This Week 150 Years Ago in Hickman – May 23, 1874

Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from May 23, 1874

• The falling of the Mississippi River had caused uneasiness to business owners on Front Street in Hickman. The riverbank had sunk by a foot or more and efforts were being made to stabilize and protect property along the shore.
• It was reported that people in Hickman were searching for a hidden box of “Freebooters” treasure in the city believed to have been buried many decades earlier. “There have been hundreds of attempts to find the interesting localities of their concealment,” the Hickman Courier
• The “Cantata of Esther” was scheduled to be performed by the Amateur Singers of Hickman on the evening of May 27^th and 28^th at the Methodist Church under the direction of S. M. Brown.
• The Hickman City Council considered tearing down the Ledwidge and Hubbard frames which were considered only as “old landmarks” and “great eyesores.”
• Drunkenness in Hickman was reportedly worse now than in recent years.
• The Hickman cotton market reported “commanding good figures” and cotton from Obion County, Tennessee sold for 15 cents a pound.
• Thadeus W. Thomas announced his candidacy for Hickman City Marshal.
• A Mrs. McQuade was arrested on May 18^th on the charge of lunacy. She stated that a spell had been put upon her by the “tongue of an evil woman” and that the devil had possessed her at times. The jury failed to agree and the judge “summarily dismissed the prisoner.”
• Joshua Williams, of Lodgton, declared his candidacy for Fulton County Assessor.
• W. Robertson and A. B. Stubblefield, candidates for Commonwealth Attorney, planned to address the citizens of Hickman on June 8^th.
• On May 9^th, the Fulton County Auditor announced that the County Sheriff would begin collecting property taxes. White taxpayers would pay 45 cents on each $100 worth of taxable property, 25 cents for each enrolled white militiaman, and $1.00 on each dog over two belonging to a white person. Black taxpayers would pay 45 cents on each $100 worth of taxable property, $1.00 on each male over the age of twenty-one, $1.00 on each dog over two belonging to a black person, and 25 cents for each black militiaman.
• The assessment of Fulton County found a “marked advance in valuations” and an increase in the “number of acres of land, town lots, etc.” The total tax valuation for the county was $2,066,282. The year prior it was $1,458,246. The population had “increased considerably.” There were 1,553 white males and 176 black males over the age of 21, and 1,887 white and 285 black school children between the ages of 6 and 20.
• The Sunday School Convention of the Baptist Church planned to convene at Clinton on May 30^th and all ministers were “earnestly solicited to attend.”
• A leading tobacco buyer in Paducah purchased numerous circus tickets and distributed them among his rural friends.
• Dogs roaming the streets of Paducah were being exterminated by order of the city.
• Oscar Turner, candidate for Congress, declared “instead of inflating the National bank currency, he would wipe out every National bank.” He preferred to return to the “good old democratic currency – hard money.” His opponent A. R. Boon stated he also opposed National banks but favored an inflation of the National bank currency.
• Jacob Corbett, Ballard County Clerk, submitted the county auditor’s first Commissioner’s book to the State auditor.
• Robert Read of Water Valley committed suicide by shooting himself on May 17^th. He was believed to have been “under a spell of temporary insanity” and “made several efforts to accomplish his purpose before succeeding.”
• West Powell reported to the Hickman Courier that corn and cotton crops in portions of Fulton County and upper Weakley and Obion counties in Tennessee were not “coming up well” and the wheat crop was seriously damaged due to last season’s drought.
• Sam Surber was arrested in McKenzie, Tennessee on May 9^th for drunkenness and firing a pistol at an officer of the law and nearby women.
• The murder of T. J. Caverhill in Rutherford Station, Tennessee, was believed to have been committed by S. M. Collie, the brother-in-law of Caverhill, and his widow. The motive was a $10,000 life insurance policy and that Collie and Caverhill’s wife were having an affair. They were both arrested and taken to Trenton, Tennessee where the trial was ongoing.
• There was a public outcry in Cairo, Illinois to the punishment of eleven black men of the steamer James Howard that were arrested for robbery and mutiny. It was reported that the eleven men had responded to two of their mates being placed in irons by the captain. The investigation was ongoing at the time of publication.
• The infant son Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Nelson, aged 9 months and 15 days, died in Hickman on May 18^th. On the 19^th, Emma Glazier died in the city at age 12.