Sock and buskin

Now that I'm piecing together the clues from online newspaper resources, as well as the clippings and letters that I photocopied years ago, I am seeing how things fell apart for great-grandpa Gene in 1926. Yes, his son Charley was murdered in 1925, but he also had a series of setbacks in 1926.

(First, on April 19, 1926 he received only half of the $15,000 he had asked the state for in compensation for Charley's death.) This was a mistake on my part. He received the money in 1927. GH 4/26/21

Worthpoint.com

Second, he learned in early June about the production of "Can't Afford It" at the Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association Convention to be held July 19-23 at Cedar Point, Sandusky*.

Third, the long awaited report by the Board of Pharmacy was finally released on July 1, but no fault was really found.

I think this undated letter to the editor of The Columbus Citizen sums up his outrage and despair.

From Tragedy to Comedy.

Editor of The Citizen, 

We note that the College of Pharmacy at Ohio State will stage a comedy at Cedar Point some time this month. We note further that some of the actors in the tragedy at that institution a few months (sic) ago will appear in this comedy.

If they are bound to stage a play, they might be thankful for a few suggestions.

We suggest that the principal stage setting represent a cut-rate drug store with a clientele of 10,000 student patrons. This drug store to be free from any state inspection, not in charge of a registered pharmacist, and to be provided with locks that would enable the patrons to help themselves whenever they felt so disposed.

One scene could show freshman filling prescriptions, unhampered by the supervision of any instructors, who are supposed to be absent for long periods.

To add spice to this scene it might show one student in charge and another coming in and helping himself to the poison capsules which resulted in the death of two men.

Another scene might portray the (sur)prise of the instructors at the disappearance of two bottles of strychnine from some of their desks, a number of which contained strychnine and which were not locked at all times.

Then they might act the death struggles of the two young men who were martyrs to the negligence of the state of Ohio, in not inspecting this big cut rate drug store.

Another scene might show the big crowd composing the two-year course in pharmacy, a course which President Thompson admitted was utilized as a bootleggers course, and Dean Dye admitted that this overcrowding of the place rendered conditions so that they hardly knew where they were at.

And finally, if possible, they might show a stage picture saddened homes, ruined prospects and the misery which have followed in the wake of this disgraceful happening.

Respectfully,

                        A.E. HULS

Logan, O.

I doubt the letter from Theo. D. Wetterstroem of The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association on "THE PHARMACY SIGN INSURES SAFETY" letterhead brought him much comfort.

*Opened in 1870, Cedar Point is a 364-acre amusement park located on Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio. 

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