75 years ago - Jan. 3, 1935

From The Smyrna Times,
Jan. 3, 1935

General Assembly gets to work New Year’s Day

Members of the 105 th General Assembly of Delaware organized the Senate and House Tuesday afternoon, New Year’s Day, and prepared for what they believe will be one of the most important session of the Legislature in the history of the state….
Both branches are in control of the Republicans, the Senate by 11 to 6 and the House by 23 Republicans to 12 Democrats….
Gov. Buck gave an able presentation of the needs of the state, touching some of the vital issues. After the Governor’s message, both Houses settled down to business, their intension being to expedite work as quickly as possible so as to adjourn in the 60 pay days allotted them….

Kenton man shot and killed

Charles Brown, age 35, of near Kenton, formerly a resident of Philadelphia, is dead from a shogun wound over the heart, and W. Homer Hoffecker Jr., age 28, also of near Kenton, is being held without bail at Dover as his slayer as the result of a fight at the home of Roy Cahall at Kenton shortly after 1 o’clock Monday morning.
Following the fatal shot, Hoffecker, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Hoffecker of Kenton, is alleged to have left the scene, but was captured on a farm near the home of Alex Darrah, not far way, by Sergeant Powell and Privates VanSant and Sullivan of the State Highway Police.
Brown and Hoffecker had stopped at the home of the Cahalls late Sunday night and are said to have had some drinks. During their stay, an argument arose between the pair. Mrs. Cahall is said to have ordered them out of the house. Outside, the pair started to fight and Brown was knocked down. According to the police, Hoffecker then went inot the house and secured a shotgun. Brown re-entered and attempted to take the gun from Hoffecker when it went off….
The police are still investigating various angles of the affair.

Three held in Skaggs robbery and beating

Three young men from Townsend and Smyrna are being held in Wilmington, charged with beating and robbing Andrew Skaggs, 77 years old, Monday morning of last week. The Times announced in last week’s issue it was $93 taken but it was $104.
The three arrested are John Lightcap, 23, and Walter Bedwell, 18, of Townsend, and Hazel Donovan, 21, of Smyrna. Skaggs, who lives alone in a farm house on the VanDyke Road, four miles west of Blackbird, is now in bed suffering from a lacerated face and head and bruises of the face and body.
The three youths are said by police to have stolen an automobile owned by Raymond Fretz of Smyrna and after stealing tags owned by Thomas Gooding of Clayotn, proceeded to the farm house. They said the three prisoners admitted they knew Skaggs had sold a quantity of wood recently and had kept the money in his possession. The robbery is said to have been planned at the home of Lightcap on the Sunday afternoon previous. The door was broken in by the trio and when Skaggs confronted them in the living room they are said to have attacked him with a club….
Skaggs was able to give police a good description of the three and on information that they were seen driving in the direction of Wilmington, police started a search there for them. They located Bedwell walking along the street Monday. The other two stayed in Wilminton at a rooming house until Wednesday night. Police said only $26 of the stolen money was recovered, thr est having been spent in having a “good time” an on new clothes….

Snow falls on New Year’s Eve

The young folks in Smyrna, after not receiving a White Christmas, had their hopes up that the New Year’s holiday would afford them some sledding, but alas, the snow which fell to an inch late New Year’s Eve, disappeared by new Year’s morning in a copious shower, the rain continuing at intervals all night.
New Year’s Day was observed in Smyrna as a general holiday, most all stores and business places being closed. The New Year was ushered in with the usual frolic, groups and parties being more or less in vogue. A number attended the dance in the State Armory in Dover.
Church bells tolled the old year out and rang in the New Year, and explosives were set off at the “Four Corners” and all over town.
“Watch Night” services were held at Asbury M.E. Church and the Presbyterian Church….
More family dinner gatherings were held on New Year’s Day. In the line of sports, a feature of the day was the Smyrna Gun Club shoot. Quite a number motored to Dover to witness the convening of the Legislature and the induction into office of the newly elect. In the evening, there were more social affairs. The Strand Theatre as a special put on “Music in the Air” with Gloria Swanson and John Boles as the stars….

Personal & social items; people who come & go

Mrs. M. Scott gave a New Year’s party Tuesday night for her granddaughter, Miss Emma Vaughn Scott, at the Delaware House. Those present were: Misses Hilda Armstrong, Ruth Jean Garrison, Alverna Jones, Dorothy Riggs, Sarah A. Jones, Catherine Cropper, Virginia Heinold, Lucille Robinson, and Carole Ford; Messrs. Francis Yeates, Frank Robinson, Norbert Porter, Henry Price, “Red” Moffett, James Everhart, Howard Kemp, Nelson Everhart, Clifford Heinold, and David Mills.
Miss Mary Spruance has returned from her annual Christmas visit to her cousin, Rev. Olin S. Roche, D.D., of New York City.
Mr. James Messick has returned to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, after spending the holidays with relatives and friends in Smyrna.
Mrs. Nellie Rowland left for St. Petersburg, Florida last Thursday. She met Mrs. Davis Brown in Baltimore, and they are making the trip by bus.
Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Schantz, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Jones, Mr. and Mrs. C.L. Harmonson, Mrs. Olive Shallcross, Mr. Carrol Staats, and the Misses Margaret and Roberta Collins, attended the Cotillion Club New Year’s Eve Dance in Dover.
Dr. Ames H. Corley of Williamstown, Mass., spent the weekend and New Year’s with Dr. and Mrs. R.F. Corley.
Mr. George Rothwell has returned home after visiting his mother, Mrs. Sallie Rothwell, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is recovering from an operation which she underwent Saturday. She has many friends in Smyrna who wish her a speedy recovery.

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