Tag: California
The Night Los Angeles Went to War With Nothing
The sirens began just after 2 a.m. Los Angeles went dark ,streetlights blinked out, and neon signs died mid-glow. The windows were covered and cars…
Inside San Quentin’s Gallows: A Chilling Look at How California Prepared for the Hangman’s Noose
Long before the condemned took their final walk, the gallows at San Quentin was already alive with grim precision. Every rope, beam, and bolt was…
Collision Between Wagon and Electric Car Near Watts Kills Five, Injures Six
Tragedy near Watts: A wagon carrying eight children collided with an electric car, leaving four dead and six injured. Five Killed When Car Hits Wagon…
Seattle Police Arrest “Barefoot Burglar” Linked to Multiple Thefts and San Quentin Escape
In 1916, Seattle police arrested Carl Peterson, 27, known as the “barefoot burglar,” who allegedly confessed to a series of burglaries and claimed he had…
Skeleton of Missing Prospector Abner Lee Found After 37 Years
The 37-year-old mystery surrounding the disappearance of Abner Lee, the prospector who discovered the famous Lee Silver Mine in California, was solved with the discovery…
Former Fireman Commits Multiple Murders in Revenge Attack
Bert S. Durham, a disgruntled ex-fireman, killed a firefighter and severely injured two others in a revenge-fueled shooting in San Diego, after which he murdered…
Thirty-Two Killed in Shriners’ Train Wreck on Southern Pacific Coast Line
Thirty-two people died horribly in the dining car after the train struck a defective switch. The following event happened in Honda, California, in 1907. 32…
California Man Discovers Snake Inside Lump of Coal
In an odd incident at the Livermore, California waterworks, fireman Peter Zabella stumbled upon a bizarre and unsettling discovery while attempting to fuel the furnace….
Customs Inspector Finds $500 in Biscuits Bound for China
Here is a 1918 newspaper article about a man who tried to leave the U.S. with $500 in gold. He hid the gold in a…
Shingletown Man Discovers Father’s Buried Gold Treasure After 20-Year Search
I just love reading stories about lost and found gold. The following was reported in 1919 and tells how a man, knowing he was about…
