Area see more »

After researching a year that I can actually remember (1963) last week, I decided this week to see what was happening in Llano back in 1916. World War I was raging in Europe, but the U.S. was not yet involved, and I saw no mention of the conflict in the first two January issues of The Llano News.

Crime rates were relatively low in the U.S. in 1916, but two murder stories made the front page on January 6. The first was a man named Harry Foster, from Taylor, who had been killed by “footpads” in Memphis, Tennessee (“footpads” were the “muggers” of that era: street thieves who preyed upon pedestrians).

The second story was far more interesting to me; even though the two accused murderers were not named, I recognized them from a story I had written for the Texas Hill Country magazine. One of the two who were on trial for robbing a Marble Falls bank and killing a teller was Willis Newton, who later became the leader of the “Newton Boys” gang and robbed more than 70 banks. The other was O.C. Wells, who later was convicted of murder and executed for the killing of a Coleman storekeeper. Since public opinion was running so strongly against them in Burnet County, two Llano attorneys, F.J. Johnston and E.J. Dalrymple, were hired to represent them. The Marble Falls crime was apparently one of the few crimes the pair did NOT commit; they were able to prove that they had been picking cotton 350 miles away, and were released despite positive identification by 25 Marble Falls residents.

Several other stories appeared on the front page that day. One story reported that Jimmie Burns “threw” James Santello in “straight falls” in what editor M.C. Wilkes called “one of the cleanest (wrestling) matches ever staged in Llano” (it was held at the old Opera House).

Another story announced the sad news that “Aunt Betty” Haynie, “one of the pioneer inhabitants of the city,” had died at age 82. But another (more upbeat) story told of the marriage of L.T. Kuykendall and Effie May Harned. Still another told of “one of the most brilliant weddings which has ever taken place in Llano.” It was the marriage of Montgomery Maddox and Emily Elizabeth Mayes, and it had been postponed for one day after the groom accidentally shot himself through the arm on the morning of his wedding!

In one more front page story, Mr. Wilkes informed readers that “The Popular” would be the name of “the latest addition to the fast-growing number of Llano businesses.” It would be a “ladies furnishing store” in a building “recently vacated by T.P. Justus.”

A “Prosperity Banquet” held the previous week in the dining room of the Southern Hotel was declared “a glorious success.” The meal was served by “Mrs. West,” and J.H. McLean served as toastmaster while various speakers described ways to make Llano grow and prosper.

A story inside the paper told how the county could “Improve Roads by Drainage,” and another announced that Miss Lizzie Hestor was the winner of an automobile given away by Gray’s Mercantile. P.D. Holland announced a run for commissioner of Precinct #2.

Advertisers in January of 1916 included Raymond Byfield, who offered wool suits for $15, plus Stetson and dress hats and cowboy boots. Fagg and Jacks Furniture Co. advertised a Mattress Factory, where they could make old mattresses “like new.” Corner Drug Store advertised a “Free Baking School,” and the Farmers Union Ware House Co. (Dan McDonald, mgr.) offered flour, groceries and feed, as well as poultry, farm implements and hardware. W.C. Wallace was manager of Goodman Liquor Co.

Louis D. Kuykendall advertised “IDE guaranteed shirts $1.50 and up” at “The House of Quality.” The Texas Company advertised Texaco “Familylite” oil lamps, but Buttery Hardware went one better with “a big reduction in the price of the famous Edison Mazda Lamp.” Buttery also sold Studebaker cars!

Home National Bank was a regular advertiser back then, as were Dr. M.E. Rogers, dentist (“over Home National Bank, Rooms 10 & 12”), the Castell Drug Co. (“We Want Your Trade”) and Rockwell and Co., lumber dealers. M. Lauterstein advertised W.L. Douglas Shoes for Men. Other advertisers were: The Crystal Bar (“down on Bridge Street”), the Blue Front Variety Store (“west of square”), Dalton the Tailor (“I make new clothes out of old ones”), Llano Troy Laundry, M.B. Dabbs (“The Feed Man,” on Main Street) and Moss & Company grocery store (“the best of everything”).

Business was brisk for Watkins Auto Sales and T.S. Parker Buick. Fords were delivered to T.W. Atchison, C.E. Benton (who had a jitney business based at Bruhl’s Drug Store “on the north end of the bridge”), Otto Hiarichs and Walter Lange. J.B. Buie, of Oxford, and J.F. Beesley, of Valley Spring, got new Buicks. The Wakefield Improvement Co. bought a new “Fort Worth and Denver” truck.

A banner headline January 13 read: “Tomorrow is the Day to Work the Castell Road, and You are Expected to Join In.” Every able-bodied man was invited to bring a pick and shovel, and work on one section of the road. Two other stories had a prominent place on the front page: one was the completion of the Confederate Monument on the northeast corner of the square; the other was the sudden death of leading citizen John Clement Oatman. The monument had been built by contractor J.K. Finlay, for the Daughters of the Confederacy, and was scheduled for a grand “unveiling” by Governor Ferguson in February. Mr. Oatman had suffered severe internal injuries when he had been struck by a car while standing in the street “between Home National Bank and Corner Drug.” He had been taken to Austin by train, but died the next night. He was a highly-respected preacher and judge, and the town’s businesses closed from noon to 6 p.m. to honor him on the day of his funeral.