Out of the past: May 6

1994

ST. LOUIS -- Southeast Missouri State University and one of its former fraternities -- Kappa Alpha Psi -- were sued for damages Thursday by the parents of a student who died earlier this year after an alleged hazing beating; the lawsuit was filed in St. Louis Circuit Court by Edith and Boyd Davis of St. Louis, who accuse the defendants of the wrongful death of their son, Michael Alexander Davis.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters will get to decide on issuing $250 million in bonds to pay for prisons and higher education projects; the Senate voted 22-9 yesterday to send the House-approved package to voters; among other projects, the package would finance a $12.3 million business administration and classroom building at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

1969

Members of Local 702, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, voted last night to ratify the new contract agreement with Missouri Utilities, calling for a wage increase of 20 cents per hour now and an additional hike of 11 cents per hour Oct. 1.

Police interrupted a burglary in progress late Monday night at the Sears store in Town Plaza Shopping Center and are holding a State College student in the city jail; police arrested the youth as he was pushing an electric organ out the rear door of the store.

1944

The Mississippi River is rising slightly at Cape Girardeau again, after falling fractionally overnight; the stage here receded to 40.3 feet at midnight, then a slight surge takes it back to 40.4 feet at 7 a.m.; U.S. Engineers point out continued rainfall will likely keep the river at a high mark for some time.

Tuning in with the variety of odd weather, flurries of snow come to Cape Girardeau in the morning on the heels of yesterday afternoon's hail; a light shower of rain also fell during the night; the temperature sinks to 35 degrees.

1919

Word is received the 140th Infantry Regiment will arrive in Cape Girardeau on Thursday instead of Friday, throwing preparations into a bit of a tizzy; the Cape Girardeau Commercial Club has a dozen committees working on arrangements for the parade and civic celebration; the boys are expected to remain here several hours, before departing by train for their journey to Camp Funston, Kansas.

The Southeast Missourian has been requested by the entertainment committee to appeal to the women of Southeast Missouri to contribute about 250 nice, rich, HOME-MADE cakes to be served to the boys of the 140th on Thursday; a big, fat slice of HOME-MADE cake must be given to each boy; they must be baked Wednesday and delivered to the cake tent at the fairgrounds by 10 a.m. Thursday; they should be solid, rich cakes with hard icing, not the least sticky.

-- Sharon K. Sanders