Confused motorists and thieves mark the days closing in on Christmas in the Dash, while a local retailer promises extra chances to win a new radio outfit to customers a century ago who paid off their charge accounts.
__Dec. 22, 1923__
• The new Dodge car found abandoned early yesterday morning (Dec. 21) beside the Dan River road, four miles northeast of the Hargrove Bridge, proved to be the car stolen from the shop of the Modern Motor Car Company the night of Thursday, Dec. 20. It is believed the thieves ran off the road and mired the car up in a heavy rain that had settled the night it was stolen.
The car thieves remain at large.
• The complete radio outfit the Begley Shoe Company will be given away to some lucky customer Monday afternoon at 4 o’clock (Christmas Eve). This is one of the best prize offers made recently by merchants to stimulate trade. Double tickets will be given on all accounts paid before the hour of the drawing Monday.
__Dec. 22, 1948__
• A rather badly bewildered motorist was arrested about 1 a.m. today on Broadway by Poplar Bluff Police after he had forced another driver to take the curb to avoid an accident. Taken to police headquarters, he gave the name Hosa Atkins and declared he thought he was in Memphis, Tennessee.
However, while his automobile had Tennessee license plates, Atkins listed his home address as Metropolis, Illinois, and carried an Arkansas driver’s license. He was charged with the careless and reckless operation of an automobile while drinking.
• A second-degree murder charge filed against Thurman “Pete” Selvidge following the January 1946 death of Seabee veteran Lewis Steven Epps was dismissed yesterday (Dec. 21) by Butler County prosecutor Ralph R. Bloodworth. Selvidge, a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, was slated to go to trial today in Doniphan on the charge, but Bloodworth dismissed the case because he believed he could not win a conviction. An earlier trial of Selvidge resulted in a hung jury.
__Dec. 22, 1973__
• Seeded teams made it through the first half of the first round of the 17th annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament last night (Dec. 21), with Malden, Matthews, Advance and Puxico all winning. Seventh-seeded Malden downed Richland 81-62, while No. 2 Matthews rallied past Clarkton 74-67, sixth-seeded Advance downed Bernie 74-55 and No. 3 Puxico raced by host Bloomfield 77-43.
The first round concludes tonight and will feature four games, including Neelyville vs. Dexter at 6 p.m. and the Mules taking on Bell City at 9 p.m.
• Bert Hanley, a judge of the Eastern District of the Butler County Court, has filed for re-election on the Democratic ticket. Hanley, 48, is married and has two children. He was appointed to his first term as county judge in 1960 by the governor and seeking his fourth consecutive term in office. The term of a county judge is two years.