Mystery and miracles: Tales of returned goods and averted disasters in Poplar Bluff history

Poplar Bluff mourned its oldest resident on this day in 1949. John Bradley, 106, was the oldest man in the city and likely the entire state. Other headlines included missing cash, near-misses on the train tracks, and preparations for the first baby of 1975.

No issues available: Dec. 28, 1924; Dec. 29, 1974.

FRIDAY

100 years ago

Dec. 27, 1924

• An unknown burglar righted his wrongs by returning stolen goods, The Daily Republican reported today.

Three raccoon pelts worth $15 were taken from the home of S.D. Hoover yesterday. The thief or thieves broke in while he was away at breakfast. This morning, Hoover was in his back office when he heard someone carefully open the front door. He rushed out and found the stolen pelts lying on the floor, but there was no sign of anyone.

“I guess his conscience wouldn’t let him keep the furs,” he told reporters.

75 years ago

Dec. 27, 1949

• The oldest man in Butler County — and probably all of Missouri — passed away today at the age of 106.

John M. Bradley was born May 22, 1843, in Kentucky and moved to Poplar Bluff in 1869.

During the Civil War, he was a private in the Confederate army and was captured by Union troops in Paducah, Kentucky. Since he wasn’t in full uniform, he was court-martialed as a spy and sentenced to death by firing squad. He killed the sentry guarding him overnight and escaped.

His post-war life was nonviolent, yet eventful. He hauled Poplar Bluff’s first printing press to town with a team of oxen, and this press was used to create the county’s first newspaper, the Black River News. From 1870-1874 he served as coroner, and his other careers included carpentry and painting. He described himself as a jack of all trades, the Daily American Republic said.

Bradley passed away at Poplar Bluff Hospital after weeks of illness. He is survived by a half-brother, a son, and several grandchildren.

50 years ago

Dec. 27, 1974

• The wreckage of a missing plane was discovered on a Southeast Missouri farm.

Dr. John Rome, a farmer and school superintendent in the Rolla area, located the wreckage in a remote wooded area near his pastures while rounding up cattle. Authorities identified the bodies of pilot Michael Pratt and passengers Terry Offenstein and David Fredericks, all of Iowa, went down near Rolla while flying home from Florida.

They were last seen departing Walnut Ridge, Arkansas on Christmas Eve. Inclement weather was blamed for the crash.

SATURDAY

75 years ago

Dec. 28, 1949

• An engineer’s quick action likely saved three lives, according to reports.

On Dec. 26, veteran Missouri Pacific engineer John Stovall was operating a nine-car train across the Highway 61 crossing south of Benton. That’s when he saw the speeding car. Inside was the Glueck family of Sikeston: Phillip, Laura and 3-year-old Michael. The car was a new Lincoln and Phillip Glueck said he floored it on the open road to see what it could do. He saw the train and braked, but slid on the slick winter road.

Stovall acted fast and managed to stop the train before the car struck. The car totaled itself against the hopper, but the only injury reported was a broken nose suffered by Laura Glueck. If Stovall hadn’t stopped, officials said the car would’ve been dragged down the tracks by the impact.

“Thank God we’re alive — we sure learned our lesson,” Phillip Glueck told railway officials.

50 years ago

Dec. 28, 1974

• The 18th Annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament title game tonight will see the Poplar Bluff Mules face off against the Kennett Indians. The Dexter Bearcats and Sikeston Bulldogs will play for third place.

SUNDAY

100 years ago

Dec. 29, 1924

• A business owner breathed a sigh of relief today after a bundle of stolen checks was found in a ditch.

The checks are valued at over $500 and were stolen several weeks ago from the Charlton & Duncan Store, during a spate of break-ins across Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas. They were found recently in a money pouch lying in a ditch recently by an unnamed girl in the Houston family, residing near Neelyville. Store proprietor F.B. Charlton said the checks were worth $200 more than what he thought was stolen, and their recovery would prevent further financial loss.

75 years ago

Dec. 29, 1949

• A missing roll of cash has local authorities walking in circles.

On Dec. 10, Elmer “Boob” Chatman lost around $3,000 somewhere between East Pine Boulevard and Vine Street. On the same day Billy Baker, an 18-year-old from Broseley, claimed he found the money on an East Pine car lot and gave it to someone who claimed to know its owner. Baker relayed the incident to his friends and his father, who eventually learned the money was still missing and contacted the authorities.

Yesterday, Baker retraced his steps with deputies and identified a local businessman as the man he handed the cash to. The unnamed man denied any connection.

The investigation is ongoing, and Chatman has offered a $ 1,000 reward for information.

MONDAY

100 years ago

Dec. 30, 1924

• A damage survey revealed Missouri’s pre-Christmas ice storm and cold front were the worst in state history to date.

The Missouri Committee on Public Utility Information published a report from its St. Louis office stating the ice collapsed 27,000 telephone and power lines in Missouri, causing $1.5 million of damage to utilities, and may have destroyed up to 4 million orchard trees in its path.

Newspapers suffered as well, The Daily Republican added, because they were deprived of long-distance communication for several days.

75 years ago

Dec. 30, 1949

• The City of Poplar Bluff announced a new city map is complete. City employee and urban cartographer John Greason said the new map is the most complete to date, detailing all of Poplar Bluff’s 238 streets. It also shows new districts taken in by recent expansions.

The most common street names are those of trees and presidents, Greason found.

50 years ago

Dec. 30, 1974

• The first baby of 1975 will enter the world with extra fanfare. The Daily American Republic ran a full-page promotion for the tradition, stating the first baby born within the paper’s circulation area after midnight on Dec. 31 would be showered with gifts from local businesses. These included a baby silverware set from Giftchest Jewelers, a carrier from Anderson’s Home Furnishings and a $5 savings account from Commerce Bank. The parents will also be treated to clothes and discounted services.