August 7, 2010

450 years ago
1560

Born on this date
Elizabeth Báthory. Hungarian murderess. Countess Báthory was a noblewoman who has been credited as the world's most prolific serial murderer. She and four collaborators were accused of murdering hundreds of young women from 1590-1610, with the highest number of victims cited at her trial being 650. Countess Báthory's family used their influence to keep her from execution, but she was imprisoned in the Castle of Csejte in Upper Hungary (now Slovakia), where she died on August 21, 1614, two weeks after her 54th birthday.

230 years ago
1780

Canadiana
King George III approved plans for the establishment of a new province in the region between the St. Croix and Penobscot Rivers (Maine), to be called "New Ireland."

150 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Alan Leo. U.K. astrologer. Mr. Leo, born William Frederick Allan, was a theosophist who worked ideas such as karma and reincarnation into his work, and has been called "the father of modern astrology." He stimulated a revival of astrology in the Western world after a decline at the end of the 17th century. Mr. Leo started to move astrology in the direction of psychologically-oriented character analysis in horoscopes rather than predicting specific events, and founded the Astrological Lodge of London in 1915. Despite the move away from predicting specific events, Mr. Leo was charged several times with illegal fortune-telling; he was convicted on July 16, 1917 and fined £5 plus costs, and died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 57 on August 30, 1917, while on vacation in the Cornish resort town of Bude in an attempt to recover his health after the trial.

120 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn. U.S. feminist activist. Mrs. Flynn was a leading organizer with Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union. She joined the Communist Party U.S.A. in 1936, and served as its chairman from January 31, 1961 until her death at the age of 74 on September 5, 1964, while on a visit to the U.S.S.R.

Died on this date
Anna Månsdotter, 48. Swedish criminal. Mrs. Månsdotter and her son Per Nilsson were convicted of the March 28, 1889 murder in Yngsjö, Sweden of Mr. Nilsson's wife Hanna Johansdotter, 22. During the trial it was revealed that Mrs. Månsdotter, who was only about 13 years older than her son, had had an incestuous relationship with him. Mr. Nilsson was 13 years older than his wife. Ms. Johansdotter was possibly beaten with a piece of wood and then strangled. Mrs. Månsdotter was put to death on the district jail grounds in Kristianstad by executioner Albert Gustaf Dahlman, who chopped off her head with an ax. Mrs. Månsdotter became the last woman in Sweden to be executed.

110 years ago
1900

Died on this date
Wilhelm Liebknecht, 74. German lawyer, journalist, and politician. Mr. Liebknecht used his legal and journalistic skills to promote Marxism. He was involved with the 1848 revolutions in Germany and Switzerland, resulting in his banishment from both countries. Mr. Liebknecht lived in exile in London from 1850-1862, where he became a member of the Communist League. As the result of an amnesty granted to the 1848 revolutionists, he returned to Germany and became a member of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Arbeiterverein (General German Workers' Association) (ADAV), the precursor to the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Social Democratic Party) (SPD). Mr. Liebknecht was elected to the Reichstag in 1869; he opposed the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, and was sentenced to two years in prison for treason--one of 16 times in which his politics resulted in a prison sentence. After being re-elected in 1874, he played a key role in the merger of the SDAP and ADAV into the Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands (Socialist Worker's Party of Germany) (SAPD) in 1875, publishing and editing the party's organ Vorwärts (Forward) while remaining a member of the Reichstag.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Freddie Slack. U.S. musician. Mr. Slack was a jazz pianist who played swing and boogie-woogie styles. He was a member of Jimmy Dorsey's band in the 1930s, and was a founding member of the Will Bradley Orchestra in 1939, playing the piano solo on the recording of Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar, a major hit in 1940. Mr. Slack formed his own band in 1942 and signed with Capitol Records; the band's version of Cow Cow Boogie (1942), with a vocal by Ella Mae Morse, became Capitol's first gold record. Mr. Slack co-wrote and recorded The House of Blue Lights (1946), and recorded with Capitol through at least 1950. On August 10, 1965, three days after his 55th birthday, he was found dead in his bedroom, from undetermined causes.

Politics and government
Carlos Eugenio Restrepo Restrepo was inaugurated into a four-year term as President of Colombia.

Boxing
Sam McVea (40-6-3-1) and Battling Jim Johnson (7-2-5) fought a 15-round draw in a heavyweight bout in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.



80 years ago
1930

Died on this date
Thomas Shipp; Abram Smith. U.S. accused criminals. Messrs. Shipp and Abram were young Negroes who, with James Cameron, 16, were accused of murdering white factory worker Claude Deeter and raping Mary Ball, a woman with him at the time in Marion, Indiana. A mob used sledgehammers to break into the local jail, sezing the suspects, beating and hanging them. An unknown woman and a local sports celebrity intervened on behalf of Mr. Cameron, and he was saved and returned to jail. Approximately 5,000 people witnessed the last confirmed lynching of Negroes in the northern United States. Local photographer Lawrence Henry Beitler took a picture of the hanging that was widely distributed. Miss Ball later testified that Mr. Cameron had not participated in the rape; he was convicted of being an accessory to murder before the fact, served several years in state prison before being paroled, and later became a civil rights activist, dying on June 11, 2006 at the age of 92.

Politics and government
Enrique Olaya Herrera was inaugurated into a four-year term as President of Colombia.

75 years ago
1935

Boxing
Joe Louis (21-0) knocked down King Levinsky (66-25-5) 4 times before referee Norm McGarrity stopped the heavyweight bout just 2:21 into the 1st round at Comiskey Park in Chicago.



70 years ago
1940

On the radio



War
Striking in three columns, Italian forces drove 50 miles inside British Somaliland.

Abominations
Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by Germany.

Defense
Singaporean authorities began intensive training of a civilian volunteer military force.

Politics and government
The Philippine National Assembly voted full powers over the country to Governor Manuel Quezon.

Labour
Officials of the International Labor Office departed Geneva for Lisbon.

60 years ago
1950

Politics and government
Laureano Gómez Castro was inaugurated into a four-year term as President of Colombia.

Society
Police barred three white players--Lou Chirban‚ Stan Mierko‚ and Frank Doyle‚ all of the Chicago American Giants--from playing in the Negro American League against the Birmingham Black Barons‚ who swept a doubleheader.

50 years ago
1960

Died on this date
Luis Ángel Firpo, 65. Argentine boxer. Mr. Firpo, nicknamed "El Toro Salvaje de las Pampas (The Wild Bull of the Pampas)," was a heavyweight who compiled a professional record of 32-5 from 1917-1936. He lost a decision to Dave Mills for the vacant South American title in 1919, but won the title with a 1-round knockout in a rematch in April 1920, and retained the title with another 1-round knockout of Mr. Mills eight months later. Mr. Firpo was best known for his challenge to Jack Dempsey for the world heavyweight title at the Polo Grounds in New York on September 14, 1923. Mr. Firpo was knocked down 7 times in the 1st round, but succeeded in knocking Mr. Dempsey out of the ring. The champion, with the help of ringside sportswriters, made it back into the ring, and knocked out Mr. Firpo in the 2nd round. Mr. Firpo became a successful car dealer and a wealthy rancher in later years, remained extremely popular throughout Latin America.

Africana
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) gained its independence from France, with a government led by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Pretty Girl--Hogsnort Rupert

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Lola--The Kinks

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (3rd week at #1)
2 Which Way You Goin' Billy?--The Poppy Family
3 The Wedding--Jody Wayne
4 Yellow River--Christie
5 Cottonfields--The Beach Boys
6 Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha--Cliff Richard
7 Groovin' with Mr. Bloe--Mr. Bloe
8 Come Softly to Me--Percy Sledge
9 Working on a Good Thing--Outlet
10 Question--The Moody Blues

Singles entering the chart were Sally by Gerry Monroe (#19); and Let it Be Me by Percy Sledge (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
2 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
3 Make it with You--Bread
4 Band of Gold--Freda Payne
5 As the Years Go By--Mashmakhan
6 Snowbird--Anne Murray
7 Indiana Wants Me--R. Dean Taylor
8 (They Long to Be) Close to You--Carpenters
9 Lay a Little Lovin' on Me--Robin McNamara
10 Hand Me Down World--The Guess Who

Singles entering the chart were Yellow River by Christie (#25); 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago (#26); Me and Bobby McGee by Gordon Lightfoot (#28); Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross (#29); and Patches by Clarence Carter (#30).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (2nd week at #1)
2 (They Long to Be) Close to You--Carpenters
3 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours--Stevie Wonder
4 Cinnamon Girl--Neil Young with Crazy Horse
5 Freedom Blues--Little Richard
6 Make it with You--Bread
7 Summertime Blues--The Who
8 Band of Gold--Freda Payne
9 As the Years Go By--Mashmakhan
10 Hand Me Down World--The Guess Who

Singles entering the chart were Me and Bobby McGee by Gordon Lightfoot (#22); Patches by Clarence Carter (#27); War by Edwin Starr (#28); Everybody's Got the Right to Love by the Supremes (#29); and It's Your Life by Andy Kim (#30).

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 A Little Bit of Soap--Paul Davis
2 As the Years Go By--Mashmakhan
3 Mama Told Me (Not to Come)--Three Dog Night
4 Hitchin' a Ride--Vanity Fare
5 Indiana Wants Me--R. Dean Taylor
6 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
7 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
8 Hand Me Down World--The Guess Who
9 (They Long to Be) Close to You--Carpenters
10 Tell it All Brother--Kenny Rogers and the First Edition

Died on this date
Harold Haley, 65. U.S. judge. Mr. Haley was a city attorney in San Rafael, California and Marin County District Attorney before being named a municipal court judge in 1956. He was appointed to the Superior Court of California in 1965, and was in San Rafael presiding over the trial of James McClain, an inmate at San Quentin penitentiary in California, charged with stabbing a San Quentin guard, when a gunman burst into the courtroom and passed guns to the defendant and three convict witnesses. Judge Haley was taken at gunpoint from the courtroom as a hostage, along with three female jurors and Assistant District Attorney Gary Thomas. A brief gun battle erupted as the armed men tried to make their getaway in a commandeered van, leaving Judge Haley and three of the would-be kidnappers dead. Mr. Thomas, a female juror, and one of the convict witnesses were wounded. The gunman who had smuggled the weapons into court was identified as 17-year-old Jonathan Jackson, brother of George Jackson, one of three Negro convicts accused of murdering a white guard in Soledad State Prison in January. Two of the guns carried by Jonathan Jackson were traced to Angela Davis, a militant Marxist Negro instructor at University of California at Los Angeles, who had been fired by the university regents for her outspoken views. She disappeared shortly after the escape attempt. Mr. Thomas was paralyzed from the waist down, but was credited with saving the lives of the three female jurors, and became a California Superior Court Judge himself (1986-1998).

War
Fighting between Israel and her Arab neighbours stopped as the cease-fire proposed by U.S. Secretary of State William Rogers went into effect. U.S. officials said that Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt would all observe the 90-day truce. In Amman, Arab guerrilla spokesmen declared that they would work to undermine it.

Politics and government
Misael Pastrana Borrero was inaugurated into a four-year term as President of Colombia.

Society
Texas and 26 school districts in that state were sued by the U.S. Justice Department, which charged that the districts operated segregated systems "with the knowledge and consent" of state education officials.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate rose from 4.7% in June to 5% in July.

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Hanky Panky--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
Two days of talks between the South African government and the African National Congress concluded with the ANC announcing that it was suspending its 30-year armed struggle against the white regime, with the cease-fire beginning immediately. President F.W. de Klerk’s government agreed to free political prisoners; allow exiled dissidents to return; and repeal the nation’s security laws. Both sides agreed to end the violence in the province of Natal, where 3,000 people had been killed in fighting among factions of the Zulu tribe. Fighting had also occurred in Transvaal between Zulus and other Negroes.

Politics and government
César Gaviria Trujillo was inaugurated into a four-year term as President of Colombia.

Oil
Executives of oil companies, testifying before the U.S. Congress, said that the cost of fuel had jumped quickly because their companies paid for oil when it was delivered to U.S. refineries, rather than when it was contracted for in the Middle East, so the worldwide rise in the cost of oil per barrel was reflected almost immediately.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (2-3) 31 @ Edmonton (3-2) 57

Despite giving up 31 points, the Eskimo defense had a big game before 39,060 fans at Commonwealth Stadium, sacking Roughrider quarterback Kent Austin 10 times and making 2 interceptions. Stew Hill had 4 of the sacks. Tracy Ham threw 4 touchdown passes for the Eskimos, and Henry "Gizmo" Williams returned a kickoff 92 yards for another Eskimo score, the first kickoff return touchdown of his CFL career. Backup quarterback Steve Taylor relieved Mr. Ham in the 4th quarter and threw his first CFL touchdown pass, 7 yards to Darrell Colbert on the last play of the game.

10 years ago
2000

Space
Scientists from the University of Texas, University of California, and the Geneva Observatory announced evidence for the existence of nine more planets outside the solar system. Among them was the closest extrasolar planet yet known, orbiting the star Epsilon Eridani 10.5 light years from earth. These planets, detected by wobbles in the motions of stars, brought the number of extrasolar planets believed or known to exist to more than 40.

Politics and government
U.S. Vice President and presumptive Democratic Party presidential candidate Al Gore chose U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut as his vice presidential candidate, making him the first Jew to be chosen by a major party as a candidate for so high an office.

Fifteen opposition parties in Yugoslavia, forming a coalition, nominated Vojislav Kostunica, a former constitutional lawyer, to be its candidate for president in the coming election. Tomislav Nikolic, a deputy premier in the government of President Slobodan Milosevic, was nominated by the Serbian Radical Party.

Baseball
The New York Yankees obtained slugger Jose Canseco from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was batting .257 with 9 home runs and 30 runs batted in in 61 games with Tampa Bay in 2000.