May 24, 1908

Posted on May 24, 2008 by lmharnisch

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 Above, 16 people are injured at a balloon ascension in Berkeley when the gas bag ruptures at an altitude of 300 feet and the airship plunges to earth. The hydrogen gas bag, made of cotton treated with kerosene oil, was 450 feet long, 36 feet in diameter and the ship was powered by five auto engines, The Times says. (This was an enormous aircraft, twice the length of a 747, which has a fuselage 225 feet long).

The victims include the inventor, John A. Morrell, and several photographers. 

Unfortunately, The Times never says what became of Morrell except that he was charged with obtaining money under false pretenses.

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The comics

Posted on May 24, 2008 by lmharnisch

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A panel from "Buster Brown," May 24, 1908.
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Home of the week

Posted on May 24, 2008 by lmharnisch



690 S. Burlington, Los Angeles, Calif.
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 Above, still standing after more than a century, a few blocks east of MacArthur Park. This home in Pico Heights once belonged to H.R. Lacy, The Times says.

According to Property Shark, the neighborhood is 70% Hispanic and Latino, 34% white, 20% Asian, 3% black or African American and 37% "others." (Yes, this adds up to more than 100%. Welcome to L.A.)

45% of the people in this neighborhood are citizens and 4% speak English, Property Shark says.

And there are 73 registered sex offenders living in this ZIP Code (90057), according to the Department of Justice. 

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One-minute nostalgia

Posted on May 23, 2008 by lmharnisch

Hypnotic, isn’t it?

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Chavez Ravine

Posted on May 23, 2008 by lmharnisch


May 23, 1958

By Keith Thursby
Times staff writer

1958_0523_sports A heavy hitter joined the political fight over a new stadium for the Dodgers.

Warren Giles, president of the National League, warned that the Dodgers could be forced to leave Los Angeles if voters turned down Proposition B on the June 3 ballot.  At issue was the contract already agreed upon by the city and the Dodgers to build a stadium at Chavez Ravine.

“It will be my personal recommendation to our league that we take immediate steps to study ways and means of relocating the franchise in another city,” Giles said.

Giles said the league wanted to keep the team in Los Angeles but that the Coliseum was only a short-term answer. Playing in a suburban location like Pasadena’s Rose Bowl wouldn’t do, either.

The story was played big in The Times, with separate accounts on the front page of the main news section and in sports.

Dodger owner Walter O’Malley sounded worried. “The Dodgers want to stay out of politics and we wish politics were not involved in baseball at this time,” O’Malley told The Times’ Al Wolf. “We have our hands full with many problems on and off the field. This presents another.”

keith.thursby@latimes.com


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May 23, 1938

Posted on May 23, 2008 by lmharnisch
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1926_0809_felts It’s another slow day in the trial of Police Capt. Earle Kynette in the Harry Raymond bombing … In the meantime, let’s take a look at former police investigator Fletcher E. Felts, whose father was one of the longest-serving officers in the department. Felts kills a police detective lieutenant with a Luger after an argument on a streetcar.  He says he had a brain operation a year before and doesn’t recall the shooting, explaining that "I wouldn’t harm a dog." He’s judged insane and sent to Camarillo.

Bonus fact: Felts once served with Raymond as a police investigator.

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May 23, 1908

Posted on May 23, 2008 by lmharnisch
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Hollywood gets a new church, above.  (At left, Hollywood Presbyterian today.)

The northwest corner of 8th Street and Broadway (at right) sells for $234,000 ($5,144, 969.35 USD 2007) …

Below left, sake is banned because it’s impure … The auction of a young Chinese bride (note the use of the term "Celestial")  … A teamster is thrown into a gutter on Main Street when the team pulling his wagon becomes frightened and runs away … A mother-daughter suicide pact … And a car runs down a newsboy on a bicycle at 1st and Broadway and doesn’t even stop.   

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Radio dial

Posted on May 22, 2008 by lmharnisch


May 11, 1958

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Here’s a Dick Whittinghill jingle on KMPC-AM’s website.

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May 22, 1958

Posted on May 22, 2008 by lmharnisch
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Above, a stripteuse brings a lawsuit alleging botched plastic surgery — on her neck. As if you can see her neck in this photo.

At left, it’s divorce No. 2 for Jack Webb, this time from actress Dorothy Towne … Mourners bid farewell to Ronald Colman, who receives a 14-minute service at All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church in Montecito, Calif. … And we have a visually stunning map of commuting times in Los Angeles. Must be the influence of rock ‘n’ roll on L.A. radio stations. Because of the new freeways, downtown is within a 30-minute drive anywhere in Los Angeles County — at least in off hours, The Times says.

May 8, 1958: Disc jockey Alan Freed is charged with "inciting the unlawful destruction of property" during a riot that broke out at a rock ‘n’ roll concert at the Boston Arena. 

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May 22, 1938

Posted on May 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

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 Above, a plan for the Santa Anita Motor Inn at 101 W. Huntington. Apparently, the final design of the tower was a little more Art Deco (see the postcard here).

At left, a miner leads detectives to the body of Leona Schmidt, 59, which was buried in the desert between Gorman and Lancaster. Schmidt’s son-in-law Valean Neil Ross is being held on charges of killing her March 9 in an argument over whether an operation — which Schmidt refused to pay for — would have saved the life of his wife.

And France says that it will go to war if Germany invades Czechoslovakia.

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May 22, 1908

Posted on May 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Above left, looks like the sailors of the Great White Fleet left with a 19-year-old souvenir of Los Angeles. Her name is Olga Isle and she’s being sent back home after her cruise.

Above, L.K. Lessley of Sierra Madre is accused of poisoning four horses belonging to Kay Takeoka in an attempt to get a contract for hauling hay. Lessley denies the charges, but admits buying strychnine. The horses nearly destroyed the barn in their death agonies from strychnine and the barn is surrounded by dead mice that ate the poisoned feed, The Times says.

At a meeting of the state Audubon Society, members call for the eradication of the English sparrow and starling, which are driving out songbirds.

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Wanda Hendrix revisited

Posted on May 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Los Angeles Times file photo

Wanda Hendrix and Keith Larson look over items of Marion Davies being sold at auction, in a photo dated Jan. 13, 1953.*

*Thanks to Chris Morales for pointing out that Davies was still alive in 1953. The 250 items came from Davies’ homes in Bel-Air and Beverly Hills, The Times said. A King George III and Queen Victoria sterling silver tea and coffee service sold for $1,950 ($15,077.76 USD 2007), The Times said.

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Diana Lynn revisited

Posted on May 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Photograph by John Malmin / Los Angeles Times

Diana Lynn in a very beat-up print dated March 28, 1954

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May 21, 1958

Posted on May 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

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 At left, Nicholas Aloysius Adamshock changes his name to Nick Adams … Makeup man Percival "Perc" Westmore attempts suicide …  Kim Novak bids a private farewell to the Dominican Republic’s Gen. Rafael Trujillo Jr. during a goodbye bash in his chartered railroad car … An excavation crew at Olympic Boulevard and Alvira find mammoth tusks 25 feet underground … Yma Sumac’s divorce is final … And teenage fans supposedly swipe Sal Mineo’s pants. Note the picture: A publicity shot from "Tonka." We sure used to shill for the studios in the old days.

Below left: Olympic and Alvira, where mammoths once walked the Earth.

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May 21, 1938

Posted on May 21, 2008 by lmharnisch


It’s a slow day in the trial of Police Capt. Earle Kynette in the Harry Raymond bombing. The defense is trying to present its case, but almost nothing is happening because of continual objections from the prosecution. Instead, here’s some glimpses from the trial.

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Photograph by the Los Angeles Times

Police Capt. Earle Kynette in a photograph dated Jan. 20, 1938, refusing to answer questions about the Harry Raymond bombing during an interview in the office of Dist. Atty. Buron Fitts.

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Photograph by the Los Angeles Times

Police Capt. Earle Kynette, left, D.M. Draper, center, accused of wiretapping in the Harry Raymond bombing, and attorney John Oliver in a photograph dated Jan. 21, 1938.

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Photograph by Calvert / Los Angeles Times

Police Capt. Earle Kynette jokes with newsmen while he is booked in the Harry Raymond bombing. Penciled on the back of this photo, dated Jan. 28, 1938: "In up to his neck."

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Photograph by Andrew H. Arnott / Los Angeles Times

Police Capt. Earle Kynette after altering his appearance for his trial in the Harry Raymond bombing in a photograph dated April 15, 1938.
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May 20, 1958

Posted on May 20, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Photograph by Ed Gamer / Los Angeles Times

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 1945_map_detail Times columnist Jack Smith pays a farewell visit to the Amestoy Building at the northeast*   corner of  Market and Main (shown in 1945 map) across from City Hall.

Built in 1887 by Domingo Amestoy, the structure was Los Angeles’ first brick office building and the first to have an elevator.

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Amestoy died Jan. 11, 1892, at the age of 60.

Note that the photo also shows a lounge  called the Stake Out. This was a favorite hangout for police officers as it was across from headquarters, which was then located in City Hall.

* Shoutout to Nathan Marsak for pointing out my error on saying the Amestoy Building was the northwest corner … Thanks, crime buddy.

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Mystery photos

Posted on May 19, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Los Angeles Times file photos

Well?

This has been interesting. Some people correctly guessed Diana Lynn (Alexa Foreman, Howard Decker and Arye Michael Bender) others guessed Margaret O’Brien, Gloria Jean and Lana Turner (alas, no). A few assumed that both pictures were of the same young woman (alas, no). Dan Dixon provided the correct answer to the photo on the right: Wanda Hendrix. 

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May 19, 1958

Posted on May 19, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Alas, The Times never followed up on this story, so we don’t know what became of Elroy E. Pena. But telling a man with a gun "Why don’t you get the hell out of here?" as you’re sitting in a bar with his wife is probably not a good idea.

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Mystery photo countdown

Posted on May 19, 2008 by lmharnisch

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http://scripts.hashemian.com/js/countdown.js

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May 19, 1938

Posted on May 19, 2008 by lmharnisch

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Above, Sigmund Freud prepares to leave Vienna for London, where he died the next year … At left, the owner of a foundry testifies that Police Capt. Earle Kynette came to his business about a week before the Harry Raymond bombing looking for thin-walled pipe that would break easily …

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