Day in history for November 17, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

First returns in the county election show John M. Gould, Moline Democrat, elected chief county judge by 113 majority over T.J. Robinson, Whig, Rock Island.

1878 -- 125 years ago

Almost the only topic of conversation today is the shooting of Joseph Theviot, 23, of Rock Island on Big Island. First called a hunting accident, then a suicide, his death is now believed to have been a murder.

1903 -- 100 years ago

C.K. Campbell succeeded F.W. Jackson as president of the Tri-City Labor congress.

1928 -- 75 years ago

High school sports lettermen named E.L. Strate, Paul Dahlen and Dr. William F. Schroeder as a committee to work with the Rock Island school board in planning for a fieldhouse, as well as a stadium.

1953 -- 50 years ago

Fox hunting proved to be good sport for two Rock Island youngsters. The pair, Jim Jennings and Dan Olson, both 14 years old, bagged a small red fox while hunting on a farm between Milan and Andalusia. The two boys had gone on the hunting expedition on a motor scooter. Today, they planned to collect a $5 bounty at the Rock Island County courthouse.

1978 -- 25 years ago

Nine cats and a rabbit have died within the last three weeks, and seven more cats are missing and believed to be dead, in a five-block area stretching from 2nd to 6th Streets in Carbon Cliff. No one is sure why or how the animals died.

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