Out of the past: March 9

1996

Although it initially appears that Cape Girardeau County Republicans would be evenly split between Sen. Bob Dole and Pat Buchanan, the local party caucus ends up throwing most of its weight toward Dole; turnout was low for the caucus at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, one of 121 Republican caucuses held throughout the state, with only 48 people attending; with 19 delegates up for grabs in Cape County, 13 go to Dole, four to Pat Buchanan, one to Steve Forbes and one delegate uncommitted.

Ken Hamblin, who calls himself the Black Avenger, speaks at the annual Lincoln Day dinner at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in the evening; Hamblin, a nationally syndicated radio talk show host, says: "I am an American hero. I am proof that America works. I came from a place where there were no dreams."

1971

Bob Merrick, the new state Selective Service director, announces that the number of Missouri Selective Service offices will be reduced from 121 to 26; the action will leave Southeast Missouri with five offices to serve 18 counties; the Cape Girardeau County draft office will apparently remain in the Federal Building here, but will also serve Perry and Bollinger counties.

Gen. Seth J. McKee returns in the evening to receive the tribute of his fellow townsmen in Cape Girardeau and Scott City; the commander of the North American Air Defense Command at Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the guest of honor and speaker at the annual Chamber of Commerce joint service clubs dinner at the Arena Building; he is made a Missouri Mule Skinner -- one of Missouri's top honors -- by Maj. Gen. L.B. Adams Jr., state adjutant who represents Gov. Warren E. Hearnes.

1946

Word is received of the death in Dublin, Ireland, of Cardinal John Glennon, 83, archbishop of St. Louis and oldest of 32 cardinals elevated to the purple two weeks ago in Rome; his death comes at 2:51 a.m. Cape Girardeau time; he had been here at least six times during his 42 years as archbishop, the last time 13 years ago, when he celebrated the funeral Mass for the Rev. Eberhard Pruente, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church.

The name Randol-Sieck Post No. 4288, honoring two Jackson heroes of World War II, has been given to the recently organized post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Jackson; the post name comes from Seaman Max Randol, 18, who was killed in the opening attack on Manila Bay, and Ensign Gilbert Sieck, 19-year-old Navy flier, who was killed in a plane crash in Dutch Guiana in South America.

1921

With a signed statement from Ralph Brashear, naming Luther Little as the person who shot and killed police officer Willis A. Martin the morning of Feb. 27, Cape Girardeau police believe they have solved the direst crime committed here in years; Brashear's wife, May Brown Brashear, isn't surprised by the statement, saying, "I knew that Brashear kept evil company. ... I left him because of his bad habits and his bad companions."

True to the word of Public Utilities Co. manager E.A. Hart, workers got the big turbo generator back together last night at the Cape Rock plant; however, when it was turned on and reached about half-speed, "it was doing a shimmy and imitation of St. Vitas and other snappy dances," and had to be shut off; the company is purchasing a new rotor, and Cape Girardeau will remain dark for now.

-- Sharon K. Sanders