Miscellany: Apr. 14, 1930

Peanuts

In Manhattan the name of Statesman Elihu Root became implicated in a squabble between one Lawyer Thomas J. Meehan and his family. Lawyer Meehan’s son Francis, 26, told a story of how his father had eaten and cracked peanuts while Elihu Root was delivering a commencement address at Hamilton College in 1924. Francis Meehan said his father had “gone off to some drinking dive” during the commencement proceedings, but had returned in time to be “the cynosure of all eyes” and, “solely for the purpose of heaping indignity upon my mother,” had cracked peanuts at Elihu Root.

Said Elihu Root last week: “I do not recall the incident.”

Ten

In Indianapolis, Ind., William Wilson, 32, had a whiskey drinking bout with Roy Thomas, 10. Roy Thomas became sick, was taken to a hospital; William Wilson, having won the bout, was arrested.

Harvard

In a push cart on Orchard Street, in Manhattan’s lowest East Side last week there was, for-sale-cheap, a Harvard Alumni Directory.

Happiness

In Manhattan, discouraged readers of the New York World were heartened by an advertisement: “Confidential work, personal affairs; business genius will remove troubles, worry and restore happiness. Burke, 4621 16th Avenue, Brooklyn.”

Marvelous

In Thomasville, Ga., sightseers were unable to view the “Famous-White-faced-Gorilla, the-most-marvelous-creature-ever-beheld-by-man,” because the owner of the gorilla, J. D. Owens, and the gorilla were too drunk to stand up.

Pages

In Tulsa, Okla., a fire occurred at the home of one W. H. Page. A small Page son, 5, saved his tiny brother John William Page, 11 months, by wheeling his baby carriage out of the house. Then a small Page daughter, 3, wheeled John William Page back into the house again, where John William Page burned to death. Said the small daughter: “It was too cold for the baby outdoors.”

Addict

In Memphis, Tenn., Kenneth Azdell, 6, was brought to a hospital by his parents to be cured of the cigaret habit.

Uncle

In Oak Vale, Miss., died “Uncle” Willis Pittman, 101, survived by 12 children, no grandchildren, 150 great-grandchildren, 75 great-great-grandchildren.

Toot

In Chicago, Health Commissioner Arnold Kegel announced to the Chicago Medical Society that the whistles employed by Chicago policemen were nerve-racking, suggested some kind of “musical tooting.”

Truant

In Montreal, Mary Foster, 15, hacked her mother to death with an axe for telling her to go to school.

Beards

In Mako, Hungary, six thousand farmers found it impossible profitably to market their onions, agreed to let their beards grow until the Government lowered taxes, improved railroad rates.

Glassy

In Brockton, Mass., William T. P. Nelson allowed his glass eye to fall out, later caught a street urchin using it as a “shooter” in a game of marbles.

Ears

In Chicago, Miss Abby Hosmer, 70, made a will in which she bequeathed her ears to Chicago Laryngological and Otological Society.

Said Dr. Austin A. Hayden: “Until medical science can have the opportunity to make microscopic studies of the ears of deaf persons after their death we shall remain in the dark as to why one out of every ten persons suffers from this malady.”

Saddle

In Savannah, Ga., finding a policeman’s horse in the street, John Wesley Glover made off with the saddle, was apprehended polishing it in his home.

Horse

In Hammond, Ind., finding a stray horse on the street, Policeman George Redman decided to call a patrol wagon. He lifted the horse, bore it to the call box, let go the horse, fell exhausted on the sidewalk. Aroused by the arrival of the patrol wagon, Policeman Redman showed the horse to Sergeant E. F. Fandrei who mounted the horse, rode it to a police station.