Tag: Q4 1938
Bombs Away: Assassination Bid Foiled Against Waterbury Mayor
On the eve of New Year’s Eve in 1938, Waterbury, Connecticut, was shaken by a brazen attempt on the life of Mayor Hayes. The plot, hatched by unknown assailants, was foiled by the swift and vigilant Waterbury police department. Details of the assassination bid are still sketchy, but eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion near…
Gastons Grim Requiem: Notorious Con Man Dies Behind Bars
Gaston Means, a notorious con man and swindler, met his demise on December 12, 1938, just days after undergoing an operation in prison. Means, known for his elaborate schemes and cunning tactics, had been behind bars for quite some time, but his life of crime finally caught up with him. In a career spanning decades,…
Human Cost of the Great Depression: 10.5 Million Jobless and Counting
Washington D.C., December 3, 1938 – The Great Depression has left an indelible mark on the United States, with Leon Henderson, a top economist in the Works Progress Administration, painting a stark picture of the human cost of the economic downturn. In testimony before the Federal Monopoly Committee, Henderson revealed that a staggering 10,569,000 persons…
Murderer Walks Free: Governor Hurley Spares Life of John Tartar
On the day of thanks, a convicted killer was granted a pardon by Governor Hurley. John Tartar, sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of Mary Mahan in the Blue Hills reservation, was given a second chance despite opposition from Councilor Edward T Collins of Springfield. The pardon was granted with the advice…
Nuts to You: El Centro’s Arc A. Johnston Fooled by Crafty Prank
On a typical Tuesday in El Centro, California, a peculiar incident unfolded on Main Street. Arc A. Johnston, a resident of the city, was seen waving to friends before climbing into his car and starting the engine. However, his vehicle didn’t move far before Johnston got out, puzzled, and examined the car from front to…
Mobs’ Deadly Justice: 19-Year-Old Boy Hanged in Louisiana Lynching
Ruston, Louisiana – In a chilling display of extrajudicial violence, a mob of hundreds descended upon R.C. Williams, a 19-year-old black youth, and hanged him from a tree on October 13, 1938. The brutal act was carried out in the aftermath of a reported murder, in which Williams was accused of killing R.M. Blair, a…
