100 Years Ago This Month

June 1923

June 7

Farm Buildings Burned

A large bank barn, hay shed, dairy and tenant house on the farm of John Thomes, near Johnsville, were destroyed by lightning during a storm shortly after 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon. Mr. Thomes was sitting in a front room in the house during the storm. Following a vivid flash of lightning, he walked to the door and found the roof of the barn in flames.

In a short time the fire communicated to the hay shed, dairy, tenant house and adjoining buildings. The barn and its contents, including a cow, four calves, farming implements and machinery, some poultry and a quantity of hay and corn were burned, causing a loss of about $8,000.

A number of persons in the neighborhood, attracted by the fire, went to the scene, but were unable to do anything in the way of saving the property. The flames burnt rapidly until all the buildings were in ashes.

Five Injured by Lightning Strike

Stunned and burned by lightning, which played freak pranks about their home during the storm on Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. Fogle of near Johnsville, are slowly recovering from their injuries. There were three children, also in the house at the same time, while stunned, was not so badly hurt.

The Harley’s were seated in the doorway, which joining the stone building to the new addition. Lightning has been practically sharp and vivid and several times had struck about the property before the flash that seemed to hit at the top of the door and then run down between the two persons. Mr. Fogle was rendered unconscious, and for about 20 minutes was seriously ill. He was badly burned about the shoulders and body. His wife also suffered burns on her left side, but was not so badly affected as Mr. Fogle.

A strange circumstance about the lightning was that while Mr. and Mrs. Fogle were both burned, their clothing showed no signs of scorching or burning. The property was not damaged to any extent, and no chard marks were noticed on the woodwork.

June 14

Woodsboro-Keymar Road To Be Repaired

As many of the existing pikes of Frederick County will be repaired during the coming summer as possible, according to a plan by the Board of County Commissioners. There are a number of former toll roads throughout the county which are in a rundown condition and it is the intention of the Commissioners to repair these roads this summer.

A large delegation from Woodsboro appear before the commissioners on Monday and ask that the pike from Woodsboro to Keymar, a distance of about 5.5 miles be repaired. The road, which leads through Ladiesburg, is already piked, but, the delegation pointed out, is in need of repair. After considering the request, the Commissioners reported to the delegation that the improvements requested were in line with a road program for the County for the coming summer, but that the road should be repaired in its turn and that some other roads will be done first.

School Budget Approved

Adoption of the school board budget of $332,000 for the ensuing year, and all of its major particulars, was urge by a committee of the Frederick County Parent-Teachers Association in a visit before the County Commissioners. In recommending the adoption of the budget, the importance of maintaining the present high standard in the county school system was pointed out. Attention was called to the good condition of the school properties and the high standards that have been reached, and the commissioners were urged not to impede this progress. It was also pointed out that the school system is an investment, and not an expense, and that upon it’s continued support depends the future of the county.

June 21

Kills Wife And Then Himself

A double tragedy, resulting in the death of two persons and the injury of four others, occurred near the village of LaGore, several miles from Woodsboro Sunday night, when Roy Smith, 20 years old, shot and instantly killed his wife, Helen Wilhide Smith, age 19, and wounded his father-in-law, the latter’s two daughters and a girlfriend of the family. He then fled a short distance into a wheat field and fired a second charge from a shotgun into his own heart.

Mrs. Smith was riding in a back seat of a carriage with her two younger sisters on each side. The shooting occurred on the road between the Oak Hill Church of God, which the Wilhide party had been attending and the Wilhide home. Smith, who also had attended the service, left early, telling several people he wanted to avoid trouble.

Smith stepped from a clump of bushes as the surrey passed and fired his shotgun into the back of the buggy. He then jumped a fence into a wheat field and shot himself through the heart, not more than 100 yards from the scene of the murder.

While the first shot was loud, the second one was dull. This is attributed to the fact that Smith pressed the barrel of the shot gun against his breast and fired.

Smith and his wife were married 14 months ago, when they eloped. Following the marriage they lived with Smith’s parents, at LeGore. Trouble ensued soon after the marriage, and Smith is said to have abused his wife, causing her to finally return to her parent’s house. Neighbors say that Smith was jealous of his wife from the outset.

It is said that Smith both tried to obtain a divorce, and to effect a reconciliation, and failed in both. Also that he had attempted to talk with her at the church, but she refused.

The shooting seems to have been planned, as the gun must have been placed in the bushes beforehand. Four days ago, Smith told his father he had sold the gun. Authorities believe that Smith had contemplated the crime and had hidden the gun in a clump of brush near the scene of the crime. Smith did not have the gun when he was seen walking toward or away from the church.

It is believed that his statement made upon leaving the church "wanting to avoid trouble," was made so his wife would not suspect anything and take her usual place in the center of the back seat of the surrey. Footprints in the dust indicate that Smith had walked some distance behind the carriage before he finally fired.

Smith also intended to "get" Harry Wilhide, his brother-in-law. Smith is said to have unjustly blamed him for his domestic troubles and threatened to shoot him.

The tragedy has horrified both families. The members of each discuss the tragedy without the slightest trace of bitterness. Mr. Wilhide and the members of his family , who opposed the marriage on the basis of youth, explained that Smith had been unkind to his wife. "Helen," her father said, "did not speak of getting a divorce. Instead, she came home because she could no longer endure the abuse."

In a broken voice, the father of the dead youth expressed the belief in his son. "He must have been insane at the time," tears streaming down his cheeks. "I know that he genuinely loved his wife, that he was devoted to her and that his affections were real. Yes, there was some quarrelling, but I didn’t think at the time that it would come to this. I thought that they would settle their differences and it would all end right. When Helen left him, Roy suffered much. He was, it is true, jealous of her, but he did love her."

Smith served in the Fourth-Eight Infantry, Company C, during the World War. Since his discharge he has been employed at the Barrick Lime Plant in Woodsboro. Smith, it is said, spoke frequently of his troubles to his co-workers, and had attempted to purchase carbolic acid in Woodsboro to kill himself with.

Smith was buried at Locus Grove cemetery while his wife was buried at Mt. Hope cemetery.

Auto Mishap At Bridgeport

Two men running a handsome Packard car had an upset on the curb just beyond the bridge at Bridgeport, Monday evening, with a result that the car was considerably injured, as well as the occupants. The car was towed back to the Taneytown garage for repairs. After getting fixed up, the man hired a car to take them to Buena Vista, just outside of Emmitsburg. Both of them had evidently been drinking and were in an unfit condition to operate a car.

The car is reported to have been liberally stocked with liquor. A state policeman happen to come along at the time of the accident and secured 2 pints as evidence, and 2 quarts for his own use. He then came to town to notify the garage to come and get the car, but when he returned to the scene the rest of the stock had mysteriously disappeared, much to the annoyance of many who had descended upon the scene to acquire samples.

Dwellings And Outbuildings Burned

A fire alarm was sounded on Thursday afternoon shortly after 3 o’clock, and in about two minutes the Union Bridge fire apparatus was on it way to James Haugh’s house, on the Uniontown Road, about 1/4 mile from the corporate limits. The fire originated in the stable on the Haugh property and communicated to the hog pen, and chicken house, all being ablaze in a few minutes.

A breeze carried the flames away from the Haugh dwelling to the adjoining property of Noah Shelby, and soon all of the buildings owned by Shelby were on fire – dwelling, summer kitchen, smokehouse and stable.

The fire company was unable to save the dwelling, even though they were there in ample time, due to several causes: mud in the short main from Baltimore Street to the plug at Mrs. Claybaugh’s, great difficulty in opening the plug; the bursting of the hose near the plug, and the insufficient pressure from the standpipe. After the hose line clean up, the pumping into the standpipe commenced. There was sufficient water force, even through about 1,100 feet of hose, to have saved the dwelling had the other issues not interfered.

Fire In Keymar

Tuesday night around 11 o’clock, the house on the farm of John Harman was destroyed by fire. Mr. Harman’s little child became restless and his wife got up to see about it. She told her husband she smelled smoke and Mr. Harman got up and going downstairs found a whole one side of the house a blaze. The rest of the family barely escaped. Mr. Harman’s lost all their furniture and clothing, and have no insurance. It is hoped that Mr. Harman and family will be helped with furniture, money, clothing. Anything in the eating line will be appreciated by them. How the house caught on fire is unknown, but it originated in the kitchen.

Motorist Run Down By Train

Harry Crumpacker, 18, of Carroll County was seriously injured on Tuesday when an automobile in what she was writing was struck by a Western Maryland passenger train. While details of the accident are lacking, it is understood that the lad misinterpreted the distance to the crossing and the speed of the train. Just as Crumpacker’s machine was about halfway across, a fast expressed dashed into it. The force of the impact crumpled the car and it was carried nearly 400 feet. The young man what pinned against a telegraph pole and seriously injured.

The train was stopped in several members of the crew hurry to the victim’s assistance. He was found unconscious and was picked up and placed on the Pullman and carried to Frederick. The automobile was a mass of wreckage and it is a miracle that Crumpacker was not instantly killed. He was the only occupant of the car.

Walkersville Playground To Open

Walkersville is making plans for the opening of its playground for children on June 30. This will be the fifth year that Walkersville has had a playground and unusual enthusiasm and interest is being manifest both by the children and by the parents. The playground is conducted under the auspice of the Walkersville Methodist Episcopal Church, but it is for all children. The playground is open to all the children of the community, county as well as town youngsters.

The playground is one of the most popular institutions in Walkersville in the summer. The youngsters are intensely interested and can hardly wait for the opening day. The lot used is in the back of the Methodist Church and is property of the church. Some new equipment was installed last year and it is planning to add a volleyball and a basketball court this year. The equipment is unusually complete for a town so small as Walkersville. There children are provided with facilities for a large number of games. It is the aim of those in charge to add equipment each year to improve the facilities.

At times the playground is patronize by as many as 200 children at a time. It is open three evenings each week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings and on Wednesday mornings. The ground is open in the evenings out of consideration for the country children; the majority of them are busy on farms during the day and have no time for playing. For their benefit the playground is open on the three nights each week until 10 o’clock.

Opening Game At Woodsboro Thrown Out

The game between Woodsboro and Point of Rocks, which was played at Woodsboro last Saturday, which Woodsboro won by a 4 to 3 score, will have to be played over again on some neutral ground according to a decision announced by the President of the Frederick League. One of the players who appeared in the Woodsboro lineup was in eligible to play for the town and therefore the league could not recognize the game and directed that it be played over.

Woodsboro, last year’s league champion, went all out to celebrate their season opener. A parade was held in which the directors of the home club, the players together with a number of fans, made up a procession headed by the Union Bridge band. When the procession arrived at the ballpark on the edge of town, the pastor of the Lutheran Church of Woodsboro, made a short address and asks for God‘s intervention on the behalf of the home team against their "heathen opponents". Dr. George Smith, Burgess of Woodsboro, through the first ball across the plate.

June 28

Storm Wrecks Havoc

Saturday afternoon occurred the most severe rain and windstorm that has visited this section for some time. Rain fell in torrents and the wind uprooted trees and tour large branches from trees throughout the countryside. Lightning was sharp and incessant. The storm was of short duration, passing over in about 20 minutes.

It partook of the nature of a cyclone in the vicinity of LeGore & New Midway. In those sections trees were twisted, telephone poles snapped off and blown for a distance of up to 30 to 40 feet. Wires were strewn along the highway from Woodsboro to New Midway.

It is reported that lightning struck the towers on the Lutheran and Reformed Churches in Creagerstown - little damage was done. Two houses in town were also struck.

During the storm lightning struck the shed of Isaac Hackley’s farm in Creagerstown, in which were stored about 25 tons of hay, a hay press and other machinery. The building went up in flames and contents were destroyed.

A large hayshed on the farm of William Shorb, between Creagerstown and Rocky Ridge was destroyed, as well as 30 tons of bailed hay and practically all of Mr. Shorb’s farming implements. It required the efforts of a number of men who formed a bucket brigade to save the barn, which stands almost 30 feet from the hey shed.

Three horses were killed by lightning near Liberty on Mrs. Ida Smith’s farm and two cows were killed on the farm of Emery Burrier on the Johnsville and Liberty Pike. They were in the barn, but the building did not burn.

Lightning also played havoc in Woodsboro. One bolt struck the bell tower of the Lutheran Church, but did little damage to the building. Another bolt took off part of the roof of the rear of the residence of George Hall. Trees were blown down in Woodsboro and most of the telephone lines were knocked out by the storm.

At least one accident is blamed on the wreckage from the storm. Gilbert Fauble of Union Bridge, was returning from a visit to Woodsboro when he became bewildered by the tangled wires and broken trees and crashed into a telephone pole.

The Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. reported that between 300 and 400 telephone sets were out of service in the county as a whole, not including those in the whole of the Woodsboro district.

Automobile Law

George Albaugh, of Walkersville, was charge for failing to keep to the right of the center of the road at an intersection, while Edwin Mackley, also of Walkersville, who was riding a motorcycle, was charged with failing to give the right away. The two machines came together and Makley was hurt. Both pleaded guilty and were fined $.35 and cost amounting to $6.15 each at a hearing before the Justice of the Peace.

Edward Ranneberger was charged with passing an automobile on a hill and without having lights on his machine. The Justice of the Peace said that if he could he would also have charged Ranneberger "with being plain stupid." Ranneberger was in the rear of another car, and about halfway up the hill he drove his car around the machine ahead and came near running into a motorcycle officer, who immediately turned around and gave chase. He pleaded guilty and was fined five dollars and cost.