Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
Accidental poisonings seemed to take place often a century ago. One such incident involved the poisoning of Miss Teresa Nierhaus at the hands of her friend in August 1911. The Baltimore Sun reported that the 22-year-old woman, who was living on West Lexington Street in Baltimore, thought she was taking a dose of paregoric, which... Continue Reading →
A canvas awning on fire alerted police to unlawful activity in August 1911 — working on a Sunday. Firefighters put out the fire at 108 West Baltimore Street, then police started investigating its cause. “In going upstairs they say they found seven men at work on the third floor and three men sitting in an... Continue Reading →
A kiss blown to a young man caused mystery, fear, illness and heartache for one family in 1911 Baltimore. In April 1911, 18-year-old Mary Tamburo was “caught throwing kisses to a young German" and, after she was "scolded" for the act, ran away from home, according to a July 1911 Baltimore Sun article. Her parents... Continue Reading →
I love the detailed newspaper weather reports of yesteryear! Let’s all be glad that our St. Patrick’s Day weather forecast is not like what Baltimoreans experienced on March 17, 1845, as reported by the Baltimore Sun: “First came a regular snow storm, each flake as big as a dollar — then came a disagreeable rain... Continue Reading →
Mrs. Mary Koerner received quite a surprise when she entered her Highlandtown saloon one late March morning in 1911. ‘...[S]he was greeted with a veritable ocean of beer flowing over the floor. Floating on it were cigars, some whole, some stumps and some that were ‘entirely too young to be left to drown,’” reported The... Continue Reading →
Like today, thieves of yesteryear had some pretty creative ways of getting what they wanted. Take, for instance, the man who impersonated a park police officer for some easy cash in February 1897 Baltimore. It happened when Harry Crooks — the son of a police officer — was sitting on a park bench in Druid... Continue Reading →
Sometimes the show mustn’t go on, as was the case at the Lyric in January 1904 Baltimore. The production of The Ninety and Nine had been taking place there and enjoyed by large audiences. But it seems that a cold that swept through the cast halted further performances. “There are about 30 in the cast,... Continue Reading →
Three robbers added insult to injury when they robbed Isaac Silber’s bakery in 1932 Baltimore. “Isaac Silber doesn’t mind so much that three young men robbed his till last night, but he wishes they’d hand the cash register back so he could find out how much the robbery cost him,” The Baltimore Sun reported on... Continue Reading →
In 1898 Baltimore, hotelkeeper J.L. Boswell had a unique way of settling a debt with a man who wouldn’t pay. Boswell caused a scene on the corner of Lexington and Calvert streets, according to The Baltimore Sun, after a conversation with a man who owed him money took a turn. “The men were seen to... Continue Reading →
In January 1903, a pair of police officers in Baltimore drew a morbid crowd of followers as they carried arms and legs through the streets to the police station. Patrolman Kaufman carried two legs under his arm while Patrolman Batzer carried a tin bucket with a hand and arm sticking out of it. “Supposing that... Continue Reading →
Bygone Maryland 