Historical Albion Michigan
By Frank Passic

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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.

ALBION 100 YEARS AGO--MARCH, 1905

Morning Star, February 27, 2005, pg. 13

We continue with our theme of “Albion--100 Years Ago.” Week ending March 2, 1905: “When the verdict of “not guilty” was announced by the jury in the Mitchell case, the prisoner turned to his wife and kissed her. She seemed as much surprised at this performance as she was at the verdict and said, “you’d better go kiss your lawyers instead of me.” Mitchell owes his freedom largely to his two lawyers one of whom has defended in five murder cases, all of them very hopelessly, in the popular opinion, against the accused.” “Upon arriving in Albion, Mr. Mitchell’s fear increased concerning returning to that locality [Springport]...they proceeded to Detroit. It is said that Mitchell entertains a deadly fear of receiving mob violence if he returns to Springport...The mob spirit is there and people believe all that is wanting is a leader.”

“Burt Gregory, who has been with D.O. Carpenter since the opening of the Snug Barber Shop, quit work Saturday. He and Mr. Carpenter could not agree on the subject of union labor and as Carpenter wishes to conduct a union shop, Burt walked out.” “Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Pahl of 318 Crandall St., February 27, 1905, a five pound girl.”

Week ending March 13, 1905: “Sunday night a large dog, which formerly belonged to Fred Pahl, caused some excitement by its queer actions, and was judged mad. Several citizens went gunning for it but did not succeed in killing the dog. The dog is owned by Nelson Finley, a farmer living near Albion. This morning he shot the dog, which had returned home. In the present state of mad dog excitement it behooves every dog to look pleasant and avoid any queer actions.”

“Debased by cigarettes. Cigarette smoking has spoiled another Battle Creek boy. Confessing to being a cigarette fiend, a habitual truant, Walter Kleindinst, 12 years old, was committed last night to the State Industrial School for Boys until his 18th birthday. Truant officer Manchester and the boy’s mother were witnesses against him. Kleindinst said he belonged to a gang calling themselves “The Sod-Diggers,” or the “Dirty Dozen,” several of whom have already been sent to Lansing.”

Week ending March 20, 1905. “Mrs. Mary E. Ismon and Mr. and Mrs. Devring will attend the graduating exercises of James Sheldon Riley, Mrs. Ismon’s grandson, at Chicago University, tomorrow.”

Week ending March 27, 1905. “On Sunday morning at 20 minutes after 9 there passed away one of Albion’s pioneers, Marcus H. Crane. He was taken sick last Tuesday with the grippe which developed into bronchial pneumonia which caused his death. He was born in Newark, NJ where he lived until 1837, when he made the journey across the country on horseback to Michigan. He settled in what is now known as Albion, but what was then but four log cabins and an Indian trail along Superior St. In 1841 he married Julia A. Peabody, whose father was the first white settler of this part of the country.”

Next week in this column we’ll feature the story about the Great Flood which devastated Albion the first week of March, 1908. From our Historical Notebook this week we present an unusual Flood photo showing chickens roosting on top of a dog house to escape the high waters.


Flood of 1908, Chickens Floating on a Doghouse

Next: THE FLOOD OF 1908

Next 100 Years Ago Article: APRIL 1905

Read more Albion 100 Years Ago articles


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