Out of the past: Sept. 7

1990

Southeast Missouri State University has been given a $120,000 federal grant to help fund special services for "at-risk" students; the U.S. Department of Education grant is the first of its kind for the university and will serve 200 first-generation, low-income and physically handicapped students.

A gold-adorned automobile once owned by Elvis Presley will highlight more than 160 concessions at this year's SEMO District Fair; the display will be among more than 100 outside concessions and nearly 70 booths that will be set up inside the A.C. Brase Arena Building.

1965

Curtis J. Neal, 87, of Cape Girardeau, a retired state sales tax auditor, died Sunday night at a local hospital; he was employed by the American Express Co., for 29 years, before opening a hardware business in Cape Girardeau; he went to work for the state in the 1930s, retiring in 1958.

The Frisco Railroad announces that for the first time in almost 60 years Cape Girardeau will be without railway passenger service; after Sept. 17, Frisco will discontinue all passenger service here; the Frisco started service from Memphis, Tennessee, to St. Louis on Nov. 19, 1905; only two passenger trains have been stopping here in recent years.

1940

A search is underway in the Jackson-Fruitland vicinity for a youth who made a daring, 13-foot leap for freedom from a window of the county courthouse in Jackson late yesterday; the youth, about 20 years old, is wanted for questioning in connection with the finding at Jackson of an automobile which was stolen Sept. 4 at Bloomington, Illinois.

Cupid, aided and abetted by Uncle Sam and the state of Illinois, is making the marrying business a major enterprise in Cape Girardeau these days; boosting the number of weddings here are Illinoisans, who are fleeing mandatory health exams.

1915

The circuit court this week gave possession of the Mertens property, Broadway and Sprigg Street, to F.F. Braun; several months ago, Braun bid the property in at a sheriff's sale, the County Court having sold the property to collect a loan from the county school fund; Mertens tried to reclaim the property, appealing the case to the circuit court, where it was set aside this week and Braun given full possession.

Charles Cofer, who has been in charge of the Sherman-Cofer store since it opened a year ago, has bought the interests of D. and Sam Sherman; in the future, he will conduct the business as the Cofer Clothiery.

-- Sharon K. Sanders