This Week In Toledo History

June 9
1904 - A crackdown begins on houses of ill-repute in Toledo’s “tenderloin” district after two 14-year-old girls are found working in the house of Lottie Barker on Lafayette Street.
1921 - Two veteran Toledo policemen officers, Harold Mossburger and Harry Dowell, are killed in a shootout with a barricaded gunman on Walnut St. The suspect dies in later gun battle with police.
1933 - In the mountains near Los Angeles, 20-year- old Toledo-born movie actress Vera Williams, (screen name Claudette Ford), is killed in a plane crash along with actor Harry Sweet. They were said to be scouting movie locations.
1935 - Oregon Township school officials set off a firestorm of controversy when they vote to fire all married women teachers in the school. They claim married women whose husbands work do not need the money.

June 10
1930 -Toledo’s decrepit Union Station is leveled by flames to the cheers of thousands. Toledo officials officially begin a campaign to force New York Central to build a new station in Toledo.
1937 - Walter Mack, well known East Toledo resident, is electrocuted when he goes to a car accident victim’s aid on Navarre Avenue and touches a live electric line that had fallen on the car.
1961 - A gasoline tanker truck on the Anthony Wayne Trail at Collingwood Avenue explodes and burns. The fire and blast kills four Toledo firemen and injures over 60 others.

June 11
1782 - American Colonel William Crawford is burned at the stake at Tymochtee Creek by Wyandot Indians near Upper Sandusky
1840 - The Great Whig Gathering at Fort Meigs in Perrysburg. Thousands assemble for the national event and nominate William Henry Harrison for President.
1897- Owney, the famous traveling U.S. postal dog, is shot and killed in Toledo by police after reportedly biting a postal clerk. The beloved animal was stuffed the next day by a Toledo taxidermist. Eventually sent to the Smithsonian’s Postal Museum.
1935 - Toledo Police bust a massive heroin ring that was transporting 6,000 worth of the drug every week into Toledo. A 16-year old girl was being used to carry the drugs into Toledo by bus. Six others are arrested.

June 12
1880- J. Lee Richmond pitches baseball’s first perfect game for the Worcester Ruby Legs against Cleveland in a 5-0 shutout. In 1890 he moved to Toledo became a science teacher at Toledo High School.
1926 - Italian race car driver Peter Phileppo, 23, dies in racing crash at Ft. Miami Racetrack in Maumee.
1962 - Toledo Police officer Donald Brown dies in line of duty on domestic disturbance call on 14th Street. His partner William Boyle (later a Toledo Councilman) loses eye in the gun battle.

June 13
1914 - The popular Indian-Asian elephant “Babe” at the Toledo Zoo becomes enraged and kills keeper Michael Raddatz in front of horrified crowd. Raddatz had slapped Babe on the trunk with a strap to get the giant animal to move causing the attack.
1915 - Perry’s Monument at Put-in-Bay is opened to the public amid great fanfare and ceremony.
1920 - Four Toledo children, from 3 to 11 years old, are rescued by the City of Toledo Steamer after being adrift for 24 hours in rowboat on Lake Erie.

June 14
1895 - Major drought continues in Northwest Ohio. Maumee River is running at a mere trickle and most crops are ruined.
1907 - It is noted by Toledo sports writers that Toledo’s women are now enjoying baseball and that a record 1,000 women showed at Armory Park for this day’s game between the Mudhens and Brewers.
1930- Eight prominent Toledo area business and government leaders die in what appears to be a speedboat accident while on their way to the annual Elks picnic on Pelee Island. The bodies and the boat are eventually found but no final conclusion is ever reached on just how the "accident" happened.
1937 - Fisherman on Lake Erie show off their 180 pound sturgeon they caught near Camp Perry in Ottawa County.
1953 - Thirty-thousand people attend Walbridge Park for the Ohio Sesquicentennial program in Toledo, featuring, music, outboard motorboat races, and speeches.

June 15
1921 - Funeral services held for Tony Wroblewski, the first Toledo soldier to die in combat in World War I. Final honors are paid at St. Anthony’s parish.
1943 - Comedian Bob Hope does his national radio show from Camp Perry near Port Clinton.
1944 - The Medal of Honor is awarded to Lucas County’s Lt. Robert Craig for his heroic actions in the war in Italy. Medal is presented to his father, William. Toledo’s Craig Bridge would later be named in his honor.

Lou’s notes: Want to thank the alert reader who let me know that actor Jamie Farr was born on July 1, 1934 and not June 1st. Not sure how that happened but will make a correction. Also from last week, it should be noted that on June 6th, 1944, Toledoans, like all Americans, were keeping close tabs on the Allied D-day invasion at Normandy. Newspaper extra editions were printed. Special church services were held in the city to pray for Toledo's soldiers, and a special D-day ceremony was held at the Naval station at Bay View Park.