Bizarre Tales: Forgotten stories from Southern California’s past.
‘Wonder Woman’ Routs 2 Intruders’ by Mark Gerrard LOS ANGELES TIMES June 3, 1981 — The two strange men looked plenty suspicious to Wanda Capek, 70-year-old teacher at a parochial school in Hollywood, when she returned home Tuesday and found them in her backyard. “There was a big guy carrying a big TV and a […]
WEALTHY CAT’S ESTATE DISPOSED OF BY COURT (Los Angeles Times, June 9, 1931) Mitzi, often referred to as the wealthiest cat in the world, is dead, and because of the riches inherited from her mistress, Dr. Maude F. Ide, the probate court was unusually meticulous in administering the estate, which now becomes the property of Mrs. […]
Wife Fades Out of Andy Gump’s Hot Dog ‘Dump’ Los Angeles Times, February 18, 1927 Marian G. Turner, by decree of Judge Summerfield, is out of “Andy Gump’s Dump” in El Monte. She passed out yesterday at the same time that Beryl R. Turner passed out of her life. Mrs. Turner was awarded a decree […]
KNIFE, PLIERS AND GIN USED FOR OPERATION LOS ANGELES, August 2, 1930 – (UP) – A cook’s carving knife, a pair of pliers borrowed from the carpenter, a bottle of Holland gin and a needle and linen thread, saved the life of a seaman stricken with appendicitis, and as a result Dr. David R. Robbins, […]
Bizarre Tales: Strange Deaths Swallows Poison After Drinking Toast to Death LOS ANGELES, Oct. 21, 1929 – (UP) – E.C. Doyle, 36-year-old automobiles salesman was listed as a suicide today after drinking a toast to death. Doyle telephoned Paul Ellmore, a friend, and told him “to come at once if you want to see me.” […]
Bizarre Tales: Pasadena’s Colorado Street Bridge Los Angeles Times, June 2, 1915 — Bowed with grief, Mrs. M. Roma of No. 1225 West 35th Street, Los Angeles, accompanied by her son, Rafael Roma, of San Francisco, left last night for the northern city with the body of another son, Joseph M. Roma, whose corpse was […]
Bizarre Tales: HUNT SLAYER OF MOVIE STUNT MAN Famous Cinema Figures Involved In Fatal Row At Hollywood Night Club HOLLYWOOD, March 26, 1927 –(UP)—Equipped with a list, said to include several prominent screen and stage actors, detectives began a search here today for eye-witnesses to the murder of Eddie Diggins, movie stunt man and former prizefighter. […]
A look at crime in Los Angeles in the 1950s. Photos are from undisclosed locations. Above Photo: Three gamblers wishing to keep their snake eyes hidden during a crap game somewhere in Los Angeles, November 10, 1951. (LAPL 00039498) According to the Los Angeles Public Library, in October 1952: “Five women and a man were jailed […]
Prohibition violation A bootlegger named Elmer White was arrested by Los Angeles-based federal prohibition agents in 1931. While searching the car, the agents discovered that the speedometer and other dashboard panel dials didn’t work. A further search behind the fake instrument board revealed a secret compartment where they found 12 pints of whisky. (LAPL: 00036681)
A police raid at the 7566 Club at 7566 Melrose Ave. in the wee hours of January 29, 1941. Apparently, the night club had a habit of selling alcohol after hours. According to the Los Angeles Times: “The arrests were made during the early morning hours by squads of more than 50 policemen led by Deputy Police Chief […]