LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

To the courage and presence of mind of D.V. Ferris, cashier of the First National Bank of Diagonal, is given credit for the thwarting of an attempt to rob that institution just before noon yesterday. Mr. Ferris was getting ready to leave the bank when two bandits entered the front door and at the point of revolvers demanded that he open the safe, threatening to kill him if he did not obey orders. Mr. Ferris calmly refused, turned his back on the weapons and stepped into the rear room, closing the door, whereupon the bandits rushed to an automobile, which stood in waiting with a third member of the gang at the wheel.

The alarm was given and members of the vigilance committee and the sheriffs of Ringgold and Union Counties were soon in pursuit. The Bandit car, a large Marmon, left Diagonal on the Creston road and the car, together with the khaki suits worn by the bandits, had been abandoned in the road about 5 miles from Creston, and it was thought the bandits were hiding in a nearby corn field. At the hour of going to press no further word has been received.

By a little more that one hundred votes the proposition of issuing bond in the sum of $150,000 for the purpose of building and equipping a court house for Ringgold County was defeated at the special election held yesterday.

Marriage: November 25, Vanita Fullerton and Leland Saville.. November 28, Verna Funkhouser and B.A. Greenrod..November 24, Orville Lindquist and Wilma Rice.

Births: November 25, a daughter, Ellacteen, to Mr. and Mrs. Russell Laird.. November 25, a daughter, Evelynn, to Mr. and Mrs. George Higday.

Obituary in this edition was, Rebecca Osborn Elliott.

The Willim S. Breckenridge store and the Nyal Drug store owned by Dick Farrell in Tingley were burglarized Sunday night.

Entrance into the Breckenridge store was gained by breaking the glass in the front door, according to Sheriff H.P. Todd. Twenty dollars and change and two boxes of cigars were taken. Entrance to the drug store was gained through a back door. No money or merchandise was taken.

A capacity crowd braved the cold and snow to witness the Diagonal Maroons avenge last season’s losses to Mount Ayrby turning the tide with a decisive 48-32 victory in their first clash of the season.

The Maroon scoring punch was engineered by Ricker and Hollinger with seventeen points each. Reynolds led the Mount Ayr scorers with seventeen.

William Collins, superintendent of the Redding schools, passed away Saturday evening at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon at the age of 49 years. He had been in declining health for several months.

Marriage: Thanksgiving day, Mildred Putney and William Rees.. November 25, Pauline Toland and Robert Richardson.. November 24, Iola Liles and LeRoy Wernli.

Birth: December 1, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Beamer.

Obituaries in this edition were: Amelia Gladys McGraw Grogan, Clyde Adelbert Rupert, Eliza Jane Brown Lane, Albert Smith, Zenas Ira Grout, Nellie Kimball Woollums and Gertrude Marie Kinder Fish.

For the 2nd time in two years death has caused a vacancy on the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors. Howard Pine, chairman of the board of supervisors, died unexpectedly at his home in Diagonal Saturday morning. Mr. Pine had served on the board of supervisors since October of 1973 when he was appointed to fill out a portion of the term to which his brother Eugene, was elected in 1972. Eugene died October 6, 1972.

There has been a lot of interest this year in Mount Ayr Cub Scouts and there are several new leaders. Francis Willis will serve as Cub Master, Jack Yearous as Webelo leader and Mrs. Tom Ford, Mrs. Gene Klommhaus, Mrs. Don Solliday, Mrs. Charles Fletchall and Mrs. Ron Richie as den mothers.

Mount Ayr wrestlers, Curt Braby placed second and Ralph Grout placed fifth in the Oklahoma high school open wrestling tournament held at Norman, OK, on November 28 and 29th.

Births: December 1, a son, Michael, to Mr. and Mrs. Mick Still.. November 28, a daughter Franchesca to Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Johnson.

Obituary in this edition was: Beth Maxine Stephens

A Mount Ayr resident’s body was discovered in the bottom of a well on an abandoned farm near Eagleville, MO, this week.

The body of Larry White, 39, who was last seen alive in Mount Ayr in early November, was recovered from the well by authorities in Harrison Co., MO. An autopsy showed that White died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Charged in the killing of her former husband is Pamela S. (White) Foley, forty, of Ridgeway, MO, who is being held in Ray Co., Missouri detention facility on a cash bond of $500,000 according to the Harrison Co. sheriff’s office.

The tank of an air compressor exploded in a machine shed at the home of Gary and Darla Sobotka of rural Mount Ayr Sunday morning doing a good deal of damage but not injuring anyone.

Randall Lynch came Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday hunted deer with Rick Stull and sons, Steven and BayLee, and Dr. Dan Weddle. Everyone got a deer by Sunday afternoon.

Births: November 29, a daughter, Jentry, to Mr. and Mrs. Ron Ruby..December 1, a daughter, Abbigail, to Rob and Jodi Haley.

Obituaries in this edition were: Wm. Lloyd Abarr, Myrtle Mae Bryant Akers, Marietta Josephine Heinisch Williams Brown, Violet Pauline Walkup Denton, Etta Arleen Barton Elswick, Quentin K. “Curly” Hayworth, Robert Henderson Saltzman, Jeffrey Alan Stout, Betty Jean Dowell Trimble and Larry Eugene White.

On a national basis, the state of Iowa is not widely known as a hotbed of rock n’ roll music, but most Iowans know rock music has a long history in the state. In fact, Iowa’s rock history even extends all the way into Ringgold County as one Mount Ayr graduate has been inducted into the Iowa Rock n’Roll Hall of Fame not once but twice.

This year Carey Crowson, a 1972 graduate, was honored with inclusion in the Rock Hall of Fame for his individual accomplishments in the music industry over the past 40 years, and according to his Hall of Fame biography, “dedication to making music special for all Iowans and beyond.”

Braby named Coach of the Year and three named to All-District Team in volleyball. Tori Braby named All-District Coach of the Year and named to All-District were Alyssa Johnson, Blair Glendenning and Kelcie Shields.

Obituaries in this edition were: Everett Lee Faris, Vernon “Sonny” King and Janice Jean Carlson Lindeman.