Out of the past: April 26

1993

Organizers say the weekend's blustery weather cut down on the number of people who participated in the third annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive; bright spots during the drive was attendance at both the Civil War encampment near Burfordville and the frontiersmen and women of the Zenon River Brigade at Elks Park, which drew robust crowds.

In an effort to stand out from other police departments, Cape Girardeau officers Danny Niswonger, Ken Rinehart and Brian Ritter designed a new decal for the city's squad cars; they based their design on the department's shoulder patch.

1968

Petitions are in circulation asking the Cape Girardeau City Council to call a special election to again submit to the voters a proposed 20-cent park tax levy; the issue was defeated in the April 2 election.

A singing march on State College campus last night capped a day of student gatherings and marches in protest of the dismissal of eight teachers; Ed Graham, student chairman of the joint faculty-student steering committee, says the singing march drew attention from students and several faculty members, with many of the faculty making speeches.

1943

Many Cape Girardeans report noticing an earthquake or severe jolt of some sort about 6 last night; there was a distinct rumbling and some reported their houses shook.

Martha Mann, who has been living at 111 N. West End Blvd., will go to St. Louis tomorrow to take a position as a bookkeeper; she and her son, Curtis L. Mann, who is working for a printing company, will reside at 5128 Kensington St.; Martha Mann fled Germany a few months before war broke out in Europe, spending a year in England, where she witnessed bombings; before leaving Germany, she saw the persecution of the Jews; her sister remained in Germany and hasn't been heard from.

1918

In opening court at Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, in the morning, Judge Peter H. Huck overrules the demurrer asked for by the Frisco Railroad in the case of the city of Cape Girardeau vs. the Frisco; it is another victory for the city in the Frisco litigation; the city brought suit against the railroad to force its fulfillment of the franchise and contract it has with the city.

The Parmenter damage case, which is called in Ste. Genevieve County Circuit Court in the morning, is continued by Judge Peter H. Huck until the October term; the widow of slain Cape Girardeau police officer Albert Demortiers filed the suit against his convicted slayer, John Parmenter, who is living in Stoddard County as his case is appealed.

-- Sharon K. Sanders