A Danville woman who was in court some weeks ago on a charge of hoodooing Leslie Gregory was released after the court proved she did not hoodoo, but only threatened Gregory. Gregory was back at the courthouse this week saying the woman had carried out her threats to hoodoo him and he was suffering intensely. He had been to see Dr. J. Tolls, the Lexington hoodoo remover, who declared to Leslie that he had mosquitoes and bugs in his stomach and that he would live in holy terror until the evil spirits had been driven away. The doctor charged Gregory $25.
75 YEARS AGO - 1933
Casey County officials and citizens were seeking a solution to one of the most baffling and brutal crimes ever committed in this section of Kentucky after finding two men badly beaten and mutilated in a deep pool on Green River, two miles from Liberty. The bodies of John White, 85, and his son, Clay White, 50, who lived between Liberty and Hustonville, were found by a trapper in the river. They were wrapped in sheets and tightly bound with wire and weighed down with rock. It appeared the victims had been beaten with an ax and club. Their home was ransacked. Two weapons were found in the yard, but apparently not used.
Farmers Tobacco Warehouse has completed the largest warehouse in Danville, known as Farmers No. 4 at the corner of Dillehay and Hope streets. The lighting was 10 percent more than the specifications called for and it is almost as light as day in the house. The building can hold 2,000 baskets and has special run-ways for loading. The new addition gives Farmers Tobacco Warehouse Co. four large houses with a capacity of 6,000 baskets.
Edgar Newlin, a Danville attorney, was named chairman of the Boyle County NRA Compliance Board by the Chamber of Commerce. He replaces Hickman Carter.
Boyle Post 46, American Legion, will sponsor a soup kitchen for the poor during the Christmas holidays, Ben C. Ingles and Dr. C.B. Kobert told the Chamber of Commerce. Last year, they fed 250 children in four schools. Hoboes and transients will not be fed this year. More than 5,000 people were fed last year by the Legionnaires in the soup kitchen.
50 YEARS AGO - 1958
General Shoe Corp. has announced a program to increase employee benefits including wage increase, new and broader coverage for hospitalization, and interest on Christmas savings which more than 5,000 employees of the company use.
W.H. "Doc" Owens, a local Realtor, was named president of the Danville Chamber of Commerce. He succeeds Pierce Lively. Arnold Gregory was re-elected as first vice president, Jack Stone was named second vice president and Bill Edmiston was appointed to take Arnold Gregory's seat on the board. Other directors are Bruce Montgomery, Roy Edmiston, Earl Baldwin, James M. Norvell, Leon Woodrow and Raleigh Crook.
A small house on South Second Street, owned by Mattie Hutchinson and occupied by Anderson Bedinger, was damaged by fire during the night. Assistant Fire Chief Hubert Preston said the fire may have started from live coals from a fire in the grate in the front room. The floor and furniture were damaged.
Three people are recovering from fire injuries at Prall Chair Co. Capt. George Merrick suffered a broken leg and shoulder, and rib injuries when a ladder he was working on fell. Assistant Chief Hubert Preston suffered a sprained wrist, and Arthur Robinson has a sprained ankle.
25 YEARS AGO - 1983
Local ham radio operators are expecting to pick up transmissions of people in the Space Shuttle Flight 9. Chauncy Alcock said they expect to hear amateur radio operator astronaut Owen Garriott on their scanners. Garriott plans to spend an hour a day trying to communicate with ham operators around the world, but Alcock said the chance of a local operator contacting Garriott is like "finding a needle in a haystack."
A mistrial was declared in the case of seven Streamland subdivision residents against the city of Danville and the construction company that installed sewer lines for the city. Acting Judge Henry Burks ruled that a mistrial had occurred because a witness for the plaintiffs mentioned insurance while being questioned. Attorney Mark Morgan said the case will be rescheduled for the spring term of court. The residents claim that blasting done by the construction company caused structural damage to their homes.
Cecil Toadvine, a former hobo turned conductor, worked for Southern Railroad 41 years before he retired last week. His co-workers called Toadvine "the best old dude I've ever worked with" and "one of the better railroaders." Toadvine switched from being a hobo to a railroader after a friend told him that if he liked to ride the railroads so much, he ought to get paid. Toadvine took the friend's advice and became a brakeman for Southern at the age of 27. He went on to become conductor.
