90 YEARS AGO…
December, 1931
December 30, 1931: Bank Robbers Have Bad Luck
Passersby who fired at four robbers in the Bank of Widen, Widen, W.Va., near here, frustrated a robbery.
Their shots awakened a little town and a posse was formed and pursued the robbers, who fled without returning any shots. Three of the alleged robbers were captured on the railroad tracks near Clay, while a fourth fought off officers who surrounded him on a bluff near Hartland.
The men arrested were John Johnson, who said his home is in Hopkinsville, Ky.; Lawson Amos and a man named Bright.
75 YEARS AGO…
December, 1946
December 30, 1946: Inquest In Death Of 12 Plane Crash Victims Adjourned
An inquest into the deaths of the 12 victims of the TWA Constellation Crash at Shannon was adjourned today until Jan. 28, when injured members of the crew are expected to be able to testify.
Before the adjournment, Sgt. John Hickey, in charge of the Irsh civil guards at Shannon, testified that “it was very dark and cloudy with a slight mist and rain” when the airliner crashed on the island in the Shannon River Saturday.
“We found the plane scattered over about an acre and still burning when we got there,” Hickey said.
50 YEARS AGO…
December, 1971
December 30, 1971: 3-Month Lull In Draft Possible Laird Says
Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird said it may not be necessary to draft anyone for the next three months if the new $3 billion-plus military pay raise generates enough volunteers.
“It is too early to give you a projection for draft calls throughout calendar year 1972…because of the impact of the tremendous pay increases that have been granted,” Laird told a news conference Monday.
25 YEARS AGO…
December, 1996
December 30, 1996: Robbery Charges To Go Before Grand Jury
Charges against a woman accused of robbing a Covington dry cleaning business will go before a grand jury in January.
Celeste Marie Sizemore of Covington appeared in Alleghany County General District Court Thursday for a preliminary hearing.
Sizemore waived her right to the hearing and the charges against her – robbery and malicious wounding – were certified to a circuit court grand jury for consideration. The grand jury will convene Jan. 9.
Covington police filed the charges against Sizemore after she allegedly struck the owner of Ritch’s Cleaners with a frying pan and robbed her of $500. The alleged incident occurred Nov. 29.
10 YEARS AGO…
December, 2011
December 30, 2011: Couple Found Shot In Front Yard
A man and his estranged wife were found shot to death in the front yard of their Pulaski County home.
Douglas D. Burgess, 62, and Betty D. Burgess, 59, had both been shot in the head with a .41-caliber Magnum revolver, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s office.
Burgess was clutching a .41-caliber handgun when sheriff’s deputies found his body late Saturday after responding to a 911 call.
Pulaski County Sheriff Ralph E. Dobbins said he did not want to speculate about the incident until the Medical Examiner’s office in Roanoke could be contacted.
The couple had been separated for some time, according to the Sheriff’s office. But Burgess was still living at the house.
Muriel Comer, who lived next door, said she heard gunshots coming from the couple’s home Saturday between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
