January 29, 1995
25 Years Ago
Mt. Airy Ki-Wives Meet At Home Of Mrs. Wilson – The January meeting of the Mt. Airy KiWives Club was held at the home of Mrs. Mary Jane Wilson, Merridale Gardens. A delicious covered dish supper was enjoyed by the members. Mrs. Frances Free, president, presided at the meeting. The main topic of discussion was a project for the year. Although several suggestions were made, the group decided to investigate the needs of the elderly citizens in the community with the idea of providing warm clothing, food, and the other necessities. The Ways and Means Committee was complimented for the outstanding job they have been doing. Serving as co-chairman of this committee are Mrs. Sue Wilson and Mrs. Hazel Watkins. A Nominating Committee composed of Mrs. Grace Mason, chairman, Mrs. Pearl Belison, and Mrs. Janice Leatherwood was appointed. In February, the Ki-Wives will be guests of the Kiwanis Club at their annual Valentine’s Party. Community Reporter, January 30, 1970.
50 Years Ago
Springfield Hospital Has 3000 Patients-
IT COST DAILY 69 CENTS PER CAPITA; THERE ARE 1400 ACRES IN THE TRACT OF LAND; HOSPITAL ASKS FOR $2,022,620 FOR 1946-47 – In the Baltimore Evening Sun by Jane Bedell of Jan. 26. Inside the pleasant Georgian-styled buildings at the Springfield State Hospital, located on 1,400 acres of well-tended grounds near Sykesville, close to 3,000 patients are
being treated for mental illness. For 65 cents per person per day these patients are fed, clothed and given modern medical care. Some of them will never recover; many will. Some could recover but will not unless reforms are effected. Dr. George H. Preston, commissioner of mental hygiene, is among the first to admit this. “In the past year and a half, we’ve gone back ten years in the treatment we’re giving patients.” he said. Dr. Kenneth B. Jones, superintendent of Springfield, is equally frank, “Recovery could be as prevalent in this mental hospital as in any other type of hospital if we had the money to work with,” he admits. It is true that the buildings are clean, bright and fairly well equipped. The physio and hydro-therapy department is equipped with a deep therapy electrical treatment machine, a dry heat and a vapor heat cabinet, needle sprays, sun ray and electric shock machines. Any kind of operation can be performed in the surgical laboratory. But the staff is inadequate and underpaid. Despite the fact that more than 50 conscientious objectors are working in the hospital, there are 90 vacancies.
Democratic Advocate, February 2, 1945.
75 Years Ago
Another Confession in Connection with the Fabrizzio Murder – Mrs. Dementio Fabrizzio, held in Westminster, Md., in connection with the murder on January 9, at Union Bridge, Md., of her husband Dementio Fabrizzio, confessed Friday that she had shot her husband to death. When arrested in Baltimore the woman gave a detailed story of the killing, charging Ernesto Potenziani, a boarder in their home, with the crime. She was taken to Westminster and held as State’s witness. When told of the charge made by her, Potenziani, who also is held in Westminster Jail, protested his innocence and put the blame on Mrs. Fabrizzio. Friday morning State’s Attorney Brown visited the jail in company with Court Interpreter Pippitone, of Baltimore. Potenziani admitted that he had known of the murder soon after it occurred. He said he was in bed asleep at about 6 o’clock in the morning, that the woman went to his room and awakened him, telling him Fabrizzio had beaten her that morning and the night before and that he had forced her to go with him to the railroad track. She was scantily clad, he said she told
him, and begged Fabrizzio to let her go to the house to get her gloves. He consented. She went to the house, got a shotgun, returned, carrying it behind her back, and shot him and placed the body on thetrack. Potenziani declared that she had told him that if her husband were to be killed they would have plenty of money and could return to Italy and live together; that after the killing he promised the woman not to tell the secret, and that he had kept his promise until he learned she had accused him of the crime. Mrs. Fabrizzio was then taken into the jail office, carrying in her arms her 2 month-old baby. The first question she was asked was, “Do you want to tell any different story from what which you told in Baltimore, or do your want to add anything or take anything away from that story?” After hesitating a moment, Mrs. Fabrizzio replied: “Yes, I did not tell the truth then and I want to tell it now.” Ernesto had nothing to do with it.” Union Bridge Pilot, January 30, 1920.
100 Years Ago
The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company will, in a day or two, introduce a metalic switch in the telephone exchange in this city, which will enable our citizens to put instruments in
their places of business and converse with persons as far as a hundred miles west of Chicago, north as far as Boston, and in fact wherever the long distance telephone lines extend. Mr. J. Troxell Knode, who formerly had charge of the exchange here, but has been for several years in Harrisburg, Pa., where he had ample experience with the long distance telephone and possesses expert knowledge in relation to it, has been employed, principally to take charge of the lines running from this city, and will be stationed here. American Sentinel, February 2, 1895.