These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.
May 1, 1924
Three sets of surveyors are now engaged in laying out the State Dunes Park, east of Waverly Beach, on Lake Michigan. Surveyors are also working surveying the lots in the Stockyards subdivision. According to reports, there are 104 houses on the beach and only one is said to be on the right lot.
Valparaiso University baseball team was defeated yesterday at the university ballpark by Columbia College of Dubuque, Iowa, by a score of 5 to 1. Errors on the part of the locals accounted for most of the visitors’ runs.
May 2, 1924
The school census of Valparaiso just completed shows a big increase over last year. There are a total of 1,737 children between 6 and 21 in the city, as compared with a total of 1,616 last year. The First Ward has the most children, 529, closely followed by the Third Ward with 526.
The Valparaiso University Club was organized last night at a meeting held at Hotel Lembke. A board of directors was elected as follows: E. D. Hodges, Fred Moltz, John Van Ness, Jack Bennett, O. F. Helvie, A. N. Worstell, Coach Shadoan, Dr. E. H. Powell, Dr. C. L. Bartholomew, and Dr. H. B. Hayward. Dr. Bartholomew was elected president; Mr. Helvie, secretary, and John Van Ness, treasurer.
May 3, 1924
By the signing of documents today, the litigation involving Valparaiso University, the Valparaiso Realty Company, and the Cook Laboratories, was settled today, and the lease from the Valparaiso Realty Company to the Cook Laboratories of the university buildings was canceled. As a result, the university will retain the use of the buildings and they will not be turned over to the Cook Laboratories for industrial uses.
The Junior-Senior prom of Valparaiso High School was held at Elks’ Hall. A Chicago orchestra furnished music. Harold Shurr, President of the Junior Class, and Dorothy Goodpaster led the grand march. Guilford Dye and Virginia Kirkpatrick handed out the programs. Virginia Fisher and Gertrude Jesse presided at the punch bowl.
May 4, 1924
Cecil Gordon, 24, an automobile salesman for the Grantham Motor Sales Company at Gary, was killed by a fast Pennsylvania flyer at a grade crossing between Crown Point and Hebron Friday afternoon. Gordon was returning to Gary from Hebron where he had called on a prospective customer. The body was taken to Crown Point by the train crew.
The Wheeler Athletic Club defeated Hobart yesterday by a score of 12 to 0. Billings and Tofte lead the Wheeler attack, the latter’s three doubles drove Carlson and Werner from the mound. William Peters pitched air tight ball for Wheeler. Bloch and Clinedinst of Valparaiso were also in the lineup for Wheeler.
May 5, 1924
Attorney Thad Fancher, Crown Point, was probably fatally injured, and Frank Cockran, a companion, also of Crown Point, was shot in the foot, and numerous other persons were beaten and robbed by a gang of holdup men, who raided the Halfway House, near Cedar Lake, late yesterday. Fancher was shot in the back as he attempted to throw his pocketbook out of a window. Three persons, members of the gang, were arrested by Lake County officers at the Beaver Dam Ditch when their automobile was wrecked. They were A. J. McCabe, John O’Malley, and Miss Anna Tulkey, all of Chicago.
Melvin J. Stinchfield, Jr., assistant engineer for the state’s department of conservation, has filed his resignation to become effective Thursday, in order to take charge of the engineering staff of the Walb Construction Company of LaGrange, Ind. The Walb Company has the contract for the Burns Ditch in Porter and Lake Counties.
May 6, 1924
W. B. Forney, sheriff; W. W. Bozarth, prosecutor; A. J. Fehrman, treasurer; Dr. A. O. Dobbins, coroner; William Morthland, surveyor; W. E. Atwell, south district commissioner, and Elias D. Cain, center district commissioner, were the republicans successful in today’s primary election. Democrats who were successful were Ira C. Tilton, prosecuting attorney; William O. McGinley, treasurer; William Black, sheriff; Isaac Jones, south district commissioner; and William Domke, center district commissioner. The closest race was between William Morthland and Floyd McNiece for the republican nomination for surveyor, Morthland, winning by three votes.
May 7, 1924
William Morthland defeated Floyd McNiece for the republican nomination for surveyor at Tuesday’s primary election by five votes, according to figures compiled by the canvassing board. Morthland was ahead of McNiece on the face of the returns by three votes.
Charges of murdering Attorney Thaddeus Fancher, who died last night in Mercy hospital, Gary, from the gunshot wound inflicted during the daring holdup of the Halfway House, near Cedar Lake, Sunday night, will be placed against the three alleged members of the bandit gang, who were arrested shortly after their auto was wrecked at the Beaver Dame ditch. Two of the men are members of the famous McErlane gang from Chicago. They are Alex McCabe and John O’Malley. The woman arrested with the two men is Mrs. Ann Tulke, of Chicago.
May 8, 1924
Will R. Wood, of Lafayette, won the republican nomination for congress at Tuesday’s election over William F. Hodges, of Gary, by a majority of 5,000 in the district. Hodges carried most of the other counties in the district.
May 9, 1924
Valparaiso University has opened up a night school course in shorthand and typewriting for the convenience of students who are unable to go to school during the day. Prof. Myers E. Zimmerman, head of the stenography department, is in charge.
May 10, 1924
At a meeting of the Valparaiso City Council last night, an ordinance was adopted taking the Alpen Subdivision into the city. The building code ordinance was discussed at great length and a clause inserted providing for the appointment of a building inspector.
In Porter Superior Court yesterday, Judge Harry L. Crumpacker issued a mandatory injunction against the Valparaiso Home Water Company in the action brought by R. W. Lytle. By order of the court, the company is given twenty-eight days in which to lower the level of the lake seven inches, which will bring it to the level of the dam. At the present time, the water company is pumping water into Spectacle Lake at the rate of four million gallons per day.
May 11, 1924
Morell Ford, prominent farmer residing near Boone Grove, was perhaps fatally injured Saturday night when his car was wrecked near Graceland Cemetery on the Valparaiso-Kouts Road. He was brought to the Christian Hospital.
Republicans and democrats named new officers at the annual reorganization meeting held Saturday. E. L. Loomis was named county chairman of the republican central committee; Mrs. C. W. Boucher, vice chairman; E. J. Freund, secretary, and E. J. Gardner, treasurer. Democrats named E. M. Passow, chairman; Mrs. Raymond Sherburne, vice-chairman, and John D. Stoner, secretary-treasurer.
May 12, 1924
Morell Ford, Boone Grove farmer, injured in an automobile crash near Graceland cemetery Saturday evening died at Christian hospital this morning of his injuries. Surviving are a widow, Mayme, and sons Kenneth and Harold.
Approximately 100,000 copies of the summer bulletin of Valparaiso University have gone into the mail addressed to students in the central states. President H. M. Evans said the many inquiries received by the school each day indicates the attendance will be larger than in previous years.
May 13, 1924
Twenty-one purebred Porter County Holsteins were inspected for the state Holstein sale to be held at Crown Point on June 26. The committee consisted of Tom Grant and Lake County Agent Barnes, C. W. Newman, state Holstein association president, and John Newman, of Marshall County. The Porter County consignors are Harry Pierce, Warren Dillingham, Edward Ohlfest, Frank Bushore, Tom Keene, and Arthur Hanrahan.
May 14, 1924
A. L. Barker, residing in the Kankakee River region, claims to have killed sixty wolves since last fall. Mr. Barker avers the wolves have killed many dogs in the Kankakee section and have done considerable damage to livestock and poultry as well as game life. He declares that his kills have appeared to have diminished the wolf hordes that infest the region.
May 15, 1924
Floyd R. McNiece, present county surveyor, who was defeated on the face of the returns in the primary election by William E. Morthland, by five votes, today filed a petition in the Porter Circuit Court for a recount of the ballots cast for surveyor. Kelly and Loomis represent Mr. McNiece.
The broadcasting station at Immanuel Lutheran Church has been assigned the call letters WRBC, World Redeemed by Christ, by the Department of Commerce at Washington, D. C. The New York Herald-Tribune has written to the local station requesting that the newspaper be supplied with an advance program to be given over the local station.
May 16, 1924
Sixty-eight boys and girls will receive diplomas in the annual graduation exercises to be held at Memorial Opera House on May 22. Harry G. Hill, of Indianapolis, will deliver the address. The annual baccalaureate address will be held at the Baptist church on May 18 with Rev. W. W. Ayer giving the sermon.
Fifty thousand dollars in Sandy Hook Ditch bonds were sold today by Porter County Treasurer William McGinley to Fletcher American Bank, of Indianapolis, at a premium of $1,235. The bonds bear six percent.
May 17, 1924
A nine-run rally in the seventh inning enabled Columbia College to defeat Valparaiso University baseball team, 12 to 6, in a game played at Dubuque, Iowa, yesterday. Columbia batters made eight hits in the inning, including a home run.
The Epworth League of the Valparaiso group held its annual spring rally in the Methodist Episcopal Church parlors. Delegations were present from LeRoy, Chesterton, Michigan City and Wanatah. Supper was served at 7 o’clock. Speakers included Rev. Elmer Jones, of Michigan City; Rev. R. S. McCutcheon, of Griffith; Esther Kirkpatrick and Harvey R. Klockow, of South Bend.
May 18, 1924
The Valparaiso Durant-Stars baseball team defeated the Chicago Red Sox Sunday afternoon at the fairgrounds by a score of 3 to 0. Knight pitched for Valpo and allowed three hits. Buck Weaver played third for Valpo and accepted six chances without an error but failed to get a hit. Knight’s single accounted for two of the locals’ tallies.
The fate of Harry Diamond, sentenced to the electric chair for the slaying of his wife on Feb. 14, 1923, near Hammond, was in the hands of the supreme court today. His attorneys filed replies to briefs by the state in the appeal to the supreme court. Diamond, on trial said his chauffeur shot his wife. The state brought out evidence that Mrs. Diamond bequeathed her husband $20,000 in a will made out a few days before her death. Diamond has been in Michigan City prison following his conviction in Porter Circuit Court, to which court the case was venued from Lake County.
May 19, 1924
A truck owned by the Merchants Dispatch Company, of Valparaiso, stolen in Chicago yesterday, was found by Chicago police while the thieves were in the act of unloading the cargo of merchandise. George Lambert and Rolla Hitesman were in charge of the truck at the time of the theft. They had gone into a business house for additional merchandise, and when they came, out the truck was gone.
May 20, 1924
Stanley Turkoski, residing on Valparaiso R.F.D. 2, was taken to Mercy Hospital in Gary yesterday after suffering from serious injuries as a result of a tumble from a motorcycle at the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks at Gary’s 15th Street. He was said to have fallen twice from his motorcycle.
May 21, 1924
Miss Alma Nehring, of Valparaiso, is among the graduates of the Lutheran Hospital Training School at Fort Wayne. Commencement for the school is to be held this evening. Mrs. Hattie Quinn and Miss Berniece Collins left today for Fort Wayne to attend the exercises.
Valparaiso High School football players were presented with letters and monograms this morning at exercises held in the high school auditorium. Coach Shadoan, of Valparaiso University, spoke. Those receiving letters were Fred LePell, Harold Pulver, Arthur Shinabarger, Fred Wittenberg, Herbert Douglas, George Douglas, John Lowenstine, Harold Gustafson, Hubert Miller, and Russell Dillingham. Monograms were presented to Harold Shurr, Allan Brown, Fred White, Harry Lytle, Wilford Ebersold, Dayton Stanton, Harry Tousley, John Erler, Robert Hart, and Reuben Henson.
May 22, 1924
Ben H. Urbahns, of Valparaiso, former treasurer of Porter County, was nominated for treasurer of state on the republican ticket today at Indianapolis. Urbahns’ nomination came on the first ballot. Ed Jackson was nominated for governor. Former senator A. J. Beveridge addressed the convention.
Miss Ruby Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Wood, of Hebron, was united in marriage on Wednesday at Hebron, to Rev. A. T. Moore in the presence of thirty guests. Rev. J. T. Alken, of the U. P. church, officiated. The couple will live at Coulterville, Ill.
May 23, 1924
The last stumbling block for the Burns Ditch, which will drain a large area of land in Lake and Porter Counties, was removed today when Porter County Treasurer William O. McGinley sold the bonds for the construction of the drain. The First National Bank of Gary, the only bidder, bid the face value of the bonds, $224,862.52. The Walb Construction Company, of LaGrange, which has the contract, will begin work at once.
Sixty-eight seniors received diplomas in the annual graduating exercises of the Valparaiso High School held at Memorial Opera House last night. Harry G. Hill, of Indianapolis, made the address. Superintendent C. W. Boucher presented the diplomas.
May 24, 1924
The Valparaiso City Council, at a meeting last night, adopted an ordinance annexing the part of the Forest Park addition as recommended by the city planning commission. The council also passed an ordinance making it a violation to keep goats within the city limits. A penalty of $50 is provided in the ordinance.
Lincoln Highway, east of Valparaiso, from the Malone Turn to the school, has been closed to permit the state highway commission to apply an asphaltic penetration top. Motorists detour down Hungry Hollow Road to Flint Lake Road.
May 25, 1924
Valparaiso University defeated St. Viator College at University Park on Saturday, 4 to 0. Hiltpold pitched a wonderful game for Valparaiso, holding the Kankakee boys to one hit. Harris, of Valparaiso, clouted two doubles and a triple and scored three runs.
The trial of James O. Malley, alias Johnny O’Reilly, charged with the slaying of Attorney Thaddeus Fancher in the holdup of the Halfway House, between Crown Point and Cedar Lake, has been venued to Porter County from Lake County. Fancher was wounded on May 4, 1924, and died the following day.
May 26, 1924
A lad about fourteen years of age was killed sometime Sunday night when he fell from a Chicago & Erie Railroad passenger train between Boone Grove and Kouts. Another train stopped and picked up the body and carried it to Huntington. Coroner H. O. Siepel was notified and ordered the body brought back to Porter County. An inquest was then held, and an attempt made to learn his identity.
Chris Bliss will open his new Valparaiso establishment on North Valparaiso Street this Wednesday. He has remodeled the old bakery building and has installed a modern grocery and delicatessen.
May 27, 1924
The Indiana Supreme Court has set June 12 to hear oral arguments in the case of Harry Diamond, under sentence of death for the murder of his wife. Diamond is now in prison at Michigan City following his conviction in Porter Circuit Court.
May 28, 1924
Three Porter County high schools have been rated as first-class schools by the state board, according to word received today by Porter County Superintendent of Schools, Fred H. Cole. The schools are Liberty Center, Wheeler, and Chesterton.
May 29, 1924
Howard Fishburn, of Valparaiso, democrat, and William Lidke, of Chesterton, republican, have been named civilian members of the Porter County Board of Review by Judge H. H. Loring. Porter County Assessor Fred Marquart, Treasurer William O. McGinley, and Auditor B. H. Kinne are other members of the board. The court will meet on June 2 at the courthouse to review the assessments.
The Valpo Durant-Stars defeated the Chicago Webers at the fairground yesterday by a score of 7 to 6. Knight pitched for Valpo but was handicapped by the fact that his teammates made eight errors behind him.
May 30, 1924
Two Valparaiso University students, returning home from a visit at Maywood, Ill., were assaulted and robbed by a gang. The robbers blocked the highway, and when the students investigated, they were ambushed and beaten. After taking $27 from the students, the assailants left them lying on the highway, where they were discovered by passing motorists and brought to Valparaiso. They roomed at the Allendorf.
May 31, 1924
An unknown boy, about sixteen years of age, was killed Friday morning on the Lincoln Highway, near the Leonard School, when he was struck by an automobile. The boy was riding on a bicycle headed east when a man named John McGuire, of Hammond, also headed east, turned out for a car coming from the east. McGuire and the boy steered for the ditch, the car striking the boy and cutting a deep hole in the lad’s abdomen. It is believed the boy was bound for a lake resort.