100 years ago, 1915
One of four unknown men who were escaping across the ice on the Little Androscoggin river Thursday evening, exchanged fire with Special Officer Fred L. Austin of the Auburn department, who was pursuing them. No shots took effect. Austin had been sent to watch a house on the Mill road. As had been expected four men made their appearance soon after dark. They came across the river with a big sled. When they approached the house the officer surprised them.
50 years ago, 1965
The annual fingerprinting program in Lewiston, conducted by the Police Department, is apparently only partially effective as it only applies to students in the city’s public schools. While police officers successfully fingerprint all public school students by visiting the fifth grades at each public school each year, just about the same amount of students in parochial fifth grades do not come under the program.
25 years ago, 1990
A $46,000 wool rug designed and created in Lewiston expressly for the White House Oval Office has been discharged after 18 months on active duty. President George H. W. Bush and Mrs. Bush have given the heave-ho to a Maine-made product in lieu of one from their home state of Texas. KMM Corp. of 550 Lisbon St. was chosen to make the rug by Stark Corp., a New York City-based firm with a store in Washington, D.C. The Lewiston-made rug was commissioned by Nancy Reagan. Steve Miller, president of KMM Corp., said he knew at the time his rug was installed that there were “certain people” who objected to it. “Apparently (the president) didn’t like the idea of walking on the presidential seal,” which measures about 4 feet in diameter. Miller predicted that if the Bushes were changing the rug, the replacement would be plainer “because that’s their taste. This rug was ornate,” he said, “because that was Nancy Reagan’s taste.”
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