March 1909
Encyclopedia
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The following events occurred in March
, 1909.
The Helms Athletic Foundation
retroactively listed the Chicago Maroons as the national champion for the 1908–09 season.
January 1909
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1909.-January 1, 1909 :...
– February
February 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in February 1909.-February 1, 1909 :...
– March – April
April 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in April 1909.-April 1, 1909 :...
– May
May 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in May, 1909.-May 1, 1909 :...
– June
June 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in June 1909.-June 1, 1909 :...
– July
July 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in July 1909.-July 1, 1909 :...
– August
August 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in August 1909.-August 1, 1909 :...
– September
September 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in September 1909.-September 1, 1909 :...
– October
October 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in October 1909:-October 1, 1909 :...
– November
November 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in November 1909:-November 1, 1909 :...
– December
December 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in December 1909:-December 1, 1909 :...
March
March is in present time held to be the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is one of the seven months which are 31 days long....
, 1909.
March 1, 1909 (Monday)
- Robert PearyRobert PearyRobert Edwin Peary, Sr. was an American explorer who claimed to have been the first person, on April 6, 1909, to reach the geographic North Pole...
, Matthew HensonMatthew HensonMatthew Alexander Henson was an African American explorer and associate of Robert Peary during various expeditions, the most famous being a 1909 expedition which it was discovered that he was the the first person to reach the Geographic North Pole.-Life:Henson was born on a farm in Nanjemoy,...
, Ootah, Egingwah, Seegloo and Ookeah; and 18 other men set off from Ellesmere IslandEllesmere IslandEllesmere Island is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Lying within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, it is considered part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, with Cape Columbia being the most northerly point of land in Canada...
at for their final push to the North PoleNorth PoleThe North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
.
March 2, 1909 (Tuesday)
- The United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed an act that provided no new ambassadorships would be permitted except by act of Congress. While the U.S. had ministers at legations in many countries, its only embassies at the time were in Austria-Hungary, Brazil, Japan and Turkey. - With two days left in his term, President RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
extended federal protection over the Zuni National ForestZuni National ForestZuni National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Arizona and New Mexico on March 2, 1909 with from parts of the Zuni and Navajo and other tribal lands. On September 10, 1914 Zuni was transferred to Manzano National Forest. The lands presently exist in Cibola National Forest...
. - Corson County, South DakotaCorson County, South DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 4,181 people, 1,271 households, and 949 families residing in the county. The population density was 1.7 people per square mile . There were 1,536 housing units at an average density of 0.6 per square mile...
, was founded. - Born: Mel OttMel OttMelvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, Hall of Fame baseball player who hit 511 home runs between 1926 and 1947; in Gretna, LouisianaGretna, LouisianaThe city of Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. Gretna is on the west bank of the Mississippi River, just east and across the river from uptown New Orleans. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(died in auto accident, 1958)
March 3, 1909 (Wednesday)
- The U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug AdministrationThe Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
approved the use of sodium benzoateSodium benzoateSodium benzoate has the chemical formula NaC6H5CO2; it is a widely used food preservative, with E number E211. It is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and exists in this form when dissolved in water. It can be produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid.-Uses:Sodium benzoate is a...
as a preservative in foods, in its Decision 104, in spite of a ban recommended on July 20, 1908. - On his last full day in office, President Roosevelt signed into law a bill creating the 600,000 acre Mount Olympus National MonumentMount Olympus (Washington)Mount Olympus is the tallest and most prominent mountain in the Olympic Mountains of western Washington state. Located on the Olympic Peninsula, it is the central feature of Olympic National Park. Mount Olympus is the highest summit of the Olympic Mountains, however, peaks such as Mount Constance,...
in Washington State. - President Roosevelt's Executive Order 969 directed that the U.S. Marines would be limited to shipboard duty with tasks determined by the ships' commanding officers. The unpopular change in the Marines status was rescinded by President Taft on March 26.
March 4, 1909 (Thursday)
- William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
was inaugurated as the 27th President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Because of a snowstorm, Taft took the oath indoors, becoming the first American president to do so since Andrew Jackson. - Born: Harry HelmsleyHarry HelmsleyHarry B. Helmsley was an Americanentrepreneur who built a company that became one of the biggest property holders in the United States...
, American real estate entrepreneur, who began as an office boy and worked his way up to being a billionaire; in the Bronx, New York (d. 1997)
March 5, 1909 (Friday)
- The first person to violate New York City's new law banning smoking in its subways was arrested. Louis Funcke lit up two days after the new law took effect and was released with a reprimand.
- The charter of the Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association, creating what is now referred to as the Mutual of OmahaMutual of OmahaMutual of Omaha is a Fortune 500 mutual insurance and financial services company based in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was founded in 1909 as Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association.- History :...
insurance company, was signed in Omaha, Nebraska.
March 6, 1909 (Saturday)
- The infamous SS General Slocum sank a second and last time. On June 15, 1904, the steamboat burned and then sank, killing 1,081 people. Nevertheless, the hull of the ship was raised and refitted as the Maryland, a barge. With a load of 500,000 bricks, the Maryland split in half and sank at New Brunswick, New Jersey, albeit without a loss of life.
- The Simplified Spelling BoardSimplified Spelling BoardThe Simplified Spelling Board was an American organization created in 1906 to reform the spelling of the English language, making it simpler and easier to learn, and eliminating many of its inconsistencies...
released its list of 3,300 words that should be reformed.
March 7, 1909 (Sunday)
- The United States Senate entered the automotive age with the inauguration of electric cars, running underground through a tunnel between the new Russell Senate Office BuildingRussell Senate Office BuildingThe Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908, opened in 1909, and named for former Senator Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. of Georgia in 1972...
and the United States CapitolUnited States CapitolThe United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
.
March 8, 1909 (Monday)
- U.S. President William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
rescinded Theodore Roosevelt's executive orders closing the navy yards at New Orleans and PensacolaPensacolaPensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...
. - In CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the new Bank Act was signed into law, to take effect on July 1. A loophole within the legislation gave the Bank of Italy an advantage in opening branch banks across the state, leading to its growth into the colossal Bank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
March 9, 1909 (Tuesday)
- In ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the Chamber of Deputies of FranceChamber of Deputies of FranceChamber of Deputies was the name given to several parliamentary bodies in France in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries:* 1814–1848 during the Bourbon Restoration and the July Monarchy, the Chamber of Deputies was the Lower chamber of the French Parliament, elected by census suffrage.*...
voted 388 to 129 to enact an income taxIncome taxAn income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
law. - The Salvadoran gunboat Presidente was allegedly attacked by three Nicaraguan naval vessels, including the Momotombo.
- Bennett CountyBennett County, South DakotaAs of the 2010 census there were 3,431 people in Bennett County, in 1,090 households . The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 33.3% non-Hispanic white, 0.1% black or African American, 60.4% non-Hispanic Native American, 1.1% Hispanic Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific...
, Mellette CountyMellette County, South DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 2,083 people, 694 households, and 498 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile . There were 824 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile...
, and Todd County, South Dakota, were all founded. Lincoln County, MontanaLincoln County, Montana-National protected areas:* Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail *Flathead National Forest *Kaniksu National Forest *Kootenai National Forest -Demographics:...
, was created separately on the same day.
March 10, 1909 (Wednesday)
- The Kingdom of Siam (now ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) signed a treatyAnglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 or Bangkok Treaty of 1909 was a treaty between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Siam signed on March 10, 1909, in Bangkok. Ratifications were exchanged in London on July 9, 1909....
ceding the Malayan peninsular states of KelantanKelantanKelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, Trengganu, PerlisPerlisPerlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south...
and KedahKedahKedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
to the British Empire. - The Russian Imperial Army adopted an official field uniform, a greenish-grey, single-breasted cloth tunic with five buttons, which remained in use until the formation of the Soviet Union.
- Heavyweight boxing champion Jack JohnsonJack Johnson (boxer)John Arthur Johnson , nicknamed the “Galveston Giant,” was an American boxer. At the height of the Jim Crow era, Johnson became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion...
, and challenger (and future film star) Victor McLaglenVictor McLaglenVictor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen was an English boxer and World War I veteran who became a successful film actor.Towards the end of his life he was naturalised as a U.S. citizen.-Early life:...
, fought to a draw in Vancouver, in an exhibition. - Greenlee County, ArizonaGreenlee County, Arizona-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*77.2% White*1.1% Black*2.3% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.8% Two or more races*15.0% Other races*47.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, was created from the eastern section of Graham County.
March 11, 1909 (Thursday)
- Saying "I have made mistakes and I have been indiscreet," Los Angeles Mayor Arthur C. HarperArthur C. HarperArthur Cyprian Harper was the 26th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from December 13, 1906 to March 11, 1909. He was forced to resign in the wake of a recall drive due to dishonesty that marked his administration...
, who was facing a March 26 recall election amid accusations of corruption, resigned and asked that his name be removed from the ballot. - In HavanaHavanaHavana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, the wife of "a poor cigarmaker" gave birth to quadruplets. She was already the mother of 14 children. Cuba's new President of CubaPresident of Cuba--209.174.31.28 18:43, 22 November 2011 The President of Cuba is the Head of state of Cuba. According to the Cuban Constitution of 1976, the President is the chief executive of the Council of State of Cuba...
, José Miguel GómezJosé Miguel GómezJosé Miguel Gómez y Gómez was a Cuban General in the Cuban War of Independence who went on to become President of Cuba.-Early career:...
, pledged substantial assistance to the new family. - Homer Sanders defeated A.C. Jellison in a gold medal competition held in Pittsburgh by the American Bowling Congress. Both men had bowled a perfect game in 1908, and a roll-off determined the better bowler.
March 12, 1909 (Friday)
- New York City Police Department Detective Joe Petrino, on assignment in Sicily to investigate ties between the Italian Mafia and New York gangsters, was gunned down in Palermo on his way to meet an informant. The incident, never solved, is still cited as a cautionary tale against meeting an informant alone.
- Three American warships, the Yorktown, the Dubuque and the Tacoma were ordered to Nicaragua in response to a "warlike attitude" on the part of Nicaraguan President Zalaya, and an armored cruiser remained off the coast until the ships could arrive.
- In DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, women were allowed to vote for the first time, at least in municipal elections, and women candidates were on the ballot. All women at least 25 years old, or women of any age married to a registered voter, were allowed to participate. "Women Vote in Copenhagen", New York Times, March 13, 1909, p1
March 13, 1909 (Saturday)
- In college basketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, the University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
beat the University of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaThe University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
20–15 to close an unbeaten (12–0) season. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to arrange a three game championship series against Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Columbia had completed the 1908–09 season with a record of 16–1.
The Helms Athletic Foundation
Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
retroactively listed the Chicago Maroons as the national champion for the 1908–09 season.
March 14, 1909 (Sunday)
- A 14 year old boy in Tuxedo Park, New YorkTuxedo Park, New YorkTuxedo Park is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 731 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
, was killed when a 4,000 pound decorative balanced rockRock balancingRock balancing is an art, discipline, or hobby depending upon the intent of the practitioner, in which rocks are balanced on top of one another in various positions.-Modes of rock balancing:...
at the city park rolled over him.
March 15, 1909 (Monday)
- The United States Congress met in a special session called by President Taft to consider the Payne Tariff Act. House Speaker Joe Cannon was re-elected for a fourth term, but 12 of his fellow Republicans voted against him.
- At 4:15, Edward Payson Weston, 71 set off from the New York Post Office building on a 4300 miles (6,920.2 km) walk, hoping to become the first person to go from New York to San Francisco on foot.
- Delayed by blizzards, he missed his target of 100 days, arriving 105 days later in Los Angeles.
March 16, 1909 (Tuesday)
- The creation of the United States Department of Justice's new Bureau of Investigation was announced by Attorney General George Wickersham. In 1934, the word "federal" was added to the name, creating the Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI). - The city of Lubbock, TexasLubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
(site of Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
) was incorporated. - Died: Henry TimkenHenry TimkenHenry Timken was an inventor who was born in Bremen, Germany. He founded the Timken Company in 1899, which is located in Canton, Ohio. Timken was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame on September 19, 1998...
, 76, inventor of improved roller bearing, and founder of the Timken Company; and Wilbraham Egerton, 1st Earl Egerton of TattonWilbraham Egerton, 1st Earl Egerton of TattonWilbraham Egerton, 1st Earl Egerton was an English Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1858 to 1883 when he inherited his peerage and was elevated to the House of Lords....
, 77, chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal
March 17, 1909 (Wednesday)
- The first concrete was poured as construction of the Panama CanalPanama CanalThe Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
entered a new phase, beginning with the spillway at GatunGatúnGatun is a small town on the Atlantic Side of the Panama Canal, located south of the city of Colón at the point in which Gatun Lake meets the channel to the Caribbean Sea...
.
March 18, 1909 (Thursday)
- Willie Whitla, the 8-year-old son of a leading attorney in Sharon, PennsylvaniaSharon, PennsylvaniaSharon is a city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, was kidnapped by two men who appeared at the East Ward School, and hours later a ransom note was received by his parents, demanding $10,000 and closing with the note, "Dead boys are not desirable". After the father delivered $10,000 to a woman at a drugstore, Willie was released unharmed and put on a streetcar in Cleveland, where he was reunited with his father at the city's Hollenden HotelHollenden HotelThe Hollenden Hotel was a luxury hotel in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It opened in 1885, was significantly upgraded in 1926 and demolished in 1962. During the hotel's existence, it contained 1,000 rooms, 100 private baths, a lavish interior, electric lights and fireproof construction...
. James and Helen Boyle were arrested in Cleveland the next day, with $9,790 of the money. James Boyle was given a life sentence and died in prison. William Whitla died of pneumonia in 1932, at the age of 31. - Einar Dessau of Denmark spoke over a wireless radio transmitter to a government post six miles (10 km) distant, becoming, in effect, the first person to ever talk on the radio.
- Born: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., who died 7 months later on November 8, 1909. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's fifth child, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr.Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr.Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. was an American politician. He was the fifth child of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sr. and his wife Eleanor.-Personal life:...
, was born five years later.
March 19, 1909 (Friday)
- The first airplane-manufacturing company was formed as Glenn CurtissGlenn CurtissGlenn Hammond Curtiss was an American aviation pioneer and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle then motorcycle builder and racer, later also manufacturing engines for airships as early as 1906...
partnered with Augustus M. Herring to create the Herring-Curtiss Company. After parting ways with Herring the next year, Curtiss formed Curtiss Aeroplane Company, which later merged into Curtiss-WrightCurtiss-WrightThe Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
. - In Germany, Zeppelin I ascended with 26 passengers and made the longest controlled airship flight to that time, for 90 minutes.
- Born: Louis HaywardLouis HaywardLouis Charles Hayward was a British actor born in South Africa.-Biography:Born in Johannesburg, Hayward began his screen work in British films, notably as Simon Templar in Leslie Charteris' The Saint in New York.] In 1939 he played a dual role in The Man in the Iron Mask.During World War II,...
, British film actor, in JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
(d. 1985)
March 20, 1909 (Saturday)
- Col. Duncan B. Cooper (referred to in many news accounts as D.B. Cooper) and his son Robin J. Cooper were both convicted of second degree murder in the death of former United States Senator Edward W. CarmackEdward W. CarmackEdward Ward Carmack was an attorney, newspaperman, and political figure who served as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee from 1901 to 1907....
, and both sentenced to 20 years in prison. Senator Carmack, who represented Tennessee as a Congressman (1897–1901) and then as a Senator (1901–1907), had been shot and killed in Nashville on November 8, 1908. Colonel Cooper was pardoned on April 13, 1910, and lived until November 4, 1922. Robin Cooper was retried and acquitted in 1910. Almost nine years later, he was seen driving away from his home with a stranger, and found the next day by his car, dead from a fractured skull.
March 21, 1909 (Sunday)
- The remains of The BábBábSiyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
(Muhammad Shirazi, 1819–1850), one of three central figures of the Baha'i FaithBahá'í FaithThe Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, were interred in HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
by `Abdu'l-Bahá`Abdu'l-Bahá‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
, who had retrieved them from Persia.
March 22, 1909 (Monday)
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire was massing its troops for an invasion of Kingdom of SerbiaKingdom of SerbiaThe Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
, over the issue of recognition of the Austrian annexation of neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina. Russia, which had a treaty to defend SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, had protested the violation of the 1878 Treaty of Berlin. With Europe on the brink of war, Germany announced that if Russia did not drop its objections (and force Serbia to do the same), an Austrian invasion would follow.
- Born: Gabrielle RoyGabrielle RoyGabrielle Roy, CC, FRSC was a French Canadian author.- Biography :Born in Saint Boniface , Manitoba, Roy was educated at Saint Joseph's Academy...
, Canadian author, in Saint Boniface, ManitobaSaint Boniface, ManitobaSaint Boniface is a city ward of Winnipeg, home to much of the Franco-Manitoban community. It features such landmarks as the Cathédrale de Saint Boniface , Boulevard Provencher, the Provencher Bridge, Esplanade Riel, St. Boniface Hospital, the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface and the Royal...
(d. 1983)
March 23, 1909 (Tuesday)
- Less than three weeks out of the White House, former U.S. President Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
departed New York on the steamer Hamburg, bound for an African safari from which he would not return until June 16, 1910. The expedition was sponsored by the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. - New York became the second state to make Columbus DayColumbus DayMany countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
a legal holiday, to be celebrated on October 12 annually. Colorado had been the first, in a bill approved on April 1, 1907. http://www.transformcolumbusday.org/history.html
March 24, 1909 (Wednesday)
- U.S. President William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
and the Attorney General gave their approval for the language of a proposed bill to create a federal income tax. - Clyde Barrow was born on a farm near the town of Telico, TexasTelico, TexasTelico is an unincorporated community in east central Ellis County, Texas, United States.The area that became Telico was settled before 1856...
, in Ellis CountyEllis County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 111,360 people, 37,020 households, and 29,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile . There were 39,071 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
, the fifth child of Henry and Cumie Barrow. With Bonnie Parker, he would become a legendary criminal, dying in 1934. - Born: Clyde Barrow, legendary gangster (Bonnie and ClydeBonnie and ClydeBonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
), in Ellis County, TexasEllis County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 111,360 people, 37,020 households, and 29,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile . There were 39,071 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
(killed 1934)
March 25, 1909 (Thursday)
- Tsar Nicholas II of Russia averted war with Austria-Hungary and Germany, by dropping opposition to the Austrian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, resolving the Balkan Crisis. War would break out five years later over Bosnia's neighbor, the Kingdom of Serbia.
- Fighting broke out between members of the Creek Indian tribe and white deputies at Henryetta, OklahomaHenryetta, OklahomaHenryetta is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,096 at the 2000 census.Henryetta is notable as the high school hometown of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman...
, and within a few days, escalated into a rebellion reportedly involving several hundred Creeks under the leadership of Chief Crazy SnakeChitto HarjoChitto Harjo was a leader and orator among the traditionalists in the Muscogee Creek Nation in Indian Territory at the turn of the 20th century. He resisted changes which the US government and local leaders wanted to impose to achieve statehood for what became Oklahoma...
. By March 28, at least six Whites had been killed and all companies of the Oklahoma state militia had been called out. The insurrection was the last American Indian uprising in the Indian TerritoryOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, which later became the State of Oklahoma.
March 26, 1909 (Friday)
- A crowd of 10,000 demonstrated in Cairo, the day after British authorities in Egypt restored the 1881 "Law of Publications", barring newspapers from supporting nationalist causes.
- The National Board of Censorship, based in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, held its first meeting. On the first night, it reviewed 18000 feet (5,486.4 m) of film for obscene or "crime for crime's sake" material. After six hours, 400 feet (121.9 m) were cut.
March 27, 1909 (Saturday)
- George, Crown Prince of SerbiaGeorge, Crown Prince of SerbiaGeorge, Crown Prince of Serbia was the older brother of Alexander I of Yugoslavia and younger brother of Helen of Serbia, son of Peter I, King of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Princess Ljubica of Montenegro and grandson of King Nicholas I of Montenegro.-Early life:George was born in...
, renounced his right to succession to the throne in favor of his younger brother, AlexanderAlexander I of YugoslaviaAlexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
, who later became King of Yugoslavia. - The first Chinese nationality law was proclaimed by the Imperial government, providing that all persons of Chinese nationality were citizens entitled to protection of the Empire's laws.
- Prince Karl Gunther of the German principality of Schwarsburg-Sondershausen (chief city Arnstadt) died, and was succeeded by Prince Gunther of Schawrzburg-Rudolstadt (capital Rudolstadt).
- Born: Golo MannGolo MannGolo Mann , born Angelus Gottfried Thomas Mann, was a popular German historian, essayist and writer. He was the third child of the novelist Thomas Mann and his wife Katia Mann.-Life:...
, German historian, in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(d. 1994)
March 28, 1909 (Sunday)
- In a speech in Ottawa, Alexander Graham BellAlexander Graham BellAlexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
announced that Canada had been the birthplace of the telephone. Bell told listeners that "The first transmission of speech over a wire was in the Autumn of 1876 on a line furnished by the Dominion Telegraph Co. of Canada between Brantford and Mount Pleasant." The transmission was only one way, however, with the first reciprocal conversation on the same line occurring later between Bell and Watson.
March 29, 1909 (Monday)
- German Chancellor Bernhard von Bulow announced the doctrine of Niebelungentreue, the concept that the German and Austrian empires were united by their common language and heritage. Fighting on the same side in World War One, the two empires would fall together in 1918.
March 30, 1909 (Tuesday)
- The Queensboro BridgeQueensboro BridgeThe Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge – because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th Streets – or simply the Queensboro Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909...
was opened to the public, linking Queens to Manhattan.
March 31, 1909 (Wednesday)
- KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
became the first American state to prohibit use the "common drinking cup" on trains and in railroad depots and public schools, with an order from the State Board of Health to take effect on September 1. Dr. Samuel Jay Crumbine, the Secretary of the Board, began lobbying for the ban after studies demonstrated that a tin cup (or water dipper), shared and drunk from by members of the public, was germ-infested and promoted the spread of disease. Sanitary, disposable paper cups were soon introduced, and the spread of disease was eliminated at the expense of creating the "throwaway society". - The Serbian ambassador to Austria-Hungary formally presented his government's acceptance of the Austrian annexation of Bosnia. "Servia undertakes to renounce from now onwards the attitude of protest and opposition which she has adopted with regard to the annexation since last autumn," announced the Ambassador. With those humiliating words, the Serbians averted an invasion by the Austrian Imperial forces.
- Hull No. 401, the keel of the RMS Titanic, the largest ship to that time, was laid at the Harland and WolffHarland and WolffHarland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
shipyards in BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. - The American flag was lowered at Camp Columbia and the Cuban flag was hoisted, marking the withdrawal of all American troops from Cuba. The following morning at 10:00, the Sumner and the McClellan transported the remaining Americans home.
- Georgia ended its controversial "convict lease system", returning 1,200 imprisoned felons from private stockades to county jails. Until then, private companies had been paying the state for the use of the convicts' services.