Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, January 25, 1923 -- A notorious character -- Clinton Clayton, one of the fellows arrested last week at Benld appears to be a real bad man and has since been identified as a criminal who is wanted in various places on robbery charges.

Clayton was the man who, when arrested at Benld by Chief of Police James Firth and Chief Deputy Sheriff Frank Friess, had in his pockets nitroglycerine caps and fuses. That he would have gone to any extreme to escape capture is shown by the following conversation: "If I had known who you were," said Clayton to Chief Deputy Friess, "I would have thrown that bottle of 'soup' at you and you never would have been alive to take me."

Illinois in the lead -- Illinois last year established a record among the states of our Union when she built 721 miles of hard road pavement of the 18-foot width. Our state now has a total of 2,322 miles of hard surfaced road and is taking her place well up in front ranks of the progressive states along this line. "Pull Illinois out of the mud" was a popular slogan which is rapidly being made a reality.

Thursday, February 1 , 1923 -- ATTENDANCE REACHES HIGHEST POINT IN THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL -- Attendance at the Community High School is now 208, the highest mark ever reached in the history of the school. The percent of increase this year with the number expected through graduation this spring bids fair to total an attendance of 225 in the fall.

FIRE SATURDAY MORNING -- Saturday morning at about 10 o'clock an alarm of fire was turned in, the furnace at the former Clement's Restaurant, now operated by Fred Thompson, having become overheated. The water supply in the boiler also was very low and the intense heat had started the floor above the heater to burning. A bit of quick work put the fire out and the damage sustained is not very serious.

WENT INTO DITCH -- Sometime after midnight Sunday a Ford coupe was driven into the ditch on North Easton street, near East Macoupin street. The driver came from the east and apparently did not notice the jog in the road. The machine turned completely over and was faced back east when it came to a standstill. We were unable to learn to whom the car belonged, but are told that the same was driven by a man from Glen Carbon. In the machine with him were four women. All escaped injury, although the top of the car was quite badly damaged. A bottle of wine found in the wreckage came through without breaking.

BRITTON STOPPED DEAN IN SECOND -- Quite a large sized crowd was out Monday evening to see the boxing bouts at the Labor Temple Theatre. Among those in attendance were many from out of town.

The main event of the evening was a bout between Ora Dean of our city and Billy Britton of Kansas City. This was scheduled to go ten rounds, but early in the second Britton landed a blow to the side of Dean's head which made him see the birdies. This Britton is a veritable package of pep and while perhaps he is not so much of a boxer, he is fast and has an awful wallop. Ora stopped half a dozen healthy swats in the initial session and less than a minute after the gong called the men to action in the second, Britton landed the blow that ended the proceedings.

GILLESPIE GRADE SCHOOLS CLOSED -- The grade schools in the city of Gillespie closed on January 31. This action was taken by the board of education following the defeat of the proposition to give the board power to make a high tax levy. The people of Gillespie voted on the proposition of increased taxes. The district is without funds so the only thing left for the board to do was to close the school. This will probably be followed by litigation.

ENDS LIFE BY CUTTING HIS THROAT FROM EAR TO EAR -- Our community was shocked Saturday morning when the news spread that Robert Barr, formerly employed at the No. 2 office of the Mt. Olive and Staunton Coal Co., had committed suicide by cutting his throat.

Mr. Barr since almost two years had been at Leavenworth Kan., where his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Barr, reside. On Thursday afternoon of the past week he came to Staunton and was a guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Stone, he and Mr. Stone having formerly worked together at the mine office. He was to go to west Frankfort to enter upon a position in a bank there, his friend E.B. Cunningham, who formerly worked in Staunton, having aided him in securing the position.

On Friday he was entertained at dinner by the Misses Dripps, with whom he boarded while in Staunton, and appeared to be worried about something. He spent the night at the Stone home and was very nervous and restless, arising at different times and walking about the room. Saturday morning he declined an invitation to accompany Mr.. Stone to the mine office and after remaining for some time at the Stone home, went up town.

Shortly before 11 o'clock he entered the soft drink parlor of Louis Intihar, near the Wabash depot, remarking to the proprietor and Herman Engler and Steve Predikaka who were present at the time that it was a very cold morning. A few minutes later he had slashed his throat from ear to ear and was lying on the floor, bleeding to death. Coroner W.W. Jacoby Saturday afternoon conducted an inquest at which a verdict of "cutting throat with suicidal intent" was rendered. The remains were later taken to the Huntman Chapel from whence on Sunday morning they were shipped to Leavenworth, Kan. Walter Stone and E. B. Cunningham accompanied the remains.

Following is a note found on his person: Mother: Please forgive the act that I am about to commit. May God bless you all and keep you happy when I am gone. May peace and health be yours through life. It seems that I do not enjoy living any more and please forgive me as I surely know that I have forgiven everyone. I have made so many mistakes that I cannot bear to live thru. Please may God have mercy on my soul and good-bye. May God bless you all and keep you. Your loving son, Robert."

At the time of committing the rash act, Mr. Barr wore neither coat nor vest, but only an overcoat and on Sunday morning the coat and the vest were found in the basement at the old mill. It is presumed that he had first contemplated ending his life in the mill and then realized that his body probably would not be found for some time and went into the soft drink parlor a short distance away. He was 24 years old.