Thursday, April 15, 2021

Today -100: April 15, 1921: Traitors, beware!


British Prime Minister David Lloyd George meets union leaders and tells them they should “go to the people” rather than strike, which is not how elections actually work.

Sir Arthur Vicars, heraldist and former Ulster King of Arms (until he was fired after the Irish Crown Jewels were stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907), is killed in Listowel by an IRA death squad, who leave a message: “Traitors, beware! We never forget.” It’s unclear in what way Vicars was a traitor, but it might be for not giving up his weapons to another IRA group that raided his house last year.

Feds say that Georgia planter John Williams also ordered the killings of a couple of black workers who got too old to work. So rather than a panicked response to a federal peonage investigation, the murders – now up to 18 alleged so far – are part of a pattern dating back over 10 years. And yes, they did use whips and ball & chains. One former peon worker, who received a full $1 in pay during his six years on the plantation, says “If Mr. Johnny had told me to kill a nigger, I certainly would have done it. I’d have known better not to do it.”

An NYPD plainclothes cop pretends to collapse from illness, gets a passing porter to get him a reviving drink of whisky, then arrests him. In court, the cop says he only asked for milk, but we all know fucking better. The magistrate agrees that it’s unlikely someone would bring whisky to a man who asked for milk, but holds the good samaritan for trial anyway.

Headline of the Day -100:  


I think this is a Ringling Brothers publicity stunt. “Mr. and Mrs. Doll,” as they are known on stage, are actually brother and sister, which isn’t creepy at all.

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