Citizens of Piedmont felt robbed in 1924 when the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company reneged its promise to retain a local freight depot. MP’s decision wasn’t illegal, but murder and lighting dynamite in the street are, and those were the headlines 50 and 75 years ago.
100 years ago
April 25, 1924
• Piedmont citizens are shocked and outraged after Missouri Pacific announced plans to move its freight terminal to Poplar Bluff.
The Interstate American printed an article from the Wayne County Journal today. The Journal stated railroad employees in Piedmont were assured a year ago that the terminal — and their jobs — would stay put.
“On April 17, 1923, during the strike of the machinists and shopmen...It was held forth in statements by (Trainmaster) Galbreath, sanctioned by (Superintendent) Miller, that if the men would return to work, Piedmont could always have the assurance that the freight terminal would be continued and that the men could be assured of permanent employment at this point,” the article read.
The promise of jobs led multiple employees to invest in local property.
Around 40 men are employed at Piedmont’s terminal, and the loss of payroll is expected to deal a $4,000 blow to the local economy.
75 years ago
April 25, 1949
• Police caught a nine-year-old trying to ignite dynamite outside a store on April 23. To date, it’s unclear where he got it.
Around 8:30 p.m., officers spotted a juvenile acting suspiciously near the A&P Store on Vine Street. On approach, they discovered he was attempting to set off dynamite — the only thing preventing a “disastrous explosion” was the absence of fuses and caps on the explosives, police said.
Eight sticks of dynamite were found on the boy’s person and he gave inconsistent stories as to how he got them. Police today issued a warning about the use and storage of explosives.
50 years ago
April 25, 1974
• A local woman was arrested today and charged with killing a man whose body was found near Chicago. It’s the latest development in a six-month investigation by Chicago detectives, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Butler County Sheriff’s Department.
Norma Lee Goins, 44, of Broseley was arrested this morning on a grand jury warrant and charged with murder and conspiracy to committ murder in the death of Larry Jarrett, 28, of Kennett. In October 1973, Jarrett’s decomposed body was found in a Cook County, Illinois forest preserve.
Goins operates a dress shop in Qulin and is a longtime resident of Butler County.
Also in custody are her sister-in-law Geraldine Harmon, Roland Vance and Ralph Watts. They are being held in Cook County.