Out of the past: Sept. 12

1998

Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook, visiting Cape Girardeau yesterday, said talk of voter fraud in Missouri has been blown out of proportion by some Republican lawmakers; she said voter fraud isn't widespread in the state, although isolated cases do occur from time to time; two state lawmakers, Sen. Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau and Rep. Mark Richardson of Poplar Bluff, earlier this month called for an end to vote buying and voter fraud in Missouri.

For the benefit of the Southeast Missourian's readers, the newspaper prints the entire report of independent counsel Ken Starr to the U.S. House of Representatives regarding President Clinton; 3,000 copies are available in the Cape Girardeau area; the decision to publish the report separately was based on the explicit sexual content of the report, which publishers believe isn't suitable for the Southeast Missourian.

1973

After the largest attendance Tuesday for an opening day in four years, the 1973 SEMO District Fair is underway with full speed ahead; 10,830 persons went through the gates at Arena Park yesterday, after the official opening at 3 p.m.; for the most part, exhibits are in place, although some cattle have been late in arriving; entertaining in front of the grandstand this evening will be the Blue Grass Shows and the Blackwood Brothers gospel singers.

The federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis announces approval has been given to the application of Mercantile Bancorporation of St. Louis to acquire Cape State Bank and Trust Co. in Cape Girardeau.

1948

An ordination service is held in the afternoon at Red Star Baptist Church for two young men of the congregation, at the request of the churches calling them as pastors; they are Melvin Gateley of Liberty Baptist Church near Bloomfield, Missouri, and R.L. Robinson of the Baptist Church at Anniston, Missouri.

William F. Henninger and his wife, the former Minnie Willer, of St. Louis are visiting Cape Girardeau after an absence of 58 years; William Henninger says he has found only four residents he knew when he lived here; he is the son of Frederick Henninger, who for 25 years operated the Germania Brewery at Morgan Oak and Middle streets; he recalls having carved his name in a large rock near St. Vincent's College in 1883; he found his name, somewhat obliterated by the elements, is still there.

1923

Stephen B. Hunter, member of the state constitution convention, is at home in Cape Girardeau, his work in that connection having practically been finished; he and his wife arrived here yesterday; the convention was in session 12 months, and Hunter missed few, if any, of the sessions; he says he never worked harder in his life, but he enjoyed the experience very much.

The management of the Cape Fair is assured over long-distance telephone by Maj. John A. Peagelow, commanding officer of Scott Field in Arkansas, that he will send the big dirigible airship TC-3 to Cape Girardeau for an exhibition flight next Wednesday, unless something happens to make the trip inadvisable; Peagelow tells the fair organizers he owes it to Cape Girardeau to send the dirigible here if possible, because he had to disappoint Girardeans on the Fourth of July; on that occasion he received orders from the War Department to send his available airships to other points, changing his plans to fly here for the holiday.

-- Sharon K. Sanders