him now would be a conflict of interest. The stalemate ended with neither man commissioned.
__50 years ago__
May 3, 1974
• Poplar Bluff High School juniors are climbing scaffolds, painting beams and hanging decorations in preparation for prom. Principal Tom Hoover said all materials for decorations were donated by local firms or purchased by the junior class, since the school district was not covering them that year. Prom will be held 8:30 p.m.-midnight on May 4.