ADDITIONAL HISTORY: Headlines You Probably Missed

Chapter 2 of Rosemary - In Search of a Father by C. N. and A. M. Williamson

As I've done the last couple of years, I once again flipped through historical papers to find fun Christmas stories for you to enjoy. And, make sure you listen all the way to the end because this episode includes a special Christmas gift from me to you.

SOURCES

Amtrakguy365. “CSX’s Santa Train - An Appalachian Christmas Tradition.” YouTube. Accessed August 26, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BnfR0IkJUw.

Anderson, Lorena. “‘Guardian Angel’ Aids Ridge Woman.” Paradise Post (Paradise, California), December 26, 1991. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “The Last In Appalachia - Christmas Comes Early .” The Daily Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), December 6, 1973. www.newspapers.com.

Stevens, Bryan. “Authors Recall the Time the Railroad -- and Santa Claus, Too -- Were Sued.” The Erwin Record (Erwin,Tennessee), December 21, 2022. www.newspapers.com.

Willliamson, C.N., and A.M. Williamson. “Rosemary: In Search of a Father.” The Neenah Daily Times (Neenah, Wisconsin), November 3, 1907. www.newspapers.com.

SOUNDS SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, leading to the beginning of World War II. What else was being reported in newspapers on that same day?

SOURCES

“Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.” Wikipedia, July 23, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand_of_Austria.

“Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.” Wikipedia, August 1, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand.

“Buried Loot on Desert Island.” The Morning Tulsa Daily World (Tulsa, Oklahoma), July 17, 1921. https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/pinaki-island-treasure.566022/.

“Did Franz Ferdinand’s Assassination Cause World War I?” History.com, January 31, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/did-franz-ferdinands-assassination-cause-world-war-i.

“The Great Salem Fire of 1914 (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service. Accessed August 5, 2025. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/1914-fire.htm.

“Great Salem Fire of 1914.” Wikipedia, February 17, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salem_fire_of_1914.

“A Hoax in Gold.” The Anaconda Standard (Anaconda, Montana), June 28, 1914.

“Illness May Again Halt Angle Trial.” Bridgeport Evening Farmer (Bridgeport, Connecticut), December 1, 1914. www.newspapers.com.

“Jury Declares Mrs. Angle Not Guilty.” The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), March 20, 1915. www.newspapers.com.

Kainic, Pascal. “The Peruvian Lost Treasures.” Lost Treasures of the Seven Seas. Accessed September 2, 2025. http://www.oceantreasures.org/pages/content/world-of-shipwrecks/the-peruvian-lost-treasures.html.

“Loot Angle Safe To Obtain Papers.” New York Tribune (New York City, New York), June 28, 1914. www.newspapers.com.

“More than 154 Millions in Gold Lost at Sea or Buried on Lonely Isles.” The Kansas City Times (Kansas City, Missouri),February 9, 1934. www.newspapers.com.

“Mrs. Angle Held By Coroner For Death of Waldo Ballou.” The Meriden Daily Journal (Meriden, Connecticut), July 28,1914. www.newspapers.com.

“Mrs. Angle Tells Story How Waldo Ballou Died.” The Meriden Daily Journal (Meriden, Connecticut), March 16, 1915. www.newspapers.com.

Rohe, Alice. “‘Ballou Best Friend I Had,’ Woman Sobs.” The Buffalo Times (Buffalo, New York), June 25, 1914. www.newspapers.com.

“Serb Student Assassinates Archduke and His Duchess.” The Washington Times (Washington D. C.), June 28, 1914. www.newspapers.com.

“Stories of Recovery after the Great Salem Fire of 1914.” Preserving Salem. Accessed August 5, 2025. https://www.preservingsalem.com/salemfire1914.

“The Treasure of Tuamotu - The Queenslander Illustrated Weekly (Brisbane, Qld. : 1927 - 1939) - 26 May 1937.” Trove.Accessed September 4, 2025. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23588469.

“Unburned Area of Salem Imperiled By Another Blaze.” Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan), June 28, 1914. www.newspapers.com.

“Woman Held In Murder Case.” The Evansville Journal (Evansville, Indiana), June 28, 1914. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Today's mini episode is a listener request. In 1942, the devastating Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston entered the books as one of the deadliest fires in United States history. How did it all go down?

SOURCES

“All Articles on Page 8.” The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), November 30, 1942. www.newspapers.com.

“Cocoanut Grove Fire.” Wikipedia, July 23, 2025.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoanut_Grove_fire.

“The Cocoanut Grove Revisited.” National Archives andRecords Administration. Accessed July 30, 2025.https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2017/fall/cocoanut-grove.

“The Story of the Cocoanut Grove Fire.” Boston FireHistorical Society, April 21, 2024. https://bostonfirehistory.org/the-story-of-the-cocoanut-grove-fire/.

United Press. “391 Die in Boston Night Club Fire.” TimesHerald (Washington D.C., November 29, 1942. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

The year 1931 was devastating for people who lived in China. That summer, they experienced unprecedented flooding, leading to the deadliest flood on world record. What else was being reported about in newspapers at the same time?

SOURCES

“$5,000 Reward Dead or Alive for the Capture of the Murderer of This Boy.” The Daily News (New York, New York), August 1, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“1931 China Floods.” Wikipedia, February 19, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_China_floods.

“31 Known Dead As Fire Sweeps Little Sisters of Poor Home.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), July 25, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Advertisement: Strand Brothers Bakery (Pg. 5).” Daily Review Atlas (Monmouth, Illinois), July 31, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Amost Brothers Held to Jury in Robbery of Bank of LaBelle.” Fort Myers News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida), August 14, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Early Hearings to Be Given Five Held in LaBelle Robbery.” The Tampa Tribune(Tampa, Florida), August 6, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

Firefighter history 7/24. Accessed July 18, 2025.https://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/firefighter-history-7-24-5/.

“Fourth LaBelle Bank Bandit Caught.” The Fort Myers News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida), August 3, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“LaBelleBank Is Robbed of $6,000.” The Fort Myers Press (Fort Myers, Florida),July 31, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Little Sisters of the Poor.” Wikipedia, July 3, 2025.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Sisters_of_the_Poor.

“Mad Dog Coll.” Wikipedia, June 5, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Dog_Coll.

“Police Saves Three Mothers, But Loses His Own In Fire.” The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), July 26, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Probe Cause of Fire at Home as Death Toll Mounts to 34.” The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), July 26, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

Robinson, Grace. “Mayor Vows No Mercy on Child Killers.” The Daily News (New York, New York), July 31, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Sheriff Certain LaBelle Bandits Are Now in Jail.” The Fort Myers Press (Fort Myers, Florida), August 4, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Third Man Arrested in Bank Robbery.” Fort Myers News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida), August 2, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Two Jailed in LaBelle Bank Robbery.” Fort Myers News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida), August 1, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

United Press. “Gang Gunmen Kill Child in New York.” The Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York), July 29, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

United Press. “Waters Flood China.” The Perry Daily Journal (Perry, Oklahoma), July 31, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Woman’sDeath Brings Home Fire Toll to 43.” The Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York), July 29, 1931. www.newspapers.com.

“Yangtze River Floods.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed June 18, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/science/Yangtze-River-floods.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

On June 24, 1948, the Soviets blocked off ground access to Berlin. Luckily, they couldn't block the airspace, and so began the Berlin Airlift. Learn about the mission, the candy bomber, and what else was being printed in newspapers on the exact same day.

SOURCES

• “Advertisement: Westinghouse Washer and Dryer (Page 3).” The Sacramento Union (Sacramento,California), July 18, 1948. www.newspapers.com.
• Associated Press. “2 River Tourists Lead Tough Life.” The Spokesman Review (Spokane, Washington), October 31, 1948. www.newspapers.com. www.newspapers.com.
• Associated Press. “Book Four Boy Suspects in Girl Slaying.” The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, Wisconsin), March 21, 1949.
• Associated Press. “Milton Babich, Model Boy, Involved in Bizarre Case.” Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, Wisconsin), March 30, 1949. www.newspapers.com. www.newspapers.com.
• Associated Press. “Murderer of Young Girl Is Paroled.” Springfield Daily News (Springfield, Massachusetts), January 29, 1958. www.newspapers.com.
• Associated Press. “West Allis Girl Is Found at Kenosha.” Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, Wisconsin), April 12, 1949. www.newspapers.com.
• Berlin Airlift . Accessed March 22, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/berlin-airlift.
• “The Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949.” U.S. Department of State. Accessed March 21, 2025. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/berlin-airlift.
• Blanco, Juan Ignacio. “Milton Babich.” Milton Babich | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Accessed March 22, 2025. https://mail.murderpedia.org/male.B/b/babich-milton.htm#google_vignette.
• “Fire Destroys Rebecca Felton’s Historic Home.” The Atlanta Journal (Atlanta, Georgia), November 4, 1948. www.newspapers.com.
• “Gail Halvorsen.” Wikipedia, February 12, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Halvorsen.
• Musel, Robert. “The Babich Case Is Called a ‘Postwar American Tragedy.’” Portage Daily Register (Portage, Wisconsin), March 28, 1949. www.newspapers.com.
• “Rebecca Latimer Felton.” Wikipedia, March 9, 2025.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Latimer_Felton.
• “Rebecca Latimer Felton: A Featured Biography.” U.S. Senate: Rebecca Latimer Felton: A Featured Biography, August 9, 2023. https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_Felton.htm.
• “The Sweet Legacy of a Berlin Airlift Hero.” U.S. Department of Defense. Accessed March 21, 2025.https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/3073227/the-sweet-legacy-of-a-berlin-airlift-hero/.
• “Two Rough It On Skiff.” The Kansas City Times (Kansas City, Missouri), November 27, 1948. www.newspapers.com.
• United Press. “Milton Babich Begins Life Term Today For Killing Girl.” The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, Wisconsin), June 21, 1949. www.newspapers.com.
• United Press. “Police Seek the Missing Sister In Murder Case.” Portage Daily Register (Portage, Wisconsin), March 22, 1949. www.newspapers.com.
• United Press. “U. S. Will Stand Firm in Berlin.” The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, New Mexico), June 24, 1948. www.newspapers.com.
• “William Harrell Felton (1823-1909) .” Find a Grave. Accessed March 22, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9301/william_harrell-felton.

SOUND SOURCES

• Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

• Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.
• Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

For today's mini episode, I decided to get into a Halloween theme and tell some spooky (but true) additional history stories. All of the stories in today's episode were printed in historical newspapers and were never really 'solved.'

SOURCES

• Associated Press. “Atlanta’s House That Bleeds Could Be Homicide or Hoax.” The Macon Telegraph (Macon, Georgia),September 11, 1987. www.newspapers.com.
• “Black Flash in Old Provincetown Says ‘Booh’ and Are Folks Scared!” The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), October 24, 1939. www.newspapers.com.
• “Boys on Cape Start Search for Prowler.” The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), October 26, 1939. www.newspapers.com.
• Clark, Matt. “A (Black) Flash in the PAN: Provincetown’s Boogeyman.” ptownie, June 15, 2023. https://ptownie.com/history/a-black-flash-in-the-pan-provincetowns-boogeyman/.  
• “Eight Killed By Fiend At Villisca, IA.” The Daily Times (Davenport, Iowa), June 10, 1912. www.newspapers.com.
• “A Haunted Mine.” The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California), November 27, 1887. www.newspapers.com. 
• “Henry McDaniel Takes Shot at Unusual Visitor.” Carmi Times (Carmi, Illinois), April 26, 1973. www.newspapers.com. 
• “History of the Villisca Axe Murders - the Murders.” Villisca Axe Murder House, January 3, 2024. https://murderhouse.com/the-house-and-murders/the-murders/.
• “Mine Gives Up a Ghastly Secret.” TheInter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois), February 24, 1896.
• Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, Summer 1977. http://epubs.nsla.nv.gov/statepubs/epubs/92904-2009.pdf.  
• “No Kangaroo, But A Bear Is Loose.” Carmi Times (Carmi, Illinois), April 30, 1973. www.newspapers.com. 

SOUND SOURCES

•  Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixapay.com/music.
• InspectorJ. “Bell, Candle Damper A (H4n).wav.” November 17, 2017. www.freesound.org.
• Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

On May 30, 1922, Washington D. C.. officially gained a new monument when the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated. What additional history was being reported in newspapers the day the nation's 16th president was being remembered?

SOURCES

“10 Things You May Not Know about the Lincoln Memorial.” History.com. Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.history.com/news/lincoln-memorial-facts.

“Advertisement: Bestervelt’s Grocery and Market (Page 12).” The Kalamazoo Gazette (Kalamazoo, Michigan), May 30, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

“Alleged Slayer of Girl Bride in Seattle Held in Peru!” The Seattle Star (Seattle, Washington), May 29, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Alleged Slayer Will Not Be Brought Back to State For Trial.” The Bellingham Herald, (Bellingham, Washington), June 5, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

“Body in Trunk Identified.” The Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington), September 23, 1907. www.newspapers.com.

Charles, Fred. “Hummel’s Valley Ghost Refuses to Act for Watchers.” Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), May 31, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

“Have Clue in Hiding Place.” The Tacoma Daily Ledger (Tacoma, Washington), September 26, 1907. www.newspapers.com.

“History & Culture.” National Parks Service. Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/index.htm.

“Hot on Murderers’ Trail.” The Seattle Star (Seattle, Washington), September 24, 1907. www.newspapers.com.

“King County Histories.” King County WAGenWeb Agnes McCombs Covington. Accessed March 17, 2025. http://www.wagenweb.org/king/AgnesCovington.htm.

“Lincoln Memorial Dedication Today.” The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), May 30, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

“Murder of a Young Woman.” The Washington Standard (Olympia, Washington), September 27, 1907. www.newspapers.com.

“Murder Will Out: Took Fourteen Years.” The Daily Alaskan (Skagway, Alaska), May 30, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

“Neighbors’ Vote Favors Tenant of Ghost Farm.” Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), June 1, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

O’Moore, Peggy. “Child, 14, Police Mystery.” The Post Enquirer (Oakland, California), May 30, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

O’Moore, Peggy. “Mystery Girl Explodes Wild Story of Thrilling Ride from L. A. in Box Car.” The Post-Enquirer (Oakland, California), May 31, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

Poirier, Posted by Noel. “Ghost of Hummel Valley: A Tuscarawas Haunting.” Tuscarawas County Stories, December 30, 2022. https://tusccountystories.com/2021/08/31/the-ghost-of-hummel-valley-a-tuscarawas-haunting/.

“San Francisco Call, Volume 102, Number 163, 10 November 1907.” San Francisco Call 10 November 1907 - California Digital Newspaper Collection. Accessed March 20, 2025.https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC19071110.2.6&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------.

“Tenants of Ohio Farm Flee From Ghostly Visitor.” The Lima Republican-Gazette (Lima, Ohio), May 30, 1922. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. "I'll Say she Does." www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Today I break a rule I've had since I started this podcast back in July 2020. Our episode date takes place AFTER the year 2000. Today I will finally cover the additional history stories from September 11, 2001.

SOURCES

• “9/11 Faqs.” 9/11 FAQs | National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Accessed March 14, 2025. https://www.911memorial.org/911-faqs.

• “Advertisement: Dairy Queen (Page 3).” Baraboo News Republic (Baraboo, Wisconsin), September 11, 2001. www.newspapers.com.

• Amber alert timeline - office of Justice Programs. Accessed March 14, 2025. https://amberalert.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh201/files/media/document/amberalerttimeline-508c_0.pdf. 

• “Amber Alert.” Wikipedia, March 1, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert.  

• Associated Press. “A New Day of Infamy.” The Winona Daily News (Winona, Minnesota), September 11, 2001. www.newspapers.com.

• Austin, John, and Mary Doclar. “Volunteers Gave It All They Had, Including Tears.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), January 19, 1996 www.newspapers.com. 

• Bailey, Eric, and Robin Fields. “Shootout Vowed in Chilling Video.” Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), September 11, 2001. www.newspapers.com. 

• Elliott, Andrea, and Charles Rabin. “21 Accused in McDonalds Scam.” The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida), September 11, 2001. www.newspapers.com.

• Holly, Derrill. “Radio, TV to Help Find Abductees.” Potomac News (Woodbridge, Virginia), September 11, 2001. www.newspapers.com.

• Jr., Tom Huddleston. “How the ‘mcmillions’ Scammers Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole $24 Million.” CNBC, February 9, 2020. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/07/how-mcmillions-scam-rigged-the-mcdonalds-monopoly-game.html.

• Tharp, Robert. “Girl, 9, Seized by Man in Truck.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), January 14, 1996. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES 

• Al Jolson. "I'll Say She Does." www.pixabay.com/music.

• Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.
• Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

It's here! Another Random Clippings episode! In this mini episode, I'll pull articles from my folder of stories that just don't fit anywhere else. Happy Labor Day to my USA listeners!

SOURCES

• “Beam Up the Royalties, Shirley.” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona), December 28, 1988. www.newspapers.com.
• “Citizens Fleeing Jury Seekers.” Princeton Daily Clarion (Princeton, Indiana), January 13, 1983. www.newspapers.com.
• “Gang of Boys Caught After Prying Open Casket in Old Cemetery Vault.” The News (Paterson, New Jersey), September 30, 1935. www.newspapers.com.
• “James Beard.” Wikipedia, February 22, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Beard.
• “Juror Excused Because He Does Not Like Shape of Mrozek’s Head.” The Seattle Star (Seattle, Washington), September 24, 1922. www.newspapers.com.
• “Man Fires at Snake, Shoots Off Big Toe.” San Francisco Bulletin (San Francisco, California), May 30, 1922. www.newspapers.com.
• “Will Wed Her Benefactor.” The Seattle Star (Seattle, Washington), September 24, 1907. www.newspapers.com.
• “Wins Bride After Long Court Battle.” The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois), September 20, 1907. www.newspapers.com.
• “‘Just Returning Radio,’ Says Youth In Store.” El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), January 11, 1964. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

• Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixapay.com/music.

• InspectorJ. “Bell, Candle Damper A (H4n).wav.” November 17, 2017. www.freesound.org.
• Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.