Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Officer injured in chase, stays to arrest Sloan

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Saturday, July 17, 1937. During examination in municipal court this morning Clarence Sloan and Marvin Hoeman pleaded guilty to charges of reckless driving and allowing a car to driven recklessly by another, respectively. Mrs. Sloan, hysterical while witnessing the examination, fainted, just after the sentence of $200 restitution plus hospital bills plus $20 cost to each was passed. Although Patrolman Donald J. Ruddick suffered a painful injury in a wreck which occurred early this morning when Clarence Sloan, 9 Devonshire Road, tried to escape apprehension, he succeeded in capturing his quarry. The wreck resulted in almost complete demolishment of the police car and radio equipment. Ruddick had stopped Sloan on E. Michigan Ave. when he observed Sloan was driving erratically and asked for his driver’s license. Sloan saying he didn’t have one, stepped on the accelerator and turned down Miles St. Patrolman Ruddick stated. He gave pursuit, and it was when Sloan tried to make the turn off Miles St. onto Prospect St. that he overturned his car, and the officer, close behind, had to swerve to avoid a smash-up and in so doing lost control of the patrol car which went over end for end twice. Sloan scrambled out and ran into shrubbery of the McKenna residence in attempting to escape, but Officer Ruddick caught him and phoned the police station for assistance in getting to Beyer Hospital. The two drivers were treated for bruises and minor cuts, as also Marvin Hoeman, owner of the car Sloan was operating. Alex Arbayo, another passenger, who gave the same address as Sloan and Hoeman, was released. Sloan was locked up for the night on charges of driving while intoxicated, and Hoeman for allowing an intoxicated person to drive his car. Sloan has two broken ribs. Officer Ruddick continued his shift until 5:30 this morning, and later X-rays revealed his left wrist was fractured. He had held his gun in it, ready to shoot at the gas tank of the Sloan car.

Confectioner charged with assault by girl, 15 employed in store

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Tuesday, July 16, 1912. Irene Doyle, aged 15 preferred a serious charge against George Goutziaman, a Greek confectioner, of the Michigan Candy Works, 106 W. Congress Street (now Michigan Ave.) this morning. She commenced work in the candy store Sunday and claims that she had not been there long when Goutziaman attacked her. She was questioned by local officers but failed to present sufficient evidence to substantiate the charge. A warrant was issued however charging Goutziaman with assault and battery. He was arraigned before Justice Stadtmiller and entered a plea of not guilty. His trial was set for July 24.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Tables Turned According to Auto Story

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press of Wednesday, July 10, 1912. Alexander Poupard, who was injured in the Ann Arbor Road a few days ago by being crowded into ditch by some reckless automobilists, is getting along fairly well, but is not yet able to take his regular work. When asked what he would do if he were to find out the name of the party who was responsible for his injury, Mrs. Poupard said it would depend on the wishes of the Casler Brothers, for it was his effort to save the horses instead of himself that had caused him to be so badly hurt. It is claimed that the identity of the occupants of the red touring car which caused the accident is known, and the story, if true, forms a curious exhibit in accidents. It will be remembered that a short time ago Marvin Phelps and Dr. Louis Given of Jackson were the victims of an automobile accident between this city and Ann Arbor and that they claimed an Ypsilanti automobilist had crowded them into the ditch, causing the capsizing of their car and injury of a serious nature to Mr. Phelps. Singularly, Dr. Given, it is reported and one of Mrs. Phelps’ household, were two of the passengers in the suspected car (though neither were driving) when the accident to Mr. Poupard happened. The other two occupants it is claimed were Western Harvester men, whose business has brought them into this vicinity considerable of late. Like the unknown drivers of the car concerned in the other accident, the men accused of the Poupard accident drove rapidly on without pause. Upon reaching Ypsilanti, as the story goes, the harvester men made a detour, going behind “Hungry Hill” There was hazard as well as safety in this course, as it developed, for broken glass on “Hungry Hill” punctured one of their tires and caused considerable delay in their progress. Those who saw the adventurous drivers say that it was a Clark automobile, that it painted red and that it carried an Indiana banner. The car described in Mr. Poupard’s story of the accident was similar to this one and when men who had talked with the harvester party read of the accident the two cases seemed to fit together pretty well. No one has taken the trouble as yet to follow the matter up and to determine whether or not there is any evidence against the harvester men as rumored but it is probable that an effort will at least be made to find out soon and then to collect enough money to cover the cost to both Mr. Poupard and to Mr. Casler.

Seriously injured by high spirited horse

This story was published by the Ypsilanti Daily Press on Wednesday, July 10, 1912. Leo Clark was so severely hurt this morning from a kick by a horse that he has been taken to the University hospital in Ann Arbor. It was about eleven o’clock this morning that Clark was bringing the horses to the barn, having spent the morning mowing grass, when one of the horses threw up his heels and struck Clark in the shoulder. The horse is not ugly, but has high spirits and the near approach of feeding time accounts for the playful elevation of his heels no doubt. Dr. Paton and Dr. Britton were called and put Clark under the influence of chloroform wile they examined him. They found his shoulder blade broken, and after he had come out from under the influence of the chloroform he was hurried in Dr. Paton’s auto to the hospital in Ann Arbor. The accident happened on the farm of Robert Clark, his father.

Fire causes light damage

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Saturday, July 8, 1922. Fire believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion in a store room, filled with bedding and household furniture, caused damage to the amount of about $150 at the home of Mrs. Al Davis, 448 South Washington Street, about 8 o’clock last night. The fire had a good start before it was discovered and the fire department called, and although the bedding made good tinder and shot forth considerable flames and smoke, Chief Miller said this morning that he did not believe the loss to the house and contents would exceed $150. About five o’clock yesterday afternoon the fire department was called to the library on Huron Street where an oil stove was shooting forth flames and threatened the building. The blaze was extinguished, however, without any loss.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Mystery shrouds death of Vincent Cross At about 4:30 of the morning of July 4, 1900, Henry Minor, the baggageman for the Michigan Central Railroad at Ypsilanti, and section foreman John Gunn, were walking along the tracks south of the depot. The two were behind the Ferrie shops, where the co-op is now, when they came across the dead body. There was no doubt that this man was dead. “His face and in face the whole front part of his head was gone, the left arm was broken and there were other bruises upon the body. Pieces of the skull and brains were scattered along the track,” reported The Washtenaw Times of Friday, July 6, 1900. “It was who the unfortunate young man was,” continued the account, “but he was finally completely identified by Felix Duffy, his cousin, by certain tattoo marks upon the body and upon his hands, as Gerald Vincent Cross.” Cross was about 21 years of age, and lived with his uncle, Thomas Duffy, on River Street. He was employed by the Michigan Central Railroad. “It is said that a peculiar circumstance about the finding of the body was that it was between the west bound tracks and about ten or fifteen feet west of the body was found a large pool of blood, “noted the account. “It is not clear how to explain this circumstance.” Cross was at a party behind Ferriers’ shop until about 11:00 p.m., but no one could later say when he left or which way he went.. no one admitting see him after 11:00 p.m. The inquest was held on Thursday, July 5, 1900, in the office of Justice Child. The jury returned the verdict: “We find the said Vincent Cross came to his death on the morning of July 4, 1900, at Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Mich., in some manner unknown to us.” Some thought Cross had been murdered, and the body placed on the tracks as a way to hide the act. Still, after several days of investigation, no evidence to explain the manner of death was discovered. No one could explain the pool of blood distant from the body, and no expiation was ever put forward. In the end, all that is left is the mystery.