Recent Posts
Skimmed Milk Blamed for Infant Malnutrition
In the years just after World War I, milk was a daily necessity, especially for families with infants and young children. But in 1919, as…
San Francisco Streetcar Strike Remains Deadlocked
San Francisco’s street railroad strike showed no sign of ending in May 1907, despite efforts by a citizens’ committee to bring both sides to the…
Poisoned Prison Liquor Kills Four Convicts at Joliet Penitentiary
Behind the walls of Joliet Penitentiary, the search for escape did not always mean files, tunnels, or midnight breaks across the prison yard. Sometimes it…
Illinois Farmhouse Fire Failed to Hide Double Murder
On a large farm near Mason City, Illinois, a wealthy elderly couple lived with money close at hand and suspicion close behind it. John P….
Headless Body of Young Woman Found in Lake Contrary
A grim discovery in Lake Contrary near St. Joseph, Missouri, left authorities with more questions than answers in 1920. The body of an unidentified young…
Man Robbed and Left on Rails Near Excelsior Springs
In 1920, George Underwood thought he was only waiting for a train at the Wabash Station in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. He had been to Kansas…
Henry Ford Defends Son’s Draft Exemption
For seven days, Henry Ford sat on the witness stand in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, answering questions in a trial that had already drawn national attention. …
Atlanta Woman Held After Mother-in-Law’s Death
A bitter family dispute in Atlanta ended in violence when Mrs. M.C. Hughes, an elderly woman, was shot to death in her son’s home while…
Swiss Troops Use Machine Guns on Strikers
In the summer of 1919, Switzerland was caught in the same unrest shaking much of the postwar world. Rising prices, labor anger, and fear of…
Doctor Claims Jazz Life Is Breaking Women
In 1924, jazz was more than music. To its critics, it was a symbol of everything fast, restless, and dangerous about modern life. The dances…
