January 18, 2009

230 years ago
1779

Born on this date
Peter Mark Roget. U.K. physician and lexicographer. Dr. Roget practiced medicine for more than 40 years, and was one of the founders of what became the Royal Society of Medicine. He invented the log-log slide rule in 1815 and wrote numerous scholarly papers, but was best known for compiling his Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (1952), a collection of related words. Dr. Roget died on September 12, 1869 at the age of 90.

170 years ago
1839

Died on this date
Pierre-Theophile Decoigne; François-Xavier Hamelin; Joseph Robert; Ambroise Sanguinet; Charles Sanguinet. Canadian rebels. Messrs. Decoigne (notary), Hamelin (farmer and Lieutenant of Militia), Robert (farmer and Captain of Militia), and the brothers Sanguinet (farmers), were publicly hanged at the Prison du Pied-du-courant at the corner of Rue Notre-Dame and Rue de Lorimier in Montreal for their roles in the 1837-38 Lower Canada Rebellion.

160 years ago
1849

Born on this date
Edmund Barton. Prime Minister of Australia, 1901-1903. Sir Edmund, an independent before joining the Protectionist Party in 1887, was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1879. He was Speaker of the Assembly before serving two terms as Attorney General. Sir Edmund was an early proponent of Australian federation, and became the country's first Prime Minister when federation took effect on January 1, 1901. He resigned as Prime Minister to become one of the first Justices on the High Court of Australia, serving from October 5, 1903 until his death on January 7, 1920, 11 days before his 71st birthday.

130 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Henri Giraud. French military officer and politician. Général d'Armée Giraud served in both world wars and escaped from German prison camps in both wars. After escaping from Dresden during World War II, he returned to France, where he was loyal to the Vichy government but refused to cooperate with the Germans. Général Giraud secretly cooperated with the Allies, and assumed command of French troops in North Africa after the December 24, 1942 assassination of Admiral François Darlan. Général Giraud eventually had a falling-out with Free French leader Général Charles de Gaulle, and retired in 1944. As a member of the Republican Party of Liberty, Général Giraud was elected to the French Constituent Assembly in 1946, remained a member of the War Council, and helped to draft the constitution of the Fourth Republic. He died on March 11, 1949 at the age of 70.

125 years ago
1884

Disasters
103 were killed when the ship City of Columbus was wrecked off Massachusetts.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
John, 13. U.K. royal family member. Prince John was the fifth son and youngest child of King George V and Queen Mary. Prince John was an epileptic, and his condition worsened over time; his death came after a severe seizure.

War
Leaders of Allied nations met in Versailles, France to begin what became known as the Paris Peace Conference, seeking to negotiate an official end to World War I.

Politics and government
Ignace Jan Paderewski became Prime Minister of the newly independent Poland.

Canadiana
The 1,700-seat Granada Theatre opened on Wellington Street in Sherbrooke, Quebec; the decor was inspired by southern Spain.

70 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Cliff Heathcote, 40. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Heathcote was an outfielder with the St. Louis Cardinals (1918-1922); Chicago Cubs (1922-1930); Cincinnati Reds (1931-1932); and Philadelphia Phillies (1932), batting .275 with 42 home runs and 448 runs batted in in 1,415 games. He and Max Flack were traded for each other between games of a doubleheader between the Cardinals and Cubs at Cubs Park on May 30, 1922. Both players appeared in both games. Mr. Heathcote died of a pulmonary embolism.

60 years ago
1949

At the movies
Dynamite, directed and co-produced by William H. Pine, and starring William Gargan and Virginia Welles, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Charles Ponzi, 66. Italian-born U.S. criminal. Mr. Ponzi, born Carlo Ponzi, was a notorious con man in 1919-1920. He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeeming them at face value in the United States as a form of arbitrage, while using the investments of later investors to pay the earlier investors. This method of doing business is referred to as a "Ponzi scheme." Mr. Ponzi's scheme collapsed after costing investors more than $20 million over the course of a year. He served more than 13 years in prison on numerous charges, was deported to Italy, and ended up in Rio de Janeiro, where he died in poor health and near poverty.

Paul Alling, 52. U.S. diplomat. Mr. Alling held various posts in the Middle East, and was U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan from 1947-1948. He died in Washington, D.C. of amoebic dysentery.

War
The U.S.S.R. rejected a Nationalist Chinese appeal for Big Four mediation of the Chinese civil war.

World events
Bowing to U.S. pressure, U.K. Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin agreed to release 11,000 Jewish immigrants interned in Cyprus, and urged Arab nations to negotiate a permanent peace settlement with Israel.

Defense
The United Kingdom, Argentina, and Chile agreed to refrain from naval maneuvers in Antarctica below 60 S latitude.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate confirmed Dean Acheson as U.S. Secretary of State.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives approved new committee chairmen, including Emanuel Cellar (New York) for the Judiciary Committee and John Wood (Georgia) for the Un-American Activities Committee.

Crime
New York U.S. Federal Judge Harold Medina severed the trial of Communist Party U.S.A. leader William Z. Foster from that of 11 other leading Communists because of Mr. Foster's poor health.

Energy
Ontario Hydro started the conversion of electricity in Ontario to 60 cycles from 25 cycles.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Come Prima--Dalida

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: A Personal Matter, starring Wayne Morris and Joe Maross

Died on this date
Ernest Irons, 81. U.S. physician. Dr. Irons and Dr. James Herrick discovered the first published case of sickle cell anemia in 1904. Dr. Irons was a bacteriologist, but was best known for his leadership roles in various organizations. He was dean of Rush Medical College; president of the American College of Physicians (1944-1946); and president of the American Medical Association (1949-1950), leading opposition to U.S. President Harry Truman's proposal for a national health plan. Dr. Irons died of a heart attack while recuperating from a mugging he had suffered outside his home in Chicago two months earlier.

Politics and government
South Korea's opposition Democratic Party, led by Chough Pyong Ok, announced that it would file suit to prevent President Syngman Rhee from appointing all municipal and village officials under an autonomy law passed by Parliament in December.

Protest
Former Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff called for a general strike and "national day of mourning" to protest the establishment of "British dictatorship" in Malta.

Bowling
Marian Ladewig of Grand Rapids, Michigan won her seventh U.S. All-Star Tournament (later renamed the United States Open). The best woman performer in the history of the sport, she won eight national opens in all, and was voted Bowler of the Year nine times.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Eloise--Barry Ryan

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Biplane Evermore--The Royal Guardsmen

#1 single in France: Casatchok--Dimitri Dourakine and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Scende la pioggia--Gianni Morandi

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Eloise--Barry Ryan

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Quick Joey Small--Real McCoy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Hair--Zen (3rd week at #1)
2 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
3 Ain't Got No--I Got Life--Nina Simone
4 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade
5 Eloise--Barry Ryan
6 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
7 Battle Hymn of the Republic--Andy Williams with the St. Charles Borromeo Choir
8 Albatross--Fleetwood Mac
9 Bluebirds Over the Mountain--The Beach Boys
10 In the Beginning--Boots

Singles entering the chart were I Started a Joke by the Bee Gees (#14); Sabre Dance by Love Sculpture (#27); Roly by Raymond Froggatt (#31); I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye (#33); Kiele, Kiele, Kiele ... by Toon Hermans en De Driedonken Blaaskapel (#35); Fox on the Run by Manfred Mann (#37); and Something's Happening by Herman's Hermits (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (6th week at #1)
2 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
3 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
4 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
5 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
6 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
7 For Once in My Life--Stevie Wonder
8 Touch Me--The Doors
9 Worst that Could Happen--Brooklyn Bridge
10 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield

Singles entering the chart were Take Care of Your Homework by Johnnie Taylor (#67); But You Know I Love You by the First Edition (#71); I Got a Line on You by Spirit (#74); There'll Come a Time by Betty Everett (#76); Home Cookin' by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#77); He Called Me Baby by Ella Washington (#78); Getting the Corners by the T.S.U. Toronadoes (#82); Bubble Gum Music by the Rock and Roll Dubble Bubble Trading Card Co. of Philadelphia-19141 (#87); Poor Side of Town by Al Wilson (#88); May I by Bill Deal & the Rhondels (#89); The Grooviest Girl in the World by the Fun and Games (#90); Kum Ba Yah by Tommy Leonetti (#93); I'm Gonna Hold on as Long as I Can by the Marvelettes (#94); Will You Be Staying After Sunday by the Peppermint Rainbow (#96); This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) by Tammi Terrell (#97); Fox on the Run by Manfred Mann (#98); Mendocino by the Sir Douglas Quintet (#99); and That's Your Baby by Joe Tex (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (5th week at #1)
2 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
3 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
4 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
5 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
6 Touch Me--The Doors
7 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
8 Cloud Nine--The Temptations
9 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
10 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees

Singles entering the chart were Home Cookin' by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#81); There'll Come a Time by Betty Everett (#86); Dizzy by Tommy Roe (#89); Riot by Hugh Masakela (#91); That's Your Baby by Joe Tex (#93); The Grooviest Girl in the World by the Fun and Games (#94); 30-60-90 by Willie Mitchell (#95); Freedom Train by James Carr (#96); Kay by John Wesley Ryles I (#97); Hello it's Me by the Nazz (#98); Mendocino by the Sir Douglas Quintet (#99); and Shake a Poo Poo by Chet “Poison” Ivey and the Fabulous Avengers (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
2 Twilight Woman--The 49th Parallel
3 Beyond the Clouds--The Poppy Family
4 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
5 Elephant Candy--The Fun and Games
6 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
7 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
8 Bella Linda--The Grass Roots
9 Recipe for Love--The Dew Line
10 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee

At the movies
The Battle of El Alamein, directed by Giorgio Ferroni, and starring Frederick Stafford, George Hilton, and Michael Rennie, opened in theatres in Sweden.



War
Viet Cong and South Vietnamese representatives agreed to hold expanded peace talks in Paris, two days after U.S. and North Vietnamese delegates had also agreed on expanded talks. U.S. sources said that it was likely that the withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam would be limited to 50,000, after S.V. President Nguyen Van Thieu confirmed that he had requested the withdrawal of some U.S. troops in 1969. American combat deaths in Vietnam for the week of January 12-18 totalled 190, bringing the total since 1961 to 31,181.

World events
A state of siege was declared in Bolivia following the discovery of a plot to overthrow President Rene Barrientos Ortuno.

Politics and government
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill doubling the President's annual salary to $200,000, effective with the inauguration of Richard Nixon two days hence.

Disasters
A second air disaster within a week hit Los Angeles International Airport when United Airlines Flight 266, a Boeing 727 jet, plunged into Santa Monica Bay, 9 miles from the airport, killing all 32 passengers and 6 crew members aboard.

Seven people were killed and five injured when fire swept through a nursing home in Greenville, Mississippi.

30 years ago
1979

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Moment of Truth

Delta House, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Legacy

This was the first episode of the short-lived comedy series, a spinoff from the movie National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).

Oil
The American Petroleum Institute reported that U.S. petroleum demand for 1978 had risen at the slowest rate since the recession of 1974-75. The demand in 1978 averaged 18.7 million barrels per day, up 1.4% from the 1977 level, compared with a 5% increase for 1977 and a 6.9% increase for 1976.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Commerce Department released preliminary statistics that indicated that the economy had grown by 6.1 % in the final three months of 1978, confirming to the administration of President Jimmy Carter that there would not be a recession.

25 years ago
1984

Died on this date
Malcolm H. Kerr. U.S. academic. Mr. Kerr, the president of the American University of Beirut, was shot to death near his office by two gunmen. The pro-Islamic guerrilla group Islamic Holy War claimed responsibility.

Diplomacy
In a speech to delegates at the 35-nation Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures and Disarmament in Europe in Stockholm, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko attacked the United States as a threat to world peace, and rejected as propaganda U.S. President Ronald Reagan's January 16 call for the resumption of arms reduction talks.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that housing starts in 1983 had increased 60.3%, to 1,703,100, over the 1982 total.

Disasters
A fire in an undersea coal mine 550 miles southwest of Tokyo killed 83 miners.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vingar--Mikael Rickfors (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Just Between Me and You and Kirk and Paul and Carla and Becky

Died on this date
Bruce Chatwin, 48. U.K. author. Mr. Chatwin was known for his novels On the Black Hill (1982) and Utz (1988). He was a sodomite who died of AIDS.

World events
The Central Committee of the United Workers' (Communist) Party in Poland called for the eventual legalization of the trade union movement Solidarity. Party leader General Wojciech Jaruzelski allied himself with party moderates during the debate in the committee, saying "times have changed" and "We are aiming for new solutions." His resolution passed by a vote of 228-32. Under its provisions, Solidarity would undergo a two-year trial period during which it would not strike and would cooperate with Polish authorities.

Health
A whooping cough (diptheria) epidemic hit the Indian community of Hobbema, Alberta.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the merchandise trade deficit had widened to $12.51 billion in November 1988.

Business
The Hudson's Bay Company announced the merger of the Simpsons and The Bay stores in the region of Montreal; 900 employees were laid off.

A merger of the Canadian breweries Molson and O'Keefe was announced.