Good Thursday Morning
February 1st

It was on this day in 2003 that the Space Shuttle Columbia was destroyed entering the earth's atmosphere, killing seven passengers and raining down on east Texas and western Louisiana.

Today’s Famous Birthdays:
*John Ford (1894-1973) director - The Grapes of Wrath - He was an infamously prickly personality, having constantly mocked John Wayne as a "big idiot" and having once punched an unsuspecting Henry Fonda.
*Clark Gable (1901-1960) actor - When he was born he was mistakenly listed as a female on his birth certificate.
*Boris Yeltsin (1931-2008) Russian President - was the first Russian head of state in 113 years to be buried in a church ceremony.
*Sherman Hemsley (1938-2012) actor - George Jefferson in All in the Family and The Jeffersons - was a shy and intensely private man, described by some as reclusive. He had no family.

Local Birthday Remembrance:
Garrett Walsh (1923-1979)

Today’s Holidays:
Car Insurance Day!
Change Your Password Day!
G.I. Joe Day!
Hula in the Coola Day!
National Baked Alaska Day!
National Serpent Day!
Robinson Crusoe Day!
Spunky Old Broads Day!

Songs on this day in 1960
Running Bear - Johnny Preston
Teen Angel - Mark Dinning
Where or When - Dion & The Belmonts
El Paso - Marty Robbins

Today in History
2002 - Winona Ryder was charged with four felony counts that stemmed from her shoplifting arrest. She was charged with theft, burglary, vandalism and possession of a controlled substance.
1976 - Sonny and Cher resume TV show, despite real-life divorce
1969 - Jim Morrison arrested for exposing himself in concert
1964 - The governor of Indiana declared that the song "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen was pornographic.
1929 - Ida B. LeBoeuf became first woman hanged for murder in Louisiana
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The hanging of Ida B. LeBoeuf
February 1, 1927

Ada Leboeuf was a 38 years old middle-class housewife. She lived near Morgan City, Louisiana. She was having a heated affair with the family doctor. Together they hired a handyman to shoot Ada's husband. The handyman was sentenced to life, but Ada and her lover was sentenced to death: "You, Ada Bonner Leboeuf and you T. E. Dreher, are to be hanged by the neck until you are dead". While awaiting her execution Ada had a rocking chair brought into her cell, unlimited visitation rights and freshly ironed long sleeve bohemian wedding gown
summer dresses.

On February 1, at ten minutes after noon Ada's death march began. She was dressed in a pink housedress. Blindfolded and limply leaning on the arm of the jailer, Ada stepped out on the trap where the hangman began his work in jerky movements. The jailer tied her skirt around her knees to prevent it from "parachuting" immodestly during her fall. The hangman lashed her ankles together.

When she stepped on the trap, Ada clasped her hands before her in prayer. The Sheriff was forced to step forward and move them behind her so that the hangman could tie them there. In a high pitched, trembling voice she implored "Don't let me hang there too long. Don't make me suffer any more than I have to. Oh God. Isn't this a terrible thing? Oh God, who can do this thing? It is worse than murder itself"

The jailer had to support her until the moment before the trap was sprung. Ada's body was now swinging in the rope. The priest started to pray. Finally two physicians came forward with their stethoscopes, lifting her eyelids and making other tests for life. They pronounced her dead, and after the requires interval, the Sheriff cut the rope. She was carried out, and later the attending physicians insisted there had been no pain to her.

Through the late 1920s, the trial made boldface headlines nationally because the accused perpetrator Ada LeBoeuf was only the seventh white woman and the 25th woman to be executed in the United States. She died despite a public plea to Gov. Huey P. Long.
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Remembering Garrett H. Walsh

Garrett H. Walsh, a man loved by Sabine Parish, and most of all by the people of a little town called Zwolle.

Mr. Walsh, who has been in forestry work for 31 years, was born Feb. 1, 1923, in Baton Rouge, the son of Alice Garrett and Sidney Preston Walsh.

He received his elementary and secondary education in Baton Rouge, and graduated from Istrouma High School in 1940. After graduating from High School, he entered Louisiana State University in the fall, but his education was interrupted to enter the United States Air Force in 1943, where he served for three years. He was separated from active service in 1945, as a First Lieutenant.

Following his military service, he entered LSU again, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in forestry. After graduating, he worked in two other towns before coming to Zwolle to accept the job with Sabine Lumber Co. He was Forester in
charge of the forest management program. In 1966. he became employed by Boise Cascade as District Forester, when they purchased the Sabine Lumber Co. In 1969, the Woodlands reorganized, and he was named Regional Forester in charge of all lands in the North Region for Boise Southern.

In June, 1963, he married Patricia Ann Leone in Zwolle, and they were the proud parents of three children, Garrett Jr., Karen, and Ann Claire. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last year. Mrs. Walsh is a teacher at Zwolle High School.

Mr. Walsh was a member of the Forestry Committee from 1962-69; in 1965, was Chairman of the La. State Chapter Society of American Foresters; served as Director of the Forestry Association in 1967; elected to the Zwolle Town Council for two
terms, 1962-70; and served as Utilities Commissioner; member of the Zwolle Lions Club; and elected as the First Lion of the Year in 1961-62, and again 1966-67; was a member and past chairman of Piney Woods Group, local forestry organization; and a member of the Sabine Parish Chamber of Commerce, a past president and a member of the Board of Directors.

He was also a member of the Sabine River Authority from 1966-70; and a member of the American Legion; Sabine Parish Planning Commission; member of the Planning Commission for the Town of Zwolle; charter member of the Fisher Heritage Foundation; member of the Society of American Foresters; and an Honorary member of the Future Farmers of America.

In 1961, Walsh began working in the Boy Scout program, and had always managed to stay active with the boy scouts, serving as Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, and on other various committees until 1974.

But most of all, we say again, he was a member of an unseen organization called friendship. He was a friend to all, a godly man, and one who cared for his fellowman.

As we look back on the beautiful life that Garrett Walsh lived, we know that he left many fond memories, memories that we shall never forget, and memories that will long live in many of our young, as well as the senior citizens.

Sabine Parish and the Town of Zwolle was proud of the efforts and accomplishments of one of our adopted native sons. We have lost a great man, but he will never be forgotten.

Our community is better because of a man called Garrett H. Walsh.