Out of the past: Dec. 15

1998

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will vote to impeach President Clinton despite pleas from White House staff and actor Robert De Niro; the Cape Girardeau Republican says she will vote for at least two of the four articles of impeachment approved last week by the House Judiciary Committee, the two that accuse the president of perjury; Emerson hasn't decided to support two other articles of impeachment; those accuse the president of obstructing justice and abusing his power.

Southeast Missouri State University Provost Dr. Charles Kupchella will remain in his current job; Kupchella was one of five finalists for chancellor of the University of Michigan campus at Flint; the schedule called for a new chancellor to be chosen, possibly later this week; but Kupchella said yesterday he is no longer in the running for the post.

1973

The first of a "new brand" of lawman will be graduated in winter commencement exercises at Southeast Missouri State University tomorrow; Jackson police chief David M. Gellatly and former St. Louis police officer Ronald Benson will be awarded the first degrees in law enforcement from SEMO; the law enforcement program, started in January 1973 with only 25 students, has swelled to an enrollment of 250, which includes nearly 335 officers from local agencies and 11 women.

Randy Morse has purchased the Key Rexall Store in Town Plaza Shopping Center from Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Swinney, who have operated it since the shopping center was established; previously, Morse was employed for 10 years at Bill's Pharmacy, 735 Broadway.

1948

The first trickle of names of families Cape Girardeau organizations will help with Christmas baskets has begun to move through the clearing house established by the Ministerial Alliance -- the Christmas Giving Club -- but the number hasn't yet reached the proportions hit in pre-war years; Lelia Storm, director of the work, says that on the other hand, a great many people have called her office asking for names of families they might assist.

Acting on orders of Mayor Walter H. Ford, chief of police William Mills has given instructions to establishments where punch boards and card games had been reported in operation that such activities won't be allowed in the future; punch boards and similar gambling devices were seized in a number of businesses last week by Sheriff Alvin Klaus upon orders of Circuit Judge L.D. Joslyn.

1923

A formal decree of foreclosure on the Elks Building on Themis Street was granted by John A. Snider in Common Pleas Court yesterday in a suit brought by the Southeast Missouri Trust Co. against the Elks Realty Co., former owner of the building; sale of the structure will be asked at the next term of court in February.

A party of Cape Girardeau hunters who spent the week in the vicinity of Holland, Missouri, in Pemiscot County, are displaying a 25-pound wild turkey on their return here; the bird was killed by John Rudert, 909 Jefferson Ave.; three days of rain practically ruined their hunt, say members of the group, Rudert, S.P. Dalton, J.F. Masterson and J.A. Kinder.

-- Sharon K. Sanders