Sunday, September 16, 2012

Two Breeches Bibles In Libraries Of Ypsilanti

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Saturday, September 17, 1932. Among the interesting and valued possessions of Ypsilanti people are Breeches Bibles, one in the library of Mrs. F. A. Barbour, and the other owned by C. I. LeForge. The Bible gets its name from the fact that one word is different that the Authorized Version. In Genesis III, 7, the word “breeches” was substituted for “aprons” in the description of man’s first clothes. Mrs. Barbour’s copy of the Breeches Bible was given to her by her daughter, who brought it from England. The first edition of the Breeches Bible was published in Geneva, in 1560. For that reason, it was first called the Geneva Bible, later receiving its nickname because of the difference of one word. The copy belonging to Mr. LeForge is the older of the two. It was printed in London in 1595 and has an engraved frontispiece, illustrating the Tree of Life. The other copy was printed in London by Robert Baker in 1608. Although it is 325 years old, it is in excellent condition. The pages of soft white paper have become yellow and grey with age, but the well printed text can be easily read. It has been necessary to repair the cover, but the old leather of the cover was used. The gilt in the simple tooled design on the binding is nearly gone and the leather darkened. But these signs of age and the spots where the leather is scuffed and worn with use only increase its value and interest for the owner. Mrs. Barbour has many interesting bits of history and information about the Breeches Bible. It is the work of a group called the Reformers who fled from England to escape persecution by the authorities. It is a revison rather that a translation, and was based on the translation by Tyndale. Because it was less bulky and cheaper than any other, it was the most popular Bible that had appeared in England. Several features of the Bible of today first appeared in the Breeches Bible. It was the first to use the present Roman type instead of the old black letter. At the first glance, the text of these books looks queer, as the “s” had the form of an “f”. It was the first to divide the verses and the first to omit the Apocrypha from the Bible. Mr. LeForce’s copy differs from most examples of the Breeches Bible, since the Apocrypha is included, but there are no marginal notes in this portion of the book. This Bible also omitted the name of St. Paul from the Epistle to the Hebrews and used italics for all words not in the original translation. One of the outstanding features was the marginal notes, in which the Reformers made comments concerning the theology and politics of the time. These notes were responsible for the King James Version of the Bible. These notes and comments were not the liking of the King, so he ordered a new translation made, the original of the Bible now in use. Publication of the Breeches Bibles marked end of much of the opposition to the Bible and the persecution of those believing in it. An idea of the knowledge that people had of geography in those times is given by plates illustrating these books. They have titles showing the subjects such as “A Description of the Holy Land, and situation of the Garden of Eden”. The engraved plates are much different from the latest pictures of these lands. But the important part of the Bible, the text, is very like the one in use today.

Larouche Farm Home Destroyed

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Friday, September 16, 1932. The farm home, south of Ypsilanti, occupied by Rod Larouche, burned to the ground Thursday afternoon, with a loss of approximately $2,500. A second building nearby, just under construction, was also burned. The fire broke out while Mr. Larouche was alone. Although he had been ill, he managed to break a window and get out, and a physician in the crowd which soon gathered, cared for him temporarily. The family is staying with friends until further arrangements can be made.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Thieves Enter Farm Dwelling

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Friday, September 9, 1932. Percy Hollaway, R. F. D. 3, Ypsilanti, reported to the state police at 11 o’clock Wednesday night that his house had been entered and goods valued at about $500 were missing. Mr. Hollaway and his family left the house at 6:30 and did not return until 10:30 when they discovered the theft. Entrance had been gained by cutting the screen on a door and unhooking it. Goods reported stolen to Trooper Conrad Konetshny, who investigated, included a dinner set of 100 pieces, linen valued at $75, a rug valued at $200 and about $150 of wearing apparel. No clues have been discovered but Lieutenant Lyle Morse, finger print expert of the state police has been sent for.

A Tar Bath Wasn’t What J. G. Carrugh, Detroit, Came Here After But He Got One

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on September 7, 1922. To find an undressed man in the basement of one’s store, taking a bath in turpentine is an experience which does not happen to every business man everyday, so when Alex Nulan took a customer to his basement to show him some goods and found the turpentine bath in progress, he registered considerable surprise if not actual alarm. Besides the unusual external circumstances was the additional fact that the bather was in decidedly perturbed frame of mind and difficulty was encountered in finding out just who he was, why he was there and what the benefits of the turpentine ablutions might be. Fortunately for the bather and Mr. Nulan, the customer, who had accompanied him to the basement was a man. Between the tow they finally managed to get the story together. Jesse G. Carrugh of Detroit, in the employ of Harris, Small and Lawson; had come to Ypsilanti to fill a business engagement with President Charles McKenny (of Eastern Michigan University). When he alighted from the D. U. R. car (the interurban) he stepped, or rather, fell into a puddle of warm, soft tar which Manager Older had had just ordered to be spread on the streets. Mr. Carrugh’s cloths were saturated with it, the tar even permeating to his skin. Feeling that he was in no condition to talk business with anyone and aided by sympathetic onlooker Mr. Carrugh went about in quest of turpentine as a possible solvent for the tar. Sympathetic onlookers piloted him to Mr. Nulan’s hardware where an equally sympathetic clerk tendered the basement as a temporary dressing room with bath. It was at this point that Mr. Nulan entered, having just returned from the Kiwanis dinner. A customer was waiting and he stepped up to attend to his wants before the clerk had an opportunity to tell him of the little drama which was being carried on in the basement of his store, and all unknowingly, Mr. Nulan and his customer ascended basement wards. With Mulan also listed on his side, Mr. Carrugh procured a suit of B. V. D.’s and one by one his trousers, shirt and coat were made presentable. Whether or not Mr Carrugh was able to make a satisfactory business arrangement with Mr. McKenny is not known. He called at city hall before he left and informed Mayor Beal that he intended to start a damage suit . The mayor suggested that he first present his bill at the next meeting of the common council in hopes that a more peaceable adjustment of the unfortunate circumstance might be made.