1930s
Knocked out by brick tied to cow tail
One of the many hazards of working on a farm, back in the 1930s. Though I'm having a hard time imagining how a cow could actually lift a brick with its tail and then swing it with enough force to knock someone out.
The Daily Free Press (Carbondale, Illinois) - Jan 21, 1931
TOLEDO, Ore., Jan 18 — Jack Horsfall, Toledo high school student, decided to stop his cow's practice of switching her tail while he milked. He tied a brick to her tail. The cow switched her tail anyway, and the brick struck Horsfall behind the ear. He fell unconscious. When he had recovered he untied the brick.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 10, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Injuries, Cows, 1930s
A Giant People
Having brought you a feature on the Pygmy, I could hardly neglect the "Watussi."
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 02, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Ethnic Groupings, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1930s, Africa
Rosita Royce: Dance of the Doves
The YouTube host of this video complains that Rosita does not use doves in her dance, but other birds, thus misrepresenting herself. But as we can see from this article, that is a mere technicality, since Rosita was quite intimate with doves also.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 29, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Public Indecency, Sex Symbols, 1930s, Dance
African Pygmy Thrills
Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 27, 2015 -
Comments (2)
Category: Ethnic Groupings, Stereotypes and Cliches, Travel, 1930s, Africa
The Violaeol
Original article here.
In 1935, one Alfred Grosjean (as named in a separate TIME magazine article) invented the "violaeol."
Some years later, luthier Josh Rieck recreated one for his own use.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 26, 2015 -
Comments (2)
Category: Inventions, Music, 1930s
The Stout Scarab
The 1936 Stout Scarab is referred to by some as the first minivan. Its definitely one cool car!
Posted By: Alex - Fri Sep 25, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Design and Designers, 1930s, Cars, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Turnabout Man
The moral is: don't suppress your road rage, it's not healthy!
Posted By: Paul - Sun Aug 30, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Etiquette and Formal Behavior, PSA’s, 1930s, Cars
Sew on the Go!
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 22, 2015 -
Comments (6)
Category: Bicycles and Other Human-powered Vehicles, Family, Chindogu, 1930s
The Tri-Car
[Click to enlarge]
Original article here.
This odd little auto actually made it into limited production.
Full history here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 20, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Eccentrics, 1930s, 1950s, Cars
The Dare Killer, 1933
Oscar Hickey, Hazel Short, Vernon Tucker, and Maxine Scott had all been at a dance, after which they drove home together. This involved a lot of drinking and some gun play in which they were "amusing themselves by playing with a revolver, firing occasional shots as they sped along the concrete slab."While stopping at a gas station, Tucker and Scott got out to get some cigarettes. There was a gun shot. Tucker and Scott rushed back to the car and found Hickey dead. Hazel Short was still holding the gun with which she had just shot him. Her strange explanation: "He dared me to shoot him, and I did."
Short became known as the "Dare Killer." She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve one to 14 years in prison. She was released on parole after three-and-a-half years. I haven't been able to find any info on what happened to her subsequently.
I guess the lesson of the case is that it's not a good idea to dare someone to shoot you, especially if they've been drinking.
Decatur Daily Review - Sep 19, 1933
Decatur Daily Review - Sep 16, 1933
Posted By: Alex - Sun Aug 16, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: 1930s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |