Today -100: February 6, 1926: Hyde and seek

The appeal of Sir Basil Thomson, former head of Scotland Yard’s Special Branch, against his conviction for hanky panky in Hyde Park, is rejected at the London Sessions. No fewer than 50 justices of the peace attend the case. His lawyer says he was merely there to gather material for a book about social conditions after dark.

A meeting of German Jews called by the B’nai B’rith enters into an anti-suicide compact; they will “continue to live and hope for better times.” Oh dear.

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Today -100: February 5, 1926: Of black shriners and the Charleston

New NYC Police Commissioner George McLaughlin tells the National Urban League that they should try to enroll black youths in churches and social organizations, stop them gambling, and stop white slumming parties who go to Harlem black and tan cabarets because they’re trouble-makers. But he does say black youths should be allowed to do the Charleston.

Black lawyers will be heard in the Texas Supreme Court for the first time, in a case about whether black people can call themselves Shriners.

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Today -100: February 4, 1926: Of mini revolutions, barbers, extradition, and jazz emotions

A revolution begins in Portugal. And ends 24 hours later.

Atlanta’s City Council may consider repealing the ordinance banning black barbers serving white people.

Last month, US immigration officials deported Huertaist former Col. Manuel Demetrio Torres to Mexico, which promptly executed him without trial (by firing squad), claiming he was a train robber. There is some... dispute... between Mexican Pres. Plutarco Elías Calles and the US over whether he had given reassurances before Torres was turned over that this would not happen. The US Senate now stops consideration of an extradition treaty.

The Salvation Army in Cincinnati gets a temporary injunction against a movie theatre next to its orphanage because the music emanating from it would implant “jazz emotions” in the babies born there.

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Today -100: February 3, 1926: 5'2"

Four members of the Black Reichswehr, the German secret army/death squad, are sentenced to death for killing a supposed traitor to the group.

Dr. J. Rendel Harris, biblical scholar, has determined that Jesus was 5 foot 2 (3 cubits).

Leon Trotsky has a forthcoming book, Whither England?, which suggests that the Labour Party should start a revolution, which should begin with a general strike. 

The feds plan to start fingerprinting Prohibition agents to weed out some of the “undesirables” they’ve been hiring (not unlike ICE). In the last 6 years, 916 agents, including 12 directors, have been fired for cause. Rep. George Tinkham (R-Mass.) has a bill for agents to be appointed on the merit system rather than through personal connections or recommendations by the Anti-Saloon League (the latter have proven the most corrupt).

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Today -100: February 2, 1926: Tell what to the Marines?

The first murder trial for a member of the Black Reichswehr, the paramilitary  organization/death squad formed to allow the German army to breach the Versailles Treaty limits on its size, begins in Berlin. In secret, which is not auspicious. The group’s goons killed members suspected of betrayal. The lieutenant in command of the 3 killers in this case is immediately released because of (cough) lack of evidence.

The Marine Corps gives MGM exclusive rights to film marines for the next year. They think that the forthcoming film “Tell it to the Marines” (directed by George Hill, starring Lon Chaney) will do for Marines recruitment what “The Big Parade” did for the Army.

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Today -100: February 1, 1926: Too close to big business? Unpossible!

Kentucky Gov. W.J. Fields, not to be confused with W.C. Fields (update: I have looked up Gov. Fields and found that his next 3 successors were named Flem Samson, Ruby Laffoon, and Happy Chandler, all of whom sound like characters in a W.C. Fields movie), will deploy 1,000 soldiers with machine guns, gas bombs, tanks, and more! to protect Ed Harris, alleged multiple murderer, from being lynched when he is transported to Lexington for trial. People are ordered to stay out of Lexington or remain in their homes. 

The murder was committed 12 days ago. The trial will take place in 3 days and last part of one day. He’ll plead guilty and the jury will take 3 minutes to sentence him to death. The execution will take place in a month. Who needs lynchings when you have all-white Southern juries?

Democratic party leaders meet at Sen. Walsh’s home to figure out what their principles will be in the 1926 congressional elections. The NYT’s principle is “Someone needs to invent Wikipedia,” because it thinks attendee Franklin Delano Roosevelt was “the Democratic candidate for Vice President in 1924,” which he was not. Anyway, D’s will be campaigning on tariffs and on the Coolidge Admin being too close to big business.

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Today -100: January 31, 1926: Liberté, égalité, funké

American dancer/choreographer/etc Harry Pilcer introduces a jazzy syncopated version of the Marseillaise in a Paris music hall. Rioting ensues. The Prefect orders that henceforth no one fuck with the Marseillaise.

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Today -100: January 30, 1926: No Civil War emotions

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Gasparri denies that there are ongoing discussions for an understanding, “Concordat,” as it will be called, between the Vatican and Italy. Throughout the interview Gasparri never utters the name “Mussolini,” referring to him only as “he.” The cardinal praises “him” for putting the crucifix back in public schools and restoring teaching of the catechism, exempting priests from military service, and banning the Freemasons.

Earlier this month, John Wesley Langley (R-Kentucky) resigned from Congress after being convicted of Prohibition law violations and sent to prison. His wife Katherine has now failed to gain the Republican nomination to serve the remainder of her husband’s term, defeated by Andrew Kirk. She says she’ll run again in the August primary, in which (spoiler alert) she’ll beat Kirk and then win the general election and serve two terms before losing the 1930 election.

The House of Representatives suspends in order to honor Rep. Charles Manly Stedman (D-North Carolina) on his 85th birthday. He is the last remaining Confederate vet in Congress. Dunno if there are any Union vets. The NYT will opine that “Americans of a later generation have no Civil War emotions, much less resentments.”

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Today -100: January 29, 1926: Of collar bones and hip wiggles

The Prince of Wales falls off a horse, as was the custom. “I know what has happened. I’ve broken my collar bone,” the royal moron says.

Headline of the Day -100:

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Today -100: January 28, 1926: A gift certificate would have sufficed, maybe some socks

Communists in Berlin celebrate former kaiser Wilhelm’s 67th birthday by hanging him in effigy.

The Senate votes 76-17 to join the World Court... with certain reservations, including no legal relationship to the League of Nations, withdrawal at any time, etc etc.

The Prince of Wales falls off a horse, as is the custom.

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Today -100: January 27, 1926: Of wolves, disturbances of popular referenda, and salutes

Moscow is supposedly having a problem with roaming wolf packs. And rabies.

The death sentence for William Cavalier, who was 14 when convicted of murdering his grandmother and is now 16, is commuted to life imprisonment by the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons.

German Chancellor Hans Luther outlines his policies to the Reichstag, after which there is some hissing on the right and left and zero applause. Doesn’t bode well. There are objections to the government’s negotiations on entering the League of Nations and to his rejection of what he calls “the disturbance of a popular referendum” on expropriating the former royal families.

Italy is requiring all railroad employees who give salutes between chiefs and subordinates must utilize the Roman salute, I guess even non-Italians working on trains traveling through Italy.

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Today -100: January 26, 1926: Of SOS’s, jazz, and doctors in drag

They keep trying to run international radio tests, keeping radio stations off the air during the tests, but twice now the tests have been screwed up by ships broadcasting SOS’s.

Rep. William Vaile (R-Colorado) introduces a bill to retaliate against foreign countries (i.e., Britain & France) that ban or restrict US jazz musicians by refusing them visas.

M.V. Mayfield, a doctor practicing in Mena, Arkansas for the last decade, is discovered during an illness to be a woman. She will later say that after she was born in Britain, her parents dressed her as a boy to protect property rights, and she just kept on. She’s 74? 78? The M.V. stood for Mary Victoria but she went by Victor. She will die in 1929 and be buried in male clothes. Evidently she was the inspiration for the 1933 German film “Viktor und Viktoria,” which Blake Edwards remade in 1982 with Julie Andrews in the title, um, roles.

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