Chief Desmond Nabs Pair of Pants

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William Desmond nabbed many thieves during his 17 year career as St. Louis Chief of Detectives.  He developed a nationwide reputation as “The Thief Taker”.  On Monday, October 15, 1900, Chief Desmond nabbed the pants of a thief but not the thief himself. Jonas Washington entered the yard of Shickle, Harrison and Howard Iron Foundry at 12th and Gratiot Streets

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Sam McVey’s Big Right Hand

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Sam McVey tired of the lack of opportunity for black fighters in the United States during the early Twentieth Century.  McVey decided to leave for Europe in 1907, where he fought until 1911.  McVey fought in Australia for three more years before returning to the United States. This brief highlight film from France in 1911 with “Battling” Jim Johnson shows

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Officer and Deputy Confront Violent Man

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On August 31, 1901, Night Watchman William Doherty discovered Willis Garner burglarizing the office of Schickle, Harrison and Howard Iron Company at 912 S. Twelfth Street in St. Louis, Missouri.  The iron company employed Garner, who threw a hammer at Doherty’s head.  The hammer missed its target but the confusion allowed Garner to jump out the window and make his

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Toughest Saloon on Deep Morgan

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On October 6, 1890, local barbers Luther Duncan and Bob Henderson stepped out on to N. 11th Street to settle a quarrel.  This area of St. Louis was known as “Deep Morgan”.  “Deep Morgan” was home to bordello, flop houses and the toughest African-Americans saloon in the city, Starkes’ Saloon.  Both Duncan and Henderson were black barbers, who worked in

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Shadows Over Chinatown (1946)

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When Twentieth Century-Fox decided to drop the Charlie Chan series after Castle in the Desert (1942), Sidney Toler purchased the rights to the series and took it to Monogram Pictures.  After making 11 films with Twentieth Century-Fox, Toler would make 11 Charlie Chan films with Monogram Pictures. Shadows Over Chinatown (1946) was the ninth film that Toler made for Monogram

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Langford Defeats The Great Gans

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On December 8, 1903, Sam Langford fought the reigning lightweight boxing champion in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts.  Prior to fighting Langford, most boxing experts felt Joe Gans could not be beaten in a legitimate bout.  Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Gans was able to break the color barrier by winning the World Lightweight Boxing Championship. Sam Langford is often considered

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Juve vs. Fantomas (1913)

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Juve vs. Fantomas (1913) is Louis Feuillade’s second film adaptation (affiliate link) of the popular crime series by Marcell Allain and Pierre Souvestre. Rene Navarre plays the role of Fantomas and his many aliases. Edmund Breon portrays Inspector Juve. George Melchior plays the role of Jerome Fandor, a young journalist, who assists Juve in his investigations of Fantomas. Juve and

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