Today in History: Verdict in 'Black Sox' trial
In 1876, frontiersman 'Wild Bill' Hickok was shot and killed while playing poker at a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, by Jack McCall, who was later hanged.
In 1921, a jury in Chicago acquitted seven former members of the Chicago White Sox baseball team and two others of conspiring to defraud the public in the notorious 'Black Sox' scandal (though they would later be banned from Major League Baseball for life by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis).
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In 1923, the 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding, died in San Francisco; Vice President Calvin Coolidge became president.
In 1934, German President Paul von Hindenburg died, paving the way for Adolf Hitler's complete takeover.
In 1945, President Harry S. Truman, Soviet leader Josef Stalin, and Britain's new prime minister, Clement Attlee, concluded the Potsdam conference.
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In 1974, former White House counsel John W. Dean III was sentenced to one to four years in prison for obstruction of justice in the Watergate cover-up. (Dean ended up serving four months.)
In 1985, 137 people were killed when Delta Air Lines Flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, crashed while attempting to land at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, seizing control of the oil-rich emirate. (The Iraqis were later driven out by the US in Operation Desert Storm.)
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Los Angeles Times
35 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
National Night Out introduces first responders, community partnerships
National Night Out at Fountain Valley Sports Park saw the community interface with its uniformed personnel, the attendees taking the opportunity to get to know the people charged with protecting them. 'I think law enforcement, in general, can do a better job of telling their story,' Fountain Valley Interim Police Chief Rod Cox said. 'I think this provides the opportunity for us to tell the police story and show how much we care about the community, show our resources, show the tools that we use. 'The cops get face time with the community, visit with the kids, visit with the adults. They get to know people one on one, and it just builds our community orientation and lets people know that we're human.' The attending families stood at rapt attention as they formed a boundary around the demonstration of crime-fighting canines. K9 Pomix participated in multiple scenarios, which included chasing after a padded suit-wearing, weapon-bearing Officer Austin Pennella. Pennella played on the boys' soccer team at Fountain Valley High, where he graduated in 2020. Early exposure to others who became officers made going into law enforcement a 'natural jump,' he said. 'It's fun for me,' Pennella said of partaking in the canine showcase. 'I'm sure it's a lot more scary for the people that actually get bit without the suit. I love it. I love getting bit. I love doing the work with the canine. That's my goal long term, so being able to work with the dog as closely as I get to is a privilege.' The German shepherd has its own Instagram page, where hundreds have followed along to witness the activities of Pomix and Canine Officer Gannon Kelly. Families enjoyed interactions with police and fire personnel, some donning firefighter headgear. Children also got to sit on a police motorbike, have their sprint speed timed by a radar gun and pull on protective gear. Attendees also met members of the Fountain Valley dispatch team, radio amateur civil emergency services (RACES), the retired senior volunteer program (RSVP), and the police explorer program. The RSVP team provides a number of functions that lighten the load on law enforcement, including handling parking citations and vacation home checks. Joy Garcia, who has been involved with the program for three years, said its numbers have held firm at a few dozen. Volunteers are kept out of dangerous situations, she added. 'I'm very, very appreciative of Fountain Valley for having been able to raise my children here and to have all of these events and activities for them,' Garcia said. Cox said Fountain Valley is on the verge of starting a community emergency response team (CERT) in September. 'We'll be looking for volunteers for that,' Cox said. 'People will want to attend the CERT training. We'll start with our in-house volunteers first, if they want to go, then we'll reach out to the community and build the program from there.' Cox also mentioned the city has volunteers running a program called You Are Not Alone (YANA), which stays in communication with senior residents. Community members also visited with representatives from the Orange County district attorney's office, the Trauma Intervention Program, and with City Net, which is contracted to provide homeless services in Fountain Valley. While the evening, in some ways, was highlighted by community partnerships, it also served as a chance to remember others. Fountain Valley's National Night Out was dedicated to Bill McQuaid, the late fire chief who died on July 25. A memorial service for McQuaid will be held on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m. at Mariners Church in Irvine. As families visited the park on Tuesday, many also saw for the first time the new street signage for Ed Arnold Way. The entrance to the park was recently renamed in honor of Arnold, who was a longtime resident and sportscaster. Fountain Valley police announced this week that officers will be conducting a DUI and driver's license checkpoint on Friday, Aug. 15. Authorities said the operation would be carried out on Warner Avenue near Brookhurst Street from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Chicago Tribune
4 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Donna Vickroy: Chicago's long history with grisly killings, and why we're so fascinated
We're obsessed with murder. Murders in the building, on the Orient Express, in the Rue Morgue. From Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot to Steve Martin's Charles Haden-Savage, murder detectives are among the most celebrated of fictional characters. But nothing captivates like true crime, whether we're a shocked and outraged member of the audience or an amateur sleuth trying to get to the bottom of things. Chicago historian Clarence Goodman gives all kinds of presentations, from talks about the Black Sox to a look at the Kennedys in Chicago, but when the topic is murder, 'the place is packed.' Goodman, a musician and radio personality, presents 'A Killer Among Us (Part 2): Killers, Stalkers, and Creeps of Chicago's Modern Era' at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Tinley Park Public Library. And, same as Part 1 a year ago, he expects the audience to take notes and ask lots of questions. 'The obsession with murder in this country is something I have been acutely aware of ever since I got into this about 20 years ago,' Goodman said. He started as a tour guide covering all kinds of topics in Chicago history but whenever the subject turned to grisly killings, he said, 'people hang on every word.' According to a recent YouGov poll, 57% of Americans say they consume true-crime content. Popularity is high across all demographics, but mostly among women under age 65. It's not just an entertaining topic, the poll reveals, 'it is seen by many Americans as having the potential to change how people understand crime and the criminal-justice system.' More than half of the fans say true-crime entertainment makes people more vigilant and safety-conscious, improves understanding of the criminal justice system, increases empathy with victims, and helps to solve cases that wouldn't have been solved otherwise, the poll states. Goodman says women are the biggest fans, perhaps because throughout history they have been extraordinarily marginalized and mistreated by a lot of men. And most often, men are the ones doing the killing. 'Maybe that's the root of the fascination,' he said. 'Women and gay men seem to be the most common victims.' Goodman said, 'Maybe our fascination with death begins as little children. But then we learn about murder, about taking someone's life, about exerting that control, imposing one's will and power on another person. 'The most arrogant act in the world is killing another human being,' he said. Goodman divides his coverage of killers into three distinct presentations: The Gilded Age killers, from the notorious H.H. Holmes to organized crime; the post-War 1940s and on, which features the horrendous acts of John Wayne Gacy, Richard Speck and The Unabomber; and political/social manifestos, the people who serial and mass kill from a distance using rifles and bombs. At the Tinley presentation, he will focus on the second school of Chicago-area serial killers — killers of the modern era. Beginning in post-war 1940s, he said, there has been an incredible timeline of murders in this country, almost always with a Chicago thread. John Wayne Gacy, Richard Speck, Theodore Kaczynski will be discussed, as will Ed Gein, Wisconsin serial killer upon whom 'Psycho,' 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' were based. Goodman, who gives his presentations at Chicago-area libraries and retirement homes, says he isn't trying to be the definitive voice, just one of the many delving into dark matter. 'People like to do their own digging, they get more excited about it. I want to get people excited about this, explain to them why this city is important. Among all the wonderful things Chicago gave us, it also gave us this,' he said. Why Chicago? Goodman said, 'It came of age during the Industrial Revolution. It blossomed like no other city in American history hitherto. So many people from so many different walks of life. It grew from a mudhole to a megalopolis overnight practically. 'The biggest confidante the serial killer has is anonymity granted by cities of a million or more people,' he said. In a town of a million or more, it's easy to go unnoticed, he said. It's easy to not care about neighbors. In addition to the Tinley gig, Goodman will present 'A Tale of Two Chicagos: The White City and the Murder Castle of Englewood' at the Helen Plum Memorial Library in Lombard on Oct. 1. For more information on these events and others, go to his website at or visit his Facebook page Is he ever taken aback by the evergreen popularity of Chicago's most notorious stories? 'I understand the interest,' he said. He opens his presentations with a brief explanation of what he's going to talk about: the most horrific killings. Then he scans the audience and, seeing everyone on the edge of their seats, chuckles and asks, 'What's wrong with all of you?'
UPI
5 hours ago
- UPI
Man charged with killing two Israeli embassy workers is indicted on federal hate crime charges
1 of 8 | Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two Israeli Embassy staff members, were shot and killed while leaving an event for young professionals hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C., on May 21. File Photo via Embassy of Israel | License Photo Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The man charged with the shooting deaths of two Israeli embassy employees at the Capital Jewish Museum has been indicted on new charges, including hate crimes, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced. Elias Rodriguez, 31, was charged May 21 by complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with the murder of a foreign official, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the D.C. criminal code. The new indictment adds two federal counts of hate crime resulting in death and two local counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, Pirro announced. The shootings killed Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who were leaving an event at the museum. Multiple charges in the indictment carry a maximum penalty of death. Pirro will decide later whether to pursue the death penalty. "This office will leave no stone unturned in its effort to bring justice to the innocent victims of Elias Rodriguez," Pirro said in a statement. "The hate charges shed further light on his evil intent in the killing of innocent victims." "This Justice Department will not tolerate violence motivated by hatred of faith or national origin, and we will enforce our federal civil rights laws accordingly," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon in a statement. According to the indictment, Rodriguez, of Chicago, made statements before the attack in which he advocated for violence against Israelis. Lischinsky and Milgrim worked at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Lischinsky was an Israeli-German citizen and had purchased an engagement ring ahead of a trip to Jerusalem, where he planned to propose marriage. Milgrim was born in Kansas and was a U.S. citizen. Each died of multiple gunshot wounds. The FBI warrant affidavit says Rodriguez entered the museum after shooting Milgrim and Lischinsky. Two police officers entered the building soon after to ask about surveillance footage and identify witnesses. Rodriguez approached one of the officers and said he "did it" and was unarmed. The officers took him into custody, and Rodriguez told the officers, "I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza. I am unarmed," while holding a red "Kaffiyeh," the FBI affidavit says, referring to the traditional scarf worn by many men in the Middle East. Rodriguez yelled, "Free, free Palestine," as the officers escorted him from the museum.
