Past Pages for Tuesday, April 8, 2014

140 years ago

We suspect that if the truth could be known, the greater number of the unaccountable fires which take place are more the result of childish mischief than anybody’s malice. The following from last evening’s Chronicle helps the suspicion. A citizen of the first ward says that paper, seeing a little 10-year-old boy loitering about the rear of an old stable a few evenings since. When the boy saw the man coming, he took to his heels and escaped recognition. On examination, it was found the little rascal had prepared a train of rags and paper, saturated with coal oil, preparing to fire the stable as soon as the shades of evening fell.

130 years ago

The question of cremation is now being actively discussed. The majority of people stand aghast at the idea of having their bodies burned. It is a mystery to us how anyone who considers the idea for a moment should prefer burial to burning.

100 years ago

Another contingent of Kelly’s “army,” numbering 100, arrived in Winnemucca at 3:30 this afternoon on a Western Pacific train from the west. The sheriff’s office was notified and they were met at the depot and told they could not cross the bridge into town. The men then were taken to the stock corrals to camp. Officers will have the men leave town on the same train they came in on.

70 years ago

Attorney General Biddle has notified all United States attorneys and marshals to release all articles deposited by Italian aliens. This procedure is limited to applications by aliens of Italian nationality not presently interned or paroled as alien enemies.

50 years ago

Western dueling lost popularity. Austin considered itself less crude than other communities in Nevada and accorded its shootings to the code. “A duel was fought this morning between Billy Mulligan and Tom Coleman. Mulligan was the challenging party. Weapons were revolvers, the opponents to begin firing at the word, and ten paces the distance. After the first fire opponents were permitted to advance and continue firing. Five shots were fired on each side with Coleman wounded slightly in the thigh; also a finger on his right hand broken. Mulligan was uninjured. No arrests made.” — Reese River Reveille

30 years ago

Bill Ruff, veteran radio and television broadcaster, has been named chairman of the fifth annual Capital City Fair.

Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.