OLD ITEMS FROM THE COLUMBUS LEDGER ENQUIRER
I am starting to become a little worried about my self and Mom too. We just spent at least 3 hours hunched over microfilm machines at the Bradley Library today. That's not what concerns me, what bothers me is that we had a ball! We tend to think of years past as the Good ole days. When life was simple and not full of all the violence it is today. Well, guess again y'all. The Good ole days weren't really so good! Mom and I will be going to the Library as often as possible and looking for stories from different years.
1919
COLLEGE HAZING.
Even back in 1919 the ritual of hazing was a problem. There were some students expelled from Auburn for practicing this, even though no one was seriously hurt.
ESCAPED CONVICT
In 1919 a reward of $25.00 was offered for the capture of William J Raines. He escaped from the Bull Creek Camp on Buena Vista Road. He was 36 years old, had black hair, brown eyes and weighed 135 pounds. He was 5'9 1/2 and had several scars.
STORE OWNER MURDERED
A local store owner J C Owens was discovered in a pool of blood at his store at 1908 12th avenue. Robbery appeared to be the motive. This is not far from the Jordan City area. A block or two maybe. A couple of blocks behind Buck Ice and Coal. Of course the building is no longer there, but the empty lots to the right of the buildings shown are where the store would have been.
SHOOT OUT AT JORDAN CITY AREA PHARMACY
Louis Gray was shot to death in a shoot out at the Muscogee Pharmacy in Jordan City. He was killed by J Howard. Howard was badly injured with little hope of recovery. Gray shot Howard from behind. Howard took five shots and Gray took 6 shots. A witness said there were no words between them, just the firing. It was not known at the time of the article what their hostility was all about. The pharmacy was located at 2701 Talbot Ave. Gray lived at 1161 27th Street. Neither of the buildings are there today, but the pictures below show where they were, pretty much.
THE DOG AND THE DEAD BABY
The body of an unidentified baby was found at 442 3rd Avenue. Residents had noticed that a dog was carrying it around from the direction of 5th Street and 3rd Avenue. The baby had appeared to have been buried for some time. The cause of the child's death was unknown. 442 3rd Avenue is not there today (surprise, Surprise). I did take a picture of the lots that would have been where this house was located, the house would be across the street from The Columbus Gardens.
EXECUTION OF BO NIX
In December of 1917 Bartow (Bo) Nix and his nephew Albert killed Leslie Alexander and James Everidge. The 2 men went to Nix's house 7 or 8 miles in the country on "the" Macon Rd. They went to buy alcohol, but were murdered and then robbed by Bo and Albert. They were buried in the woods nearby. This was not the first double murder committed by Bo. In 1903 he shot and killed John Edwards and his son Jeff. He was tried and given a life sentence and was pardoned by Governor Joseph Terrell, he served 5 years for these murders. He was not so lucky in 1917. Albert confessed the men were hit in the head with a hammer after one was shot and missed. Albert was sentenced to life in prison for the 1917 murders and Bo received the Death penalty. Governor Dorsey refused to appoint a lunacy committee to look int Bo's sanity. Bo was executed by hanging at the Muscogee County Prison on November 7, 1919. The article said he lived 14 minutes after shooting through the trap.The house was also mentioned as being several miles out Buena Vista Road. This is where the Nix family cemetery is today. It is behind the Subway Restaurant on BV Road near Walmart. Bo is buried in this cemetery. It was said there were several mysterious murders in the area before the 1919 murders and that they stopped after Bo's arrest. The pictures below are of the Nix Cemetery on Buena Vista Road.
SOLDIER REPORTS KILLINGS AT BULL CREEK
A badly cut man in a soldiers shirt came into Massey's store on Bryan Street in Wynnton saying several soldiers had been killed near Bull Creek by 2 civilians almost 5 miles from town on the road to Camp Benning.The area was searched and no evidence of any kind was found. It was believed he was either intoxicated or trying to play a joke on the Army.
1932
"WILD DASH" DOWN HAMILTON ROAD ENDS IN DEATH
Donald Carrington was the driver of an automobile that crashed into the Foremost Dairy building at 17th street ending a "wild Dash" down Hamilton Road on Jauary 10, 1932. Killed in the crash were Gordon Bartlett and Lloyd Mullins. Florine Robinson and Irene Motes were also passengers in the car. They suffered injuries, but survived. This is the old Foremost Dairy building. What a treat, this building is still around!
SISTER ACCIDENTLY TAKES BULLET FOR BROTHER
Lula Hill was killed by her brother while she was trying to break up a fight between them.The two brothers were fighting over a safety razor and the unnamed brother accidently shot Lula instead of Ed. The House is no longer there, the Booker T Washington Apartments are where the house once was.
ONE GOOD REASON TO KNOW WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE UP TO AT ALL TIMES
3year old Minnie Decker was playing in her yard with some peanuts. For one reason or another it sounded like a good idea to shove a few up her nose. this resulted in a trip to the hospital as all of the peanuts came out at home except for one. Talk about cute little boogers! Minnie lived at 1013 Olive Street. Olive Street now runs right into the Peabody Apartments.
1926
THE "MAD GASSER"
Several months ago I read a story on an internet site about a strange happening.The story was about a person called the Mad Gasser. This person would spray gas through the open windows of peoples homes, making them terribly sick temporarily. The article states these attacks started in Virginia in 1933 and lasted several weeks. They stopped and ataacks were then again reported in Mattoon, Illinois in 1944. Again these lasted for several weeks and stopped.
While researching another story Yesterday I ran across an article from our own paper, The Columbus Ledger Enquirer, that reported three separate incidents from here in Columbus. In all three cases the victims had gas sprayed into their homes. I immediately remembered the story I had read months ago and when I came home I found the site and the story. Our gassings took place in 1926, eight years before the Virginia attack. I seriously doubt there is any connection to the above stories, but it is interestig just the same!
The Paper said gas had been used three times in three weeks. Robbery appeared to be the motive. It was successful in the first attempt which was at the home of A mill foreman by the name of Mr Pou. $300.00 dollars worth of items were taken from his home at 2606 First Avenue. The gas rendered him and maybe others in the house unconscious. The second attack was at 2605 First Avenue at the home of L.O. Whitman. He, his wife and 2 year old son were asleep in a back room of the house when gas was pumped into a side window. Robbery was said to be the motive. The wife was awakened by the child and all managed to get out of the house. They were barly able to make it to the porch before passing out from the gas. The third attack was at the home of J.A. Whaley at 653 21st Street. This time the family was alerted by their German Sheppard. Even the dog was made unconscious by this gas. The would be robber escaped through the back yard. Fumes were noted to be even outside the house. If anyone is interested in more info about the Mad Gasser of Virginia and Illinois here is the link. http://www.prairieghosts.com/gasser.html
DECEMBER 1935
CHICKENS STOLEN FROM THE GENTIAN COMMUNITY
Chicken houses were raided in the Gentian Community. C A Wilde was one of the victimized. He had 2 prize Pit Pollets with an identification mark of a hole in the web of their feet stolen. Several chickens from this area had been taken in the last several weeks. I am not sure where the Gentian Community was, but am assuming it would be in the area of what would later be called Gentian Road. This is near Columbus College and Peachtree Mall.
MODERN FLORIST OPENS
The wonderfully odd shaped building at the corner of 13th and 13th opened in December of 1935 as Joy's Florist. It was said in the Paper that the large building was flanked on either side by 2 conservatories. It also said the main building was arranged to afford maximum comfort and convenience for patrons and those connected with the orginazation. The building still stands and is pictured below.
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