Category Archives: Crime and Courts

Paul Coates, Feb. 17, 1961

Posted on February 17, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Feb. 17, 1961: The death of Burdette E. Lowery, 67, was an accident – or was it? Lowery, a retired engineer, was tenant in a home at 514 Via De La Paz occupied by Turner Ashby Martin, … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Front Pages, Homicide | 3 Comments

Back in the News: Fred Otash

Posted on February 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

            Feb. 15, 1961: Remember Fred Otash’s alleged involvement in the doping of racehorses? The private detective (and former LAPD officer) got probation.  ALSO Fred Otash on the Daily Mirror

Posted in #courts, 1961, Animals, art and artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Sports | Comments Off on Back in the News: Fred Otash

Alcala Appeals Conviction for Murder of Girl

Posted on February 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 14, 1981: Rodney James Alcala appeals his death sentence in the killing of Robin Samsoe, 12, of Huntington Beach. Alcala, a former typist in The Times composing room, was convicted of kidnapping Robin after approaching her and a friend … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1981, Crime and Courts, Homicide | 1 Comment

Communists Use Porn to Attack U.S. Morals, Sociologist Says

Posted on February 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

           Feb. 13, 1961: Who is this sociologist who warns that pornography “is part of a Communist-inspired effort to break down American character?” Alas, The Times doesn’t identify him — or her. And details are sketchy … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, art and artists, Comics, Crime and Courts | 1 Comment

Editor Falls to His Death From Hollywood Landmark

Posted on February 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

        6331 Hollywood Blvd., now the Scientology HQ, via Google maps’ street view.           Nothing about Norman Siegel’s death made any sense. The former publicist, now working as the West Coast editor of … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, Crime and Courts, Hollywood, Suicide | 1 Comment

Pages of History — Morrow Mayo’s ‘Los Angeles’

Posted on February 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

    For many people, this will be an exercise in tedium. But I’m hopeful that the research fanatics among the Daily Mirror readers will find it engaging. I’m going to spend some time on Morrow Mayo’s “Los Angeles” to … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1927, Another Good Story Ruined, books, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Marion Parker | 3 Comments

Matt Weinstock, Feb. 7, 1961

Posted on February 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

        Feb. 7, 1961: Score one for Marjorie Freeman. She won a claim against her employer, Bank of American, that she had to be paid the same as a man. Matt Weinstock has the story of a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off on Matt Weinstock, Feb. 7, 1961

Paul Coates, Feb. 6, 1961

Posted on February 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

         Feb. 6, 1961: A religious group moves into a vacant storefront next to a country-Western bar and Paul Coates has the rest of the story… Richard Daniel Johnson, owner of the Eaton Canyon Riding Club, is … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Food and Drink, Front Pages, Homicide | Comments Off on Paul Coates, Feb. 6, 1961

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Feb. 1, 1941

Posted on February 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

           Feb. 1. 1941: Tom Treanor writes about the collision of his impressions of English resolve against the Nazis with that of reporters who had been based in London. Treanor says Edward Beattie of United Press … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Tom Treanor | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Feb. 1, 1941

Atlanta Police Seek to Solve Slayings of Black Youths

Posted on January 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

            Jan. 28, 1981: Lee Manual Gooch, 15, is missing four days after the discovery of the strangled body of Terry Lorenzo Pue, the 14th black child to be killed  in Atlanta in 1 1/2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Comics, Crime and Courts, Homicide | 1 Comment

Jan. 26, 1961, Paul Coates

Posted on January 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

       Jan. 26, 1961: Paul Coates has the latest example of the recurring stories the Mirror published about petty intimidation by LAPD officers, under Chief William H. Parker, particularly traffic officers.  ALSO Justice Strained

Posted in #courts, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Front Pages, Matt Weinstock, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Jan. 26, 1961, Paul Coates

Wife Seeks Divorce After Learning Mother-in-Law is Black

Posted on January 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

           Jan. 25, 1911: Divorce proceedings reveal the peculiar tale of Elda P. Kenny/Kenney and her husband, Robert. The Kenneys married in Cleveland in 1902 and moved to Los Angeles shortly thereafter, The Times says. In … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts | 7 Comments

Paul Coates, Jan. 24, 1961

Posted on January 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

       Jan. 24, 1961: Paul Coates uses the kidnapping and death of Rose Marie Riddle, 6, to explore the story of another young victim of a child molester.

Posted in Columnists, Crime and Courts, Front Pages, Paul Coates, Suicide | 3 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined – The Black Dahlia

Posted on January 21, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here we have another popular faked picture of Elizabeth Short. The image on the left is genuine, as far as I know. The bizarre image on the right has been flopped and retouched.  ALSO Another Good Story Ruined – The … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | Comments Off on Another Good Story Ruined – The Black Dahlia

Another Good Story Ruined – The Black Dahlia

Posted on January 19, 2011 by lmharnisch

    I was talking about the Black Dahlia case the other day to someone who pulled up this picture on a cellphone. Looks great, doesn’t it? But it’s a fake.  Here, I’ll show you. ALSO Another Good Story Ruined … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Another Good Story Ruined, books, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Photography | 3 Comments

Death Reveals ‘Burglar’ Is Suspicious Husband in Disguise

Posted on January 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

            Jan. 18, 1911: Jealousy takes a tragic turn in Long Beach as a suspicious husband tries to catch his wife cheating on him with a house guest and is shot to death when the … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Long Beach | Comments Off on Death Reveals ‘Burglar’ Is Suspicious Husband in Disguise

Paul Coates, Jan. 16, 1961

Posted on January 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1961: Paul Coates has a first-rate interview with a man he calls Gramps, a man in his 70s who has been a drug addict for most of his life.

Posted in Columnists, Crime and Courts, Front Pages, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Paul Coates, Jan. 16, 1961

In Remembrance, Elizabeth Short

Posted on January 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Daily Mirror is dark today.

Posted in #courts, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Comments Off on In Remembrance, Elizabeth Short

Black Politics in L.A.

Posted on January 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

    Charles H. Matthews, African American member of the Police Commission, at a 1946 meeting. I was intrigued by the remark on L.A. Observed, quoting the Root, “According to historian Raphael J. Sonenshein, ‘No African-American, Latino or Jewish person … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Crime and Courts, Education, LAPD | Comments Off on Black Politics in L.A.

USC Fraternity Pledges Stealing Hotel Spittoons!

Posted on January 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

        Jan. 13, 1911: The population of Los Angeles is 319,198, The Times says. In our bustling city, USC fraternity pledges are caught stealing spittoons from hotels …  a post office official is accused of taking items … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, art and artists, City Hall, Comics, Crime and Courts, Education, Fashion | Comments Off on USC Fraternity Pledges Stealing Hotel Spittoons!