Fireworks

Every Independence Day we watch fireworks from our front porch. Of course it's illegal to set them off in the city, but officials do nothing to stop them. Once it starts getting dark, they erupt from all over town.

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day!

Julie London

Sam Sheppard Murder Case

60 years ago this morning one of the most sensational murder cases in Cleveland history began. In the early morning hours of July 4, 1954 Marilyn Sheppard was found beaten to death in bed, her husband Dr. Sam Sheppard would claim he struggled with a bushy haired intruder, suffering head and neck injuries as a result. After a six month media circus, Dr Sam was convicted of murder, his conviction later overturned by the Supreme Court. Dr Sam was acquitted in the 1966 retrial in which lawyer F. Lee Bailey became famous. Much speculation ensured over the years, many feel Dr. Sam got away with murder, others point to a local window washer, Richard Eberling whose blood was found on the basement stairs. Another suspect, an AWOL Air Force Major, James Call who went on a cross country crime spree in the summer of 1954 and who was later convicted of killing a New York State policeman at Lake Placid later that year. It is a mystery that has baffled Clevelanders and crime buffs for 60 years.

The Plain Dealer, July 5, 1954.

Sam & Marilyn

The Sheppard home, 28924 West Lake Road, Bay Village Ohio.

The crime scene.

For more information, case files and photographs.

River Street

River Street looking west from McGuinness Court on a Sunday morning.

Cleveland: Early Motion Picture Exhibitors.

An article from The Moving Picture World, July 15, 1916 on early exhibitors in Cleveland.

S&H Green Stamps

S&H Green Samps were once given away at stores and could be redeemed for merchandise in S&H catalogs. S&H stood for Sperry & Hutchinson who began offering the stamps as premiums to customers of grocery stores in 1896. The stamps were popular from the 1930's up through the early 1970's, although a few stores still offer them today.

S&H sign on the side of the former Clarke Bros./Acme Market on Pittston Avenue, Scranton.

Stamps were pasted into books, usually with a value of $3.00 when full.

Stamps could be traded for items as seen above in a catalog from 1970.

Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre building at 902-904 Pittston Avenue on Scranton's South Side.

Ad from the Scranton Times, August 25, 1947.