Did you know?
One hundred years ago tomorrow (June 11, 1913), it was reported on the front page of the Uniontown Morning Herald that “Floats have been built, bands secured and special arrangements made for a surprising pageant this evening at 7:45 o’clock.”
An estimated 5,000 men were expected to march through downtown Uniontown as part of the 17th annual convention of the Fayette County Sunday School Association that was being held that week.
It was also reported that day that thousands of Sunday school pupils had already participated in their own, widely attended march.
In those days, there was one major concern that connected many of America’s religious leaders — drink.
That’s why Miss Marie Brehm of Pittsburgh was one of the convention’s guests. “Miss Brehm took up the subject of temperance, and gave much good advice as to the manner of preventing intemperance. She urged her hearers to teach the Sunday school boys and girls the evils that result from intemperance.”
After the “men’s” parade, J. Denny O’Neil of McKeesport gave an address at Central Church on “Booze and Politics.”
It’s interesting to note that while O’Neil spoke to the men, there were two other gatherings. “There will be a meeting of colored persons at the Great Bethel Baptist Church, and one for women at the Third Presbyterian while the men are enjoying Mr. O’Neil’s ‘Booze and Politics,'” it was reported.
Seventy-five years ago this month, on June 4, 1938, the Morning Herald carried a front-page story about something much smaller than groups of thousands of people.
“Better Story Than Proverbial Needle” was the headline for an item about a woman who’d lost a “valuable diamond” that had dropped from her ring while she was at Uniontown’s State Theater.
The “well-known local woman was so profoundly interested in watching her daughter’s dance routine that she did not discover until some time later that her diamond was lost,” the report said.
She was said to have searched on the floor of the darkened theater, until she recovered the precious stone.
The woman’s sleuthing allowed her to have “thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the program.”
The man known as the “Originator of Jazz and Stomps,” “Jelly Roll” Morton, took the stage at Shady Grove Park, 75 years ago next month (on July 15 and 17, 1927). Despite arguments by musical historians to the contrary, the notorious self-promoter Morton, claimed to be the inventor of jazz music. His 1916 composition “Jelly Roll Blues,” however, has been credited as being the first jazz composition ever published.
In early July of 1952, while 14 young ladies were about to compete in the Miss Uniontown competition at Uniontown High School’s stadium, the 36-year-old wife of a 69-year-old resident of Sunshine Works near Masontown was the subject of another local front-page story.
The woman’s husband was in the hospital. The woman got arrested and charged with assault and battery, surety of the peace and disorderly conduct.
Here’s where that story, according to the Uniontown Evening Standard, became worthy of a front-page mention.
When the woman was taken to the county jail, she was carrying a paper bag that was believed to have been filled with the woman’s clothes. It wasn’t. Inside the bag there were two pint jars.
“Eyes of Warden Jack Cochran and jailer bulged as the well-filled jars were removed,” it was reported.
What was in the pint jars? Folding money! It seems the woman had jammed “tens, 20s and 50s totaling $3,610 into the containers.
(NOTE: According to dollartimes.com, that $3,610 in 1952, would be worth a whopping $31,277.72 today.)
Fayette County Sheriff J.H. Echard and the chief county detective were immediately summoned, and they, in turn, immediately questioned the woman about the cash.
She claimed that the money belonged to her husband.
Her husband, who was still recovering in the hospital, told the sheriff that it was part of his pension, and that it should be placed in the bank.
“Don’t you know that your house might burn down or burglars might break-in?” the woman was asked.
Her reply seemed both logical, and illogical at the same time. “Nothing like that ever happened,” she claimed.
It was reported that the officers acted as guards until the money could be deposited into the hospitalized husband’s bank account.
It was also reported that the woman was released from jail the following day.
It didn’t say if she’d used some of her husband’s money to make bond.