Thursday, November 03, 2005

Tragedy on Elm Avenue

November 3, 1947
Long Beach

Fred and Mattie Friel were out at dinner in Long Beach on Sunday night when Mattie had a heart attack. She was rushed home to 319 Elm Ave., where her doctor, F.W. Kuhlmann prescribed bed rest. He left Fred watching over his wife.

When Dr. Kuhlmann went to check in on Mattie yesterday, there was no answer at the house. Concerned, he walked in and found Fred dead from a heart attack in the living room. Mattie was unconscious in bed. Taken to Community Hospital, her condition is listed as critical.

Mattie Friel is 58, her husband was 62.

Visit historic Long Beach in vintage postcards:

2 comments:

notarysojack said...

CAMPUS GROUPS BACK
CO-ED IN RACIAL ROW


MADISON (Wis.) Nov. 2. (U.P.) Fourteen University of Wisconsin campus groups have organized a committee to determine whether court action can be taken in behalf of Irish Alexander, 19, co-ed, who was evicted by her landlord because a Negro law student escorted her home, it was disclosed today.

The committee, composed of about 50 students who pledged their support to Miss Alexander, also decided to make an investigation of racial discrimination in Madison. A collection was taken among committee members to start the committee’s work.

The committee will act in behalf of Miss Alexander, a sociology major from New York, and Constance Felton, 20, a Brooklyn co-ed who was asked to leave their rooming house because she sympathized with Miss Alexander. Miss Felton, however, refused to leave.

The landlord, Arthur Rupe, admitted he had asked the girls to leave after the Negro student escorted Miss Alexander home from a party. Miss Alexander said she and Miss Felton had double-dated Negroes.

Students on the committee represented campus chapters of the American Veterans Committee, Students for Democratic Action, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Progressive Citizens of America, University Socialist Club, YWCA, Unitarian, Baptist and Congregational students, University Student Board, Cooperative Rooming Houses and Dane County Communist Club.

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The Times never followed up on this story, so there’s no telling what became of Irish Alexander, Constance Felton or Arthur Rupe. It would be interesting to know.

Quote of the day “De mostest hoss in de wuld.”
Will Harbut, racehorse groom, on the death of Man O’ War.

notarysojack said...

To be precise, Will Harbut predeceased Man O' War. His quote was repeated when the famed racehorse died.