Out of the past 12/14/09

25 years ago: Dec. 14, 1984

BENTON, Mo. -- Douglas Wayne Thompson's third trial for the killing of Cape Girardeau reserve police officer Herbert L. Goss 23 years ago ended yesterday with a jury's verdict of guilty.

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents and the Cape Girardeau City Council waste little time in the morning approving final design plans for the multipurpose building, which call for scaling down the size of the structure without significantly reducing seating.

50 years ago: Dec. 14, 1959

The Christmas shopping season enters the semifinal week with indications that it will prove the biggest, dollarwise, in Cape Girardeau's history; merchants here say buying started earlier than usual, with the traditional post-Thanksgiving rush being greater than in former years.

MALDEN, Mo. -- The deactivation of the Malden Air Base is announced in the afternoon, leaving area residents stunned at the potential loss of a $3,000,000 annual payroll.

75 years ago: Dec. 14, 1934

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- In published notices, Prosecuting Attorney George A. Rozier and Sheriff Ben Lane of Perry County have warned that "on or after Sunday" they will confiscate all gambling devices found in Perry County; they have received numerous complaints of gambling devices in the county.

Workers are putting up partitions in a building at 420 Broadway for two offices and for a showroom for the C. & M. Kern Auto Co.; the Kern company, dealers for Hudson and Terraplane automobiles, will move there from 41 S. Main St.

100 years ago: Dec. 14, 1909

President I.R. Kelso has issued a call for a meeting of the Commercial Club tomorrow evening; he feels the two matters to be discussed are of great importance; John L. Mathews, secretary of the Mississippi Valley Transportation Co. of St. Louis, will present the plans of his company for locating here; the other topic of discussion will be the contemplated change in passenger train schedules by the Frisco Railroad.

As is customary each Christmas season, Cape Girardeau's shops and stores will remain open in the evenings to allow for holiday shopping.

-- Sharon K. Sanders