Out of the past: Oct. 9

1998

A federal judge will decide within a month whether to lift a 10-day school suspension of a Woodland High School student for creating a home page on the World Wide Web critical of the school district; the student, Brandon Beussink, 16, seeks a preliminary injunction against the school district in Marble Hill, Missouri, and claims the suspension in February violated his First Amendment right to free speech.

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives voted yesterday to proceed with an impeachment inquiry against President Clinton; the vote, largely along party lines, marked only the third time in the nation's history that the House has voted for impeachment hearings; the last presidential impeachment inquiry was authorized in 1974 when Democrats controlled the House and Richard Nixon was in the White House; Reps. Ike Skelton and Pat Danner of Missouri were among the 31 Democrats who voted for the impeachment measure; Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a Republican, also voted for the resolution.

1973

Reports of racial problems and unrest at Cape Girardeau Junior High School led the Rev. Earl W. Tharp, a member of the Board of Education, last night to offer a motion "that any of our students in any of our schools who continually harass and make threats... be expelled indefinitely and not be brought back into our system until brought before the Board of Education with the principal of that school"; his motion was eventually dropped after superintendent Charles E. House explained only the board can expel a student.

Ten dogs have been shot during the past week in Cape Rock Village as residents of the unincorporated subdivision just north of Cape Girardeau take up arms in an attempt to curb a growing dog problem; however, many of the residents, fearing someone will be struck by a stray bullet, stay clear of windows after dark.

1948

The lure of the cotton fields and high wages for picking -- $3.25 and up per hundred pounds -- has taken hold of workers living in Cape Girardeau; about 100 men and women are regularly being transported in planters' trucks to northern Scott and Mississippi counties to participate in harvesting the major crop; the workers are being furnished through the Employment Security Office in Cape Girardeau.

For their sixth annual convention, delegates from all sections of the state are arriving in Cape Girardeau for the meeting of the Missouri District of the Lutheran Laymen's League; an attendance of about 200 is expected; there are 66 clubs within the state affiliated with the state organization; official host is the Men's Club of Trinity Lutheran Church, of which Milton H. Suedekum is president.

1923

The Fred A. Groves Motor Co. of Cape Girardeau made the following deliveries of Ford automobiles last week: George Bolz, four-door sedan; R.E. Kinder of Whitewater, roadster; Dr. O.M. Schall of Old Appleton, coupe; Guy Armstrong and the Rev. E. Pruente, touring cars; Himmelberger-Harrison Land Co., touring; Burwell Fox, touring; Fred Neimeier, four-door sedan; Giboney Houck, touring; August Banner of Lutesville, Missouri, roadster; Otto Westrich of Chaffee, Missouri, touring, and Walter Post, touring.

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Fire originating from an explosion of a can of gasoline swept the business district of Wardell, Missouri, a small town 12 miles south of here, yesterday afternoon; damage is estimated at $100,000; the entire business section is in ruins following ineffectual efforts of a "bucket brigade" to fight the flames.

-- Sharon K. Sanders