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Sunday, May 25, 2008

1885 Horror















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This is a copy of an endlessly fascinating old scrapbook from 1885. It contains perhaps 1000 old clippings about all sorts of crazy, curious, odd things, mostly having to do with death and crime. It's an unforgettable look at life in America, really bizarre stuff. There were murders of every conceivable type, shootings, stabbings, poisonings, people murdered with hatchets, axes, beaten with shovels, slashed throats, killed with a stone, lynchings, One guy killed himself in a cemetery, Suicides were equally terrible as people threw themselves into the ocean or rivers, swallowed acid, hanged themselves, shot themselves, cut their own throats, and so on. People also died of freak accidents and just bad luck. Among the weird stuff - mysterious diseases, escaped murderers, lunatics "cremated" in an asylum fire, a man crazed by hunger, chicken thieves shot down, murder at a wedding, Strangled by his false teeth, people suffocated by gas, drowned while skating, bloodhounds running down convicts, outlaws captured, quelling a mutiny, Lizzie Kaufman drops dead dancing in a ballroom but the corpse fails to interrupt the festivities, loads of crazy, demented, insane and wild people running around committing all sorts of crimes, an oyster dredger shot, a battle on a train, a mysterious corpse (a beautiful young girl) shipped to Baltimore, a deputy sheriff shot, masked robbers torture an Ohio farmer, a child scalded to death, a shocking murder with a butcher's knife, executions by hanging, five men die in a sewer, horrible fate of a young lady buried alive, a religious maniac offers his son as a sacrifice, 30 lives lost in Utah snow slides, fatal train derailments and collisions, bloody battles between desperadoes and marshals, the inhuman act of a stepmother, A burglar's shocking fate... imprisoned in a tree and starved to death, a schooner burned off Ocean City, two men thrown from a sleigh and dragged to death, a man in New Haven Conn. who made his own, cheap coffin, killed by a falling house, medical students boiling a body, a corpse disinterred and doctors unable to determine if it is really dead, the Vanderbilt Mausoleum, poisoned by canned corned beef, boiler explosions, powder mill explosions, frozen to death, train wrecks, murdered by burglars, poisoned by deadly coffee, whirled to death in a mill, dynamiters, a duel with knives, a postmaster murdered, death from starvation, a man dies in jail from fright, body parts found, a Chicago disaster, death from dog bites, shot by a moonshiner, killed by an angry bull, people killed by Indians, a man beheaded over a card game, a hot iron use for toothaches, A 91 year old woman tells of a frightful night in 1816... when her young husband was murdered... with an axe, the death and burial of Edgar Allan Poe's wife, a woman sets fire to her children and cuts her own throat, a story of a head cut off by a guillotine that was still able to talk and what it said, a mysterious murder uncovered when a corpse in an advanced state of decomposition is found in a trunk, attempts to steal a museum freak, a husband finds his wife hacked to pieces, a terrible tragedy in Greenwich Conn. involving a Yale valedictorian, a tenement horror, a monument dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe, four men drowned in the Potomac River, a one legged man robbed, a triple hanging, all sorts of cruel brutality, a good deal of coverage of the death of Victor Hugo in Paris, a 2 year old killed by a horse drawn trolley, a suicide refused burial, a man arrested carrying the body of a woman he murdered, a crazy man steals a train, a bloodthirsty frying pan, an editorial about suicide becoming an epidemic, horrible atrocities by Apache Geronimo and his band, men horribly mutilated by a bear, bodies of 4 infants found floating in a box near Pennsgrove, NJ, murder at a tollgate, and on and on it goes. All this still only represents a small fraction of the clippings. Along the way there are other items of a curious nature such as quite a lot of information about grave robbing ghouls (body snatchers) stealing bodies and selling them to medical schools, an old friend of Pres. Lincoln dies, selling an infant into a Chinese opium den, a battle with Mexican bandits, deaths of old civil War and War of 1812 veterans, A haunted church in Boston where sailors hear strange noises, Andersonville "where brave men died like dogs," death of US Vice President Schuyler Colfax, a deathbed confession, etc., There is far too much here to even partially describe, over 200 pages of carefully clipped articles, the labor of love for someone likely rather twisted. The articles range is size from just a paragraph to those that go on for a page or more. They were all pasted into an old text book (a common practice in those days). The entire book has been reproduced here and is offered for the first time. Its a huge accumulation of weird, long forgotten events. Many of these events, if they happened today, would be national news plastered all over cable news channels. Here, they hardly seem noticed. Extraordinary stuff even Edgar Allan Poe couldn't have thought up.






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Among the location where these events occured...
AKRON OH, ALBANY NY, ALBION ID, ALEXANDRIA VA, ALLENTOWN PA, ANNAPOLIS MD, ANTIETAM, ASBURY PARK NJ, ASHLAND KY, ASHTABULA OH, ASTORIA NY, ATLANTIC CITY NJ, ATOKA (INDIAN TERRITORY), AUSTIN TX, BAINBRIDGE GA, BAIRBUIN GA, BANGOR ME, BATTLEFORD NWT, BELVIDERE, BETHLEHEM PA, BETHPAGE JUNCTION NY, BEVER OH, BIG SPRINGS TX, BINGHAMTON NY, BLACKFISH LAKE AR, BLAKELEY GA, BLOOMINGTON IL, BONITO NM, BOONE COUNTY KY, BOWLING GREEN KY, BOZEMAN MONT, BRAIDENTOWN FL, BRIDGEPORT CT, BRIDGETON, BROCKTON MA, BROOKLYN BRIDGE NY, BROWNTOWN PA, BULL RUN, BUNEE COUNTY NC, BURDENTOWN NJ, BURLINGTON, CANTON MD, CAPE CHARLES CITY VA, CARLISLE PA, CARTERSVILLE GA, CASSVILLE NJ, CATLETTSBURG KY, CENTRALIA IL, CHAMBERSBURG VA, CHARLESTOWN MA, CHARLESTOWN WV, CHATTANOOGA TX, COATSVILLE, COLUMBIA SC, COLUMBUS COUNTY NC, CONCORD OH, CONNERSVILLE IN, COOPERSTOWN NY, CORNING IA, CORRY, COVINGTON KY, CRESTON IA, DANVILLE, DAVENPORT IA, DAWSON GA, DAYTON OH, DEARBORN COUNTY IN, DEKALB COUNTY IN, DELAWARE RIVER, DOVER DEL, EAST LIVERPOOL OH, EAST STERLING IL, EASTON PA, EASTPORT ME, EGG HARBOR NJ, EL PASSO TX, ELGIN IL, ELIZABETH NJ, ELMIRA NY, EVANSVILLE IN, EWING TOWNSHIP NJ, FAIR HAVEN, CT, FAIRMONT WV, FARMINGDALE NY, FLEMINGTON NJ, FLUSHING NY, FORDHAM NY, FORT PITT, FORT STANTON NM, FRANKFORD KY, FRANKLIN NY, FREDERICKSBURG, FREMONT OH, GAINESVILLE GA, GALION OH, GALLIPOLIS OH, GALVESTON TX, GIENDALE OH, GLENBURN PA, GLENDALE OH, GOSHEN IND, GRAFTON WV, GRAND RAPIDS MI, GRANT KY, GREAT BEND KS, GREENSVILLE DE, GREENWICH CT, GRENADA MS, GROTON MA, HAGERSTOWN MD, HANNIBAL MO, HANOVER TOWNSHIP PA, HARRISONBURG VA, HARTFORD CT, HIGHTSTOWN, HILLSBORO OH, HOBOKEN, HODGENVILLE KY, HONEYBROOK, HOT SPRINGS AR, HUMBOLDT COUNTY NV, HUNTER'S POINT NY, HUNTINGTON CT, HUNTINGTON NY, HUNTINGTON, HUNTSVILLE TX, HURON DAK, INDIANAPOLIS, IPSWICH NH, ITHACA NY, JACKSON MI, JACKSONBORO SC, JACKSONVILLE FL, JAMESTOWN NY, JANESVILLE WI, JASPER GA, JERSEY CITY NJ, JOILET IL, KANAWHA HOTEL WV, KANKAKEE IL, KEMPER COUNTY LA, KING WILLIAM COUNTY VA, KINGSTON NJ, KINGSTON NY, KINGSTON PA, KINGSTON STATION RI, KIRKWOOD DEL, LACKAWANNA COUNTY PA, LAKEWOOD NJ, LANCASTER SC, LAS VEGAS NM, LAWRENCE MA, LAWRENCEBURG, LEESBURG PA, LEMONT IL (?), LEXINGTON KY, LIBERTY VA, LITITZ, LOCUT GAP, LONACONING MD, LOUISVILLE KY, LOWELVILLE OH, LYNCHBURG VA, MACON GA, MADISON FL, MANCHESTER IN, MANKATO MN, MANNINGTON WV, MARSHALL MO, MATAMORAS MEXICO, MATTITUCK NY, MATTOON IL, MAY'S LANDING, MCALISTER IN, MEDICINE LODGE KS, MENLO PARK, MIDDLETON NY, MIDDLETOWN NY, MILAN MICHIGAN, MONONGAHELA RIVER, MONTPELIER VT, MOOREFIELD WV, MOORESTOWN NJ, MOUNT CLEMINS MI, MOUNT HOLLY NJ, MT STERLING KY, MUNCIE IN, MYSTIC CT, NASHVILLE TN, NEW ALBANY IA, NEW BRITAIN CT, NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW CARLISLE IN, NEW CASTLE COUNTY DE, NEW COLUMBIA, NEW GLASGOW NC, NEW HAVEN CT, NEW PHILADELPHIA OH, NEWBURG NY, NEWBURN NJ, NEWPORT NY, NEWPORT RI, NICETOWN, NORFOLK VA, NORMANDY MO, NORRISTOWN PA, OCEAN CITY, OCEAN COUNTY NJ, OMAHA NE, ONEIDA COUNTY ID, ORANGE NJ, OTTAWA OH, OTTAWA ONT, OVERTON COUNTY TN, OWATONNA MN, PALATKA FL, PALMYRA NJ, PARKERSBURG, PATTERSON NJ, PEMBERTON NJ, PENNSGROVE NJ, PENNYPACK CREEK, PETERSBURG VA, PETERSBURG WV, PHOENIXVILLE PA, PINE HILL NY, PINEVILLE KY, PITTSTON PA, PLAINFIELD, PLYMOUTH PA, PLYMOUTH, POPLAR BLUFF MO, PORT DEPOSIT MD, PORT JERVIS NY, PORT JERVIS NY, POTTSVILLE, POUGHKEEPSIE NY, PRESCOTT IA, PRINCESS ANNE MD, PRINCETON NJ, PROVIDENCE RI, QUINCY MA, RALEIGH NC, RATON NM, RED BANK, RED WING MI, RENO NEV, RICHMOND VA, ROCHESTER NY, ROCKFORD IL, ROCKY HILL NJ, ROME NY, ROOSVILLE OH, ROXBOROUGH, RUSHVILLE IL, SAG HARBOR NY, SALAMANCA NY (?), SALEM NJ, SALT LAKE CITY UT, SAN ANTONIO TX, SAN GACHE CO, SANTA FE NM, SAVANNAH GA, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, SCRANTON PA, SEDAN IND, SENERA COUNTY NY, SHENANDOAH, SILVER CITY NM, SING SING PRISON, SIOUX CITY IA, SMITHFIELD OH, SOMERSET COUNTY MD, SOMERSET COUNTY NJ, SOMERSET KY, SOUTH BEND IN, SOUTHINGTON CT, SPARTANSBURG NY (?), SPRINGFIELD OH, SPRINGFIELD WV, ST. ALBANS WV, ST. JOSEPH COUNTY IN, STARRVCCA PA, STEELE OAK, SUSSEX COUNTY NJ, SYCAMORE IL, SYRACUSE, TOM'S RIVER NJ, TOWANDA, TRENTON NE, TRENTON NJ, TRINIDAD TX, TROY NY, TRYON NC, TULLULAH GA, UNION COUNTY KY, URBANA OH, UTICA NY, VERMILION PARISH LA, VERNON TEX, VICKSBURG MS, VICKSBURG VA, VINELAND, WALTHOURVILLE GA, WARSAW NY, WATERBURY CT, WATERFORD NY, WATERLOO NY, WATERLOO SC, WAUPACA WI, WAVERLY MO, WELLSBORO NY, WESTMORELAND COUNTY PA, WHEELING WV, WHITEHALL NY, WHITEWATER WI (?), WICHITA KS, WILKES-BARRE PA, WILMINGTON DE, WILMINGTON NC, WOODBURY NJ, WOONSOCKET RI, WORCESTER MA, YOUNGSTOWN OH, and others.

M. P. Shiel: Early Years By Harold Billings




M. P. Shiel: Early Years By Harold Billings (2005):
The story of Shiel's ancestors--the "Shiell" family of Montserrat, in its days of slavery and superstition--of Shiel's own exciting youth in this volcanic wilderness, at school in Barbados and England, his years as a young teacher and beginning author in London's fin-de-siecle. 201 pages, 16 plates with photos of Shiel at 14, his family, West Indian friends, as a school teacher in England, etc Unpublished letters. [Limited hardcover now o.p.] The Middle Years in preparation at 90,000 words. - By Harold Billings " (2005) ...


The story of Shiel's ancestors--the "Shiell" family of Montserrat, in its days of slavery and superstition--of Shiel's own exciting youth in this volcanic wilderness, at school in Barbados and England, his years as a young teacher and beginning author in London's fin-de-siecle. 201 pages, 16 plates with photos of Shiel at 14, his family, West Indian friends, as a school teacher in England, etc Unpublished letters. [Limited hardcover now o.p.] The Middle Years in preparation at 90,000 words.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Ray Bradbury at 29




{from epegana, Terence McVicker}


the FANSCIENT Winter, 1949


Offered here is an autobiography of Ray Bradbury written just before the publication of his 2nd book - "The Illustrated Man"


... "I was born in 1920, on August 22nd in the town of Waukeegan, Illinois while my brother and father were attending a baseball game on the other side of town ...I was neither a brilliant nor a moronic student...when I was eight years old a boxcar pimply girl of eighteen gave me a copy of Wonder or Amazing, I cannot remember which, but I cannot forget the thrill!...I wrote several sequels to Burroughs Martian series on a toy dial typewriter when I was thirteen. It was the depression and there was little money to buy books. The simple solution seemed to be to write them myself...in 1937 I bought a typewriter for ten dollars and started sending stories to "Wonder" and "Weird Tales"...year after year I got rejection slips, from 1938 until 1941...finally I sold three stories in 1941, six in 1942 and seemed to double every year...I purposely do NOT read Science Fiction or Fantasy stories, not out of snobbery, but only to assure myself that I do not unwittingly plagiarize some other person's ideas". This is a five page autobiographette with a nice photograph of the 29 year old author. Much, much valuable information including early influences and helpers.


I do not think that this has been reprinted. Also contains "The ages of fan" - a long humorous piece by Robert Bloch. Chapbook sized fanzine, excellently presented!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Ray Harryhausen Art circa 1940


VOM (VOICE OF THE IMAGI-NATION #36, 1944

PUBLISHED & EDITED BY FORREST ACKERMAN

One of the longest practicing "Science Fictioneers" is the legendary character Forrest Ackerman - "Forrie", "Uncle Forrie", "Dr. Acula".

The much beloved FA has been in the field since the 1930's and one of his finest fanzines was "Voice of the Imagi-nation". Everyone who was anyone in Science Fiction - either writer or fan - contributed letters, commentary, articles and artwork to "VOM".

This is issue #36 and some of the contributors are Robert Bloch, William F. Temple, Harry Warner, Jr., William Baring-Gould, and Jack Speer.

The noted special affects Guru (7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason & the Argonauts, etc.) - Ray Harryhausen is present with an early cover illustration - this early Harryhausen material is scarce.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Fantasy Press Letter 1954


FANTASY PRESS, INC.

LETTER FROM PUBLISHER TO ROY A. SQUIRES

1954 - SIGNED BY LLOYD ARTHUR ESHBACH

Fantasy Press Incorporates - A personal typed letter from Lloyd Eshbach - founder & publisher of Fantasy Press - to Roy A. Squires inviting him to invest in Fantasy Press. This is not the form letter that was sent out later, but a personal invitation . As Eshbach states in his book..."Over My Shoulder""The corporation was formed in 1954. I wrote to a selected list of fan customers. Seventy fans responded with purchases of stock ranging from a single share at $25 to 40 shares at $1000.....Looking back on everything I tried as a publisher I regret this step above all others...my friends lost all they invested" - "Over My Shoulder" pg. 136.I do not have Roy's response but knowing him as well as I did I doubt that he invested anything more than good advice, for Roy knew the whims of fans and the general book-buying populace!This is the type of material that makes collecting the great joy that it is! A fascinating historical document!Great little appetizer for your Fantasy Press collection.SHIPPING WITHIN THE USA $5. OUTSIDE USA $11.Terence A. McVicker, Rare Books

Sunday, May 4, 2008

1946 4th SF Confernece


The 4th World Science Fiction Convention was held in Los Angeles with Guests of Honor A(lfred) E(lton) van Vogt and his wife E. Mayne-Hull. Also in attendance was Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Anthony Boucher, David H. Keller, Robert Heinlein, and others. The programming is listed and there are photographs of the GOH's. {guests of honor} Lou Goldstone did the fine cover artwork. Nice copy. Program books from this era are not common!

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