Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The driver of an auto attempted to outrace a trolley car at an intersection – a fatal miscalculation.

The trolley car smashed squarely into the auto at the corner of Lidgerwood Street and Liberty Avenue. The five occupants of the auto were thrown onto the street. One of them, Miss Jennie Davis, 17, died at the scene. 

The other four were injured, including the driver, who was in critical condition.

Police were investigating, but the driver “was in no condition last night to give his version of the accident.” 

From the divorce beat: Mrs. Grace Fox wanted a divorce from John Fox – but instead the judge issued her a stern rebuke and granted the divorce to her husband, meaning that he got the bulk of their property.

The judge was shocked by Grace Fox’s testimony in which she admitted to kissing a gentleman caller, letting another comb her hair, writing letters to unmarried men and giving one man the present of a shirt.

“No married woman should do that,” said the judge, referring to the shirt.

The judge was not crazy about her other actions, either. 

“If I had found my wife letting someone comb her hair when I came home, I would say, ‘That ends this business,’ ” said the judge.