100 YEARS AGO — 1921

Eighteen White Sox players and gamblers have been indicted by the Cook county grand jury in connection with the 1919 baseball scandal. Eight indictments were returned against each of the men charging a general conspiracy to obtain money under false pretenses and of operating a confidence game.

Brothers, Joe and Tom Leasure were jailed Saturday night in Lincoln County as “drunk as lords.” They came in from Junction City Pike. At their trials they swore that they bought the booze from someone beyond Junction City, but could neither give the name nor description of the person. Judge Reynolds fined them $10 and costs. The arrest of a drunken man in Stanford is such an unusual occurrence that this one caused considerable excitement.

A bay horse and a fine mule suddenly walked into the livery stable of C.A. Manning in Danville about 8 a.m. on March 24. They have been “boarding” with Mr. Manning ever since. He has advertised the stray horse and mule, but up to this time, no trace of their owner has been found. Mr. Manning has also notified the police and in adjoining communities, but no one seems to know anything about the animals. The horse and mule are in perfect condition and appear to be good animals. He is very anxious to find the owner, as feed is high and he thinks it is about time the animals were paying for their keep.

75 YEARS AGO — 1946

Miss Betty Logan, only daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Robert L. Logan of Peoria, Illinois, became the bride of Jack B. Stith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack A. Stith of East Lexington Avenue in Danville. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stith attended Centre College. Mrs. Stith was recently employed with the Encyclopedia Britannica in Chicago. Mr. Stith has been associated with his father in business since his return earlier this year from Europe where he had seen long service with the U.S. Army. The young couple will return to make their home in Danville.

A desire to master the English language, to find Nylon hosiery (which cost nearly $15 per pair in her own country) and to wear open-toed, open heeled American shoes are only three of the major ambitions of Danville’s first French war bride — Mrs. Robert Lee (Henriette) Smith. The charming and chic Mrs. Smith arrived here Monday night after having come all the way from Paris in a 17-day trip by train, boat, bus and train again to North Fourth Street where she will live temporarily with her husband’s mother and sisters.

Police in two states were on the lookout today for three men and a woman, probably driving a stolen vehicle after they had driven or pushed a 1936 two-door black sedan over the cliff at Danville’s Herrington Lane pumping station Wednesday then fled in a half-ton pickup truck belonging to H.E. Parker. The pumping station is about four miles from Danville. The car, a Chevrolet, crashed about 40 feet down the steps leading to the concrete pumping station, broke the iron pipe hand rail in several places, knocking pipe sections on top of the station, broke two water lines leading from the station, and crashed into the pumping station building.

50 YEARS AGO — 1971

Danville has more industrial jobs available than other cities of similar size according to the 1971 Kentucky Directory of Manufacturers. Twenty three Danville industries listed a total of 3,164 jobs ranging from five in the smallest firm to 700 in the community’s largest industry. In addition to the industries, Danville also has an important agriculture economy including tobacco warehouses and a weekly livestock market. Institutional payroll in the community also is important including Ephraim McDowell Memorial Hospital, Centre College, Kentucky School for the Deaf and Kentucky State Hospital.

Architects have recommended that a new Ephraim McDowell Memorial Hospital be built in another location rather than remodeling and adding to the present structure at Walnut and Third streets. The hospital board met and “feels a new facility is most desirable provided it can be properly financed,” according to hospital president E.C. Gamble. In discussing a possible site for a new hospital, Gamble said, “We can find what we need” and indicated that 30 to 50 acres would be sufficient to build a hospital and provide the necessary parking for doctors, patients’ families and employees, which is a serious problem at the current location.

Danville’s first known 1971 martin scout has arrived. He came in whistling and circled the newly placed martin box at 404 Timothy Avenue. He noted that the holes to the 12 apartments had covers on them, and he voiced his displeasure by whistling in a louder key and again started circling the area. Frantic efforts by residents in the area removed the covers from the holes as the scout circled impatiently and flew close to the box as they stood on the ladder to open the apartments. When the holes were opened and the ladder was pushed back from the pole, the impatient scout, whistling sounds of triumph, flew to the box and for several minutes investigated the various apartments and balconies. He selected the middle apartment and with a final cry of happiness, went into the box.

25 YEARS AGO — 1996

The Boyle County Fiscal Court is proposing that the Crawford Springs House be transferred to the Perryville Battlefield project. The property on U.S. 68 was the headquarters of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg during the Civil War Battle of Perryville and includes a spring critical to supplying water to troops.

The Human Rights Commission asked the Danville City Commission to look into complaints about harassment of  young Blacks by white police officers. Susan Weston, vice chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission, said the group over the past six months has worked with four young Blacks who said they have been stopped repeatedly by Danville police when no charges were filed. The young men said they had been stopped for having tinted windows, had been told to turn down the car radio and had been followed too closely by police.

The mad cow scare has left huge stockpiles of frozen hamburgers at McDonald’s and Wimpy, patties that face an uncertain future after the fast-food giants banned British beef.