Good Old Days: Oct. 15, 2020

125 years ago

The Commoner

Oct. 18, 1895

The opera house, which is being fitted up by the Colfax band is rapidly being pushed to completion. The posts in the room have been removed and the roof trussed. Work on the stage will at once be begun. The stage will not be as large as could be desired but it will answer all ordinary purposes. Scenery has been ordered from Sosman & Landis of Chicago, and will be in place in about two weeks. The drop curtain will, in all probability, be a plain one, it costing more for a painted one than can be afforded at the present.

The band will open their house with the first of a series of concerts, for which they are now rehearsing, and it will be the best concert, from a musical standpoint, ever given in Colfax.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Oct. 15, 1920

John Casper, a 24-year-old Austrian, who accompanied another man to Pine City on the 24th of August and who was found in the back room of the Pine City State Bank by the cashier, Henry Smith, was convicted by a jury in the superior court Monday night and faces a term in the penitentiary.

The prisoner insisted that the other man who was with him had forced him into the bank at the point of a pistol, and that once in the bank he was forced to cover the cashier, Mr. Smith, with a gun which was found in the bank. Casper insisted he was an innocent party and all he did was go into the bank building when ordered to do so by the other man who was the real criminal.

The prisoner told a straight story and his story carried conviction with it. The jury that found him guilty and made a special recommendation to the judge to give Casper the lightest sentence under law.

75 years ago

The Colfax Gazette-Commoner

Oct. 19, 1945

Approximately 40 persons, including police officers, firemen, soldiers, and other volunteer citizens searched unsuccessfully from 7:30 to 10:30 Saturday night to find a non-commissioned officer who was seen by Patrolman Dale Williams jump over the guardrail at the lookout point near the top of Buck Canyon hill and disappear.

The soldier, Williams said, appeared to have been injured as there was blood on his face. Whether he was a psychoneurotic [sic] or was a deserter who had escaped from one of the army trucks that was returning to Geiger Field from a football game at Moscow were only speculations advanced by Williams.

The soldier was walking down the hill as Williams, traveling up the hill on his motorcycle, turned around to check a car he had just passed. Williams thinks the soldier believed he was about to be taken custody, at any rate he let out a yell, ran and across the pavement and dived down the embankment.

50 years ago

The Colfax Gazette

Oct. 15, 1970

A first-hand hearing of the “haircuts and hemlines” debate seems to be in store for members of the Colfax school board following Monday night’s meeting. Representatives from two groups of students appeared at the board meeting and requested a meeting with board members.

Supt. Milford Crowley reported the students had requested time on the board agenda but later withdrew the request. Representatives from both groups appeared at the board meeting. They requested a separate meeting with the board.

Crowley said one of the groups favors liberalizing the dress codes, which outline length of skirts and boys’ haircuts. The second group favors holding the line, according to the superintendent.