Bound Volumes
April 17, 2025
135 YEARS AGO
Escape from jail—The following were three of the four prisoners who were in the Otsego County Jail—Charles Junius, Pittsfield, charged with robbery; Ed Pratt, Otego, indicted for burglary; Wm. Manning, Richfield, indicted for burglary and larceny. They were seen in their quarters between nine and ten o’clock Monday night. About three o’clock the next morning, it is thought, they took “French Leave.” The Negro Junius went as far as Westville, where he “tuckered out,” and on making his presence known was taken in charge by a Deputy and returned to his old quarters—which he prefers to such hard work as running away. The Sheriff is on the track of the two other men.
April 18, 1890
110 YEARS AGO
The big automobile truck of the International Milk Products Company equipped with a new body and spic and span from the Francis Paint Shop, went through the iron bridge a half mile below Phoenix Mills Saturday afternoon on its initial trip gathering milk from the farms of this locality. The driver of the machine, Charles Vibbard of Springfield Center, heard the bridge creaking and before he had a chance to jump the rear wheels had broken through the planking. The truck would have gone into the river, but for the intervention of the iron rods that support the bridge from the underside. The big automobile did not overturn, and the 30 cans of milk aboard were rescued intact. The truck weighs three and one-half tons and was carrying about one ton of milk.
April 21, 1915
85 YEARS AGO
The death of Captain Roy Campbell Smith, U.S.N. Ret., a prominent member of the Cooperstown summer colony, occurred early Thursday morning of last week at Summerville, N.C. Captain Smith’s family has been identified with Cooperstown since its pioneer days. His great-grandfather was Robert Campbell, first president of the First National Bank of Cooperstown, who built the Lake Street house formerly occupied by the late Miss Emma Cory, and now the summer home of Douglas T. Johnston of Pleasantville. His parents were Dr. Charles H. and Maria Campbell Smith. Born at Fort Mason, Texas, July 16, 1858, he had spent his summers in Cooperstown since he was six years of age.
April 17, 1940
35 YEARS AGO
More than 130 village residents and hospital employees packed the Cooperstown Elementary School to hear Bassett officials explain the three-part Bassett Clinic project at last week’s public hearing. Bassett President William Streck, M.D., said that the proposed 110,000 square foot, multi-story, outpatient clinic, the new energy center and the expansion of parking facilities is the result of a “rigorous planning process that began in 1985.”
April 18, 1990
20 YEARS AGO
The Cooperstown boys’ varsity baseball team opened its 2005 season with a 9-3 win over Frankfort-Schuyler on Wednesday, April 6; then traveled to Schenevus the following day where they defeated the Draper Dragons 6-2. On Friday, April 8 Coach Frank Miosek’s Redskins kept things rolling by clobbering the Herkimer Magicians 13-0. Philip Pohl started on the mound for Cooperstown and kept the Magicians quiet for three innings before sophomore Zack Sittler took over in the fourth to pick up his first varsity win. The Redskins led Herkimer 2-0 going into the fifth inning when they put the game out of reach with an 11-run rally capped by Sittler’s two-run homer. “Zack had a great day,” Miosek said. Frank Petroskey was 4 for 5 including two doubles.
April 15, 2005
