100 Years Ago Today - February 2024

Look at these statements from headline articles in The La Porte Daily Argus in February 1924. Terminology, capitalization, and what makes headline news can be different. Yet accidents, business, crime, and war still make headlines. Want to read the whole article? It’s on microfilm in the Indiana Room at the Main Library. Staff will be glad to help you access it. 

 

February 1

More than thirty persons were injured today in three train wrecks in Chicago and its suburbs, all due to a thick layer of fog that enveloped the city and tied traffic into knots. 

February 2

With the recovery this morning of the body of George Wojanski, 54, of Michigan City, which was found floating in the harbor at the foot of the Franklin street bridge, harbor town police are confronted with a murder mystery, which bids fair to rival the best.

February 4

“Woodrow Wilson led the nation through the World War with a lofty idealism which never failed him,” President Coolidge said in a proclamation announcing the death of the war president.

February 6

The booming of guns and the tolling of bells, symbolic of the nation’s sorrow, ushered in the day upon which the great wartime president, Woodrow Wilson, was laid away to his last long rest.

February 7

Chief Justice William Howard Taft, only surviving ex-president, is confined to his bed suffering from an attack of acute indigestion.

February 8

A suspended prison sentence of from one to two years in addition to a penal farm sentence of 60 days which must be served and fines and costs totaling more than $250 were imposed upon Lawrence Jaicki, Scipio township farmer, when he pleaded guilty in the circuit court late Thursday afternoon to charges of unlawful possession of a still and maintaining a liquor nuisance. 

February 9

With a view of illustrating the growth of LaPorte as compared with its neighboring cities, Michigan City and Valparaiso, Secretary R.E. Teverbaugh, of the LaPorte Chamber of Commerce, has prepared a chart showing that this city has kept abreast of the others with respect to increased real estate valuations despite the fact that its population has not been proportionately increased.

February 11

A new international conference was proposed in the senate this afternoon by Senator William H. King, democrat, of Utah. King offered a resolution which would direct President Coolidge to “invite the nations without exception to convene in a world conference here for the purpose of formulating a convention which shall promote international amity, reduct and restrict offensive armaments on land, sea and in the air,” and “to arrange for the settlement, payment and funding of international debts.”

February 12

Tutankhamen’s thirty centuries of death sleep amidst the splendors of his silent tomb in the Valley of Kings was broken today. In the presence of a handful of officials, Howard Carter, noted Egyptologists, listed the lid of the ancient granite sarcophagus, which had been emplaced by workmen a thousand years before the birth of Christ.

February 13

Thomas A. Edison celebrated his seventy seventh birthday on Feb. 11 by putting in a hard day’s work in his laboratory.

February 14  

The lack of local news which has recently compelled Argus reporters to exert themselves in order to fill the allotted space vanished at noon today when an overheated chimney started a biage in The Argus composing room. Although the smoke was thick the damage was slight and the efficient work of the fire department prevented the flames from spreading.

February 15

San Antonio, Tex. - Many of the world’s greatest golfers started play today in the third Texas open championship, the event which sets the record for liberal prize money with $1,500, for the winner and a total of $6,000 to be distributed among the leaders.

February 16

Forty-nine miners were at work in the Milford iron mine near Crosby, Minn., when the bottom fell out of a pond and the water dropped down 300 feet. Seven made their escape, the others being trapped and drowned.

February 18

Mrs. J. A. Chaney had a miraculous escape from death when the Buick roadster which she was driving was struck by a freight car on the Boston street crossing of the Nickel Plate railroad shortly after seven o’clock Saturday evening.

February 19

Clothing and other personal property valued at more than $1,000 was stolen from the residence of A.G. Tamlin, in the Bellevue apartments, sometime between 9 o’clock Monday morning and 10 o’clock today.

February 20

Late comers at the Advance-Rumley tractor school who registered Tuesday afternoon and today swelled the total number of those enrolled to well over the 200 mark.

February 21

LaPorte police were requested this morning to be on the lookout for two Italians, believed to be traveling in a large touring car, who are suspected of having thrown the bomb that wrecked a two family apartment building in South Bend early today.

February 22

Edward O’Donnell and Peter S. Doyle, both of Chicago, were arrested early this morning in Michigan City charged with the unlawful transportation of liquor.

February 23

The Ku Klux Klan demonstration in Michigan City Friday culminated last night when more than 1,000 members of the order, attired in full regalia paraded the business district.

February 25

Governor Warren T. McCray, accompanied by his personal attorneys today appeared before United Sates Marshal Linus P. Meredith and was placed under arrest on two indictments by the federal grand jury charging use of the mails in a scheme to defraud and violation of the national banking laws.

February 26

Adolf Hitler, on trial with General Erich Von Ludendorff charged with high treason took the witness stand in his own defense this afternoon and delivered a bitter tirade against socialists and Jews.

February 27

LaPorte county bids fair to have another town within its limits, voters of the proposed town of Trail Creek, near Michigan City, voting yesterday 46 to 6 in favor of incorporation.

February 28

Harry Gamble, 62, one of the best known horse race drivers in Indiana and a driver of the Grand Circuit for forty years, died today of injuries suffered Sunday when he stepped in front of an automobile and was knocked to the street.

February 29

Hot Springs, Ark. - George Herman (Babe) Ruth, Sultan of Swat, collapsed today in the lobby of his hotel here and was removed to his room critically ill.