- 1
- 2
- next
- | single page
100 YEARS AGO — 1912
A sensation was created when Miss Lizzie Devine, of the Rose Hill section of Mercer County, flatly refused to talk when taken before the grand jury to testify in the case against her father, Thomas Devine, who is charged with incest. Miss Devine’s sister then was called and she sat silent as an Egyptian mummy. Miss Lizzie Devine was promptly sent to jåail by Judge Hardin, who does not believe in any foolishness, but she still refused talk.
Mr. Devine is at least 50 years old and when taken into court the other day, he appeared to be a raving lunatic. It took three men to hold him. It is believed he is playing crazy, although some think the awful remorse occasioned by reflection upon his crime has unbalanced his mind. Devine’s wife still is living.
Arrangements were completed this week for an illuminated dial to be placed on the clock to be erected on the new courthouse. The people can tell the time night or day.
Mercer County holds the record for being the most law-abiding community in Central Kentucky. Circuit court began last week and practically every case of consequence was disposed of. This week, officials are taking a vacation and the grand jury can’t find anything to do. However, Jailer Board has been in pretty good spirits for the last four months. He has had three prisoners in the bastille. Prior to that, for eight months, the jail was empty.
Several years ago, a movement was begun to suppress the sale of liquor. The theory was liquor is the primary cause of a large majority of the serious crimes. Because of the proposition to teach all drinkers not to drink, the result has been wonderful and lasting.
75 YEARS AGO — 1937
Last Saturday night, Chief of Police J.L. McCarter (who is a nemesis to all local wrong-doers) was disturbed at his home by a telephone call. One of the boys at the police desk reported a tourist had appeared claiming he was without funds.
“Mac,” as he is popularly known, went to investigate and determined the boy asking for assistance was with his wife and they were unknown in this area. They had been on their honeymoon to Hot Springs and other points, but had run out of cash — even to a penny — when they arrived here. They then ran out of gasoline.
Chief McCarter, who is a pretty good judge of character, loaned them the necessary funds from his own pocket. The couple left and McCarter did not expect to see a return on his money.
Yesterday, however, he received a letter from the borrower, indicated on the letterhead of a well-known Indiana manufacturing business, and in it was enclosed a certified check. The Chief’s belief in humanity was upheld.
Early in the spring the Beautification Committee of the Danville Garden Club visited every filling station in Danville to enlist interest and cooperation in the beautification of their stations, especially in the placing of window boxes and planting petunias, the town flower of Danville. At that time a reward of $5 was offered, to the station which put forth the greatest effort in improving and beautifying their station.
Last week the club’s president and three judges visited all of the stations and were disappointed to learn most of them didn’t do anything and a few had only done a little.
The Theo Cotton farm containing 119 acres, about 3.5 miles southwest of Danville on the Lebanon Pike was sold at auction for $15,025. This property is known as the Cloverdale Farm and is well known as one of the most desirable pieces of properties that has been sold at auction in Boyle County in many years. The sale at $125.52 per acre was considered most satisfactory.
