Out of the past 1/11/10

25 years ago: Jan. 11, 1985

A Missouri Court of Appeals judge in St. Louis has denied a request by multipurpose building opponents for a writ of mandamus which sought to force Cape Girardeau city officials to hold a special election on whether the arena should be located on Southeast Missouri State University property.

BENTON, Mo. -- Douglas Wayne Thompson is returned to the Missouri Penitentiary to serve a life sentence for the 1961 slaying of a Cape Girardeau police officer after being convicted a third time.

50 years ago: Jan. 11, 1960

Far surpassing expectations, a large crowd of visitors streamed into the new Cape Girardeau Police Department headquarters building at Sprigg and Independence streets during the two-day open house this weekend; it is estimated at least 2,000 persons viewed the new facility.

Children bound for Jackson in an R-2 school bus escape injury at 7:45 a.m., when the vehicle is struck from behind by an automobile as the bus stops to pick up children; the accident occurs on U.S. 61 at Hank's Place, about three miles north of Fruitland.

75 years ago: Jan. 11, 1935

An attempt to extort $10,000 from Col. C.D. Matthews, wealthy banker of Sikeston, Mo., and former chairman of the Missouri State Highway Commission, is revealed with the reported frustration of the scheme; a 33-year-old former highway department employee, who lives at the east outskirts of Jackson, is a suspect in the plot.

A comprehensive forestry program has been inaugurated in Southern Illinois, immediately across the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau, with men stationed at Camp Delta of the Civilian Conservation Corps near McClure, Ill., participating in the construction program.

100 years ago: Jan. 11, 1910

The A.J. Vogel Auto Co. of Cape Girardeau was granted a charter Monday, with capital stock of $2,000; incorporators are A.J. Vogel, W.D. Black and E.W. Vogel.

Dr. Otto E. Forster is elected vice president of the board of directors of the First National Bank; he replaces W.H. Coerver, who asked to be relieved of those duties; George S. Summers, who held a directorship, gives way to Robert W. Matteson.

-- Sharon K. Sanders