An attempt to bring Christmas shoppers to Downtown Poplar Bluff by throwing turkeys from the third floor of the county courthouse was deemed successful, while in later years the Elks made sure no child was turned away without a gift during an afternoon with Santa.
__Dec. 23, 1948__
• The Jaycees pitched eight young turkeys from the third floor of the Butler County Courthouse this afternoon to attract a giant crowd to the downtown section of Poplar Bluff. The idea behind the plan was to bring out the crowds, which would spend money in Downtown shops. Jaycees officers said the stunt was a success because it brought out hundreds of people, many of whom stood in the background and envied those who caught a bird as it came flying down out of the courthouse window.
During the turkey drop, there was one near-fight when a man and a boy both caught one of the bird and the boy yanked it out of the man’s clutches. But overall, the day was a tremendous success, according to the Jaycees. “We’ll have to do it again next year,” one Jaycees member said. “I think it will be worth the money.”
Dec. 23, 1923, and Dec. 23, 1973 — No editions available.
__Dec. 24, 1923__
• The Bank of Puxico is closed today, supposedly because it is in financial trouble. The institution closed its doors Saturday morning (Dec. 22), but reopened later that day. It is closed again today and reports are the officials of the institution are seeking to work out their troubles, and the bank is expected to reopen in the near future.
• The feature photoplay of the year will be shown Thursday and Friday (Dec. 27-28) at the Criterion Theatre. It is “Human Wreckage,” the famous photoplay dedicated to the late Wally Reid of movie fame and produced to raise funds for fighting the “dope” traffic in America and to aid people struggling with addiction.
__Dec. 24, 1948__
• Old Santa will be able to use his sleigh in making his annual rounds throughout most of Missouri tonight. The weatherman said snow covers most of the state and will likely extend into Southeast Missouri before Christmas morning. The snowfall will spread into Arkansas, Kentucky and southern Illinois. Freezing rain covered Southeast Missouri this morning, clinging to trees, wires and in spots, streets and highways.
• ‘Tis the night before Christmas and there probably will be many creatures stirring until late in the night. But tomorrow is Christmas Day and there will be few persons stirring in the downtown district. Nearly all business houses will be closed and there will be no regular edition of the Daily American Republic. However, the sheriff’s office, the police department and fire department will function as usual.
__Dec. 24, 1973__
• Judge Elmo Barrow, magistrate judge of Wayne County, died at 1 a.m. today at Saint Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was 70 years old. His family said Barrow was hospitalized after suffering a mild heart attack, then had a stroke while in the hospital.
• The Poplar Bluff Mules boys basketball team built up an early lead and had four players score in double figures to get a 71-49 win over Bell City in the first round of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 22. Poplar Bluff led 17-8 after the opening period and slowly built its lead as the game went on. Robert Dodd led the Mules with 16 points, while Bruce Dameworth added 15.
Dec. 25, 1923; Dec. 25, 1948; and Dec. 25, 1973 — No editions available.
__Dec. 26, 1923__
• More children than were expected were entertained by the Elks’ Santa Claus Monday afternoon (Christmas Eve) and as a result, the supply of toys ran out. However, there were plenty of nickels, boxes of candy and fruit, so none of the children were turned away without a gift. Thirty baskets of food were distributed on Christmas Day by the Elks, with the remaining half a dozen baskets slated to be placed today in homes of the poor, said Elks Exalted Ruler E.M. Robinson.
• A Ford car belonging to J.W. Oelson was stolen Christmas night from in front of his home on Kinzer Street, but was found this morning near the Butler County Auto Company. The thief had gotten only that far when the gasoline fortunately ran out and he or she abandoned the car.
__Dec. 26, 1973__
• Dummie Redding, 52, of rural Poplar Bluff is being held in connection with the slaying of Donald Martin Blackburn, 38, of Gideon. Blackburn was shot to death early Christmas morning as he came to the front door of the Polsgrove residence in rural Gideon, where Redding and his wife reportedly were staying with her mother.
• For the second year in a row, Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E reported no fatalities over the Christmas holiday weekend which started at 6 p.m. Dec. 21 and ended at midnight on Christmas night. Only two accidents involving injuries were reported by Troop E on Christmas Eve and two more were reported on Christmas Day.
Dec. 26, 1948 — No editions available.