Excerpted stories in Crawford County newspaper archives

100 years ago

June 5, 1926

W. E. Tindel, Pittsburg patrolman charged with first degree murder, was found not guilty by a jury which returned its verdict a few minutes before 11 o'clock this morning in division No. 2 of the district court, before Judge George F. Beezley. The verdict came after about 30 ballets and fifteen and one-half hours' actual deliberation in the jury room. The twelve men were given the case at 5:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, after the five attorneys had argued the case four hours.

McCune, June 5. - Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Bevans, 86 years old and for more than a half century a resident of McCune and vicinity, died at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the home here of her daughter, Mrs. C. M. Wilson. Mrs. Bevans was one of the oldest pioneers in this section of the county and had a wide acquaintanceship. Those surviving include two sons, Leslie and William Karns of McCune, and the daughter, Mrs. Wilson.

Five members of the Pittsburg Teachers College wrestling team yesterday were awarded gold medals as undefeated champions of the Kansas Conference by the Gorilla pep organization, S. L. Householder, chairman of the athletic council, announced last night. The gold medals were awarded to Frank Cambell, heavyweight; Luther Brickey, light heavyweight; Robert Brickey, middleweight: George "Jog" Allen, welterweight, and John Reimer, lightweight.

50 years ago

June 5, 1976

GIRARD - A county contract for sandblasting and tuck pointing the county jail was officially awarded to Immersion Coating Systems, Inc., Frontenac, which lowered its original bid more than $4,300, at Friday's Crawford County Commission meeting. Immersion's contract price was $9,265. At the official bid opening on April 2. the company submitted a bid of $13,627.16. Other firms submitting bids on April 2 were: A-1 Waterproofing, Co., Wichita, $9,265; Restoration and Waterproofing Contractors, Wichita, $9,840; and Kemco, Fort Scott, $15,540.

One volunteer smiled saying, "It's their olympics and they are really enjoying themselves. And so they were." The 1976 Kansas State Special Olympics completed its first of two days of competition Friday in track and field events at Brandenburg Stadium and swimming contests at the Weede Field House pool on the campus of Kansas State College in Pittsburg. Action resumes at 8 a.m. today with the finals of the track and field events at Brandenburg Stadium.

GIRARD - Equal distribution of county automobile purchases among Crawford County car dealers, instead of the present bidding system, was suggested by County Commissioner Pete Murry at Friday's commission meeting. Murry said that by accepting bids for the purchase of new vehicles, only a few of the county's car dealers receive the county's business. "You'll never be able to give everyone a fair share of the business," said Murry of the bidding system. "These people are big taxpayers."

25 years ago

June 5, 2001

The asphalt season may not be in full swing yet, but Pittsburg Community Schools are ready for it. Monday, the Board of Education for USD 250 approved a $42,000 bid for asphalt work at Pittsburg High School. The work to the school's south parking lot has been put on hold for the past four years, but this year is the year to get it done. The project includes about 8,750 square yards. The biggest complication is that some of the base has probably failed, but no one knows how much.

ARMA - Six candidates have applied for Arma police chief, including two current Arma officers and Arcadia's new police chief. Arma City Clerk Bette Lessen said applicants include current Arma officers Eric Foulk and Gary Ivy and Robert Moore, who became Arcadia's full-time police officer effective last Friday. In addition, eight to 10 applicants are seeking the city's vacant laborer position. Arma City Council members voted Monday night to form a committee consisting of Lessen and Council members Bill Toschi and Peggy Bain to interview the police chief applicants this week and make a recommendation to the full council at a special meeting at 7 p.m. next Monday.

ТОРЕKА - Eleven counties and eight cities, including Bourbon County and the cities of Weir and Hepler, have received community development grants that total nearly $5 million. Bourbon County received $242,000 in grant moneys to help build a new workshop for the physically and mentally disabled. Hepler was given $296,000 to build a com-munity center and the city of Weir was provided $55,000 in grant funding for a new storm warning system.